Myrmoteras
| Myrmoteras | |
|---|---|
| |
| M. iriodum worker from Malaysia | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | Formicidae
|
| Subfamily: | |
| Tribe: | Myrmoteratini Emery, 1895
|
| Genus: | Myrmoteras Forel, 1893
|
| Type species | |
| Myrmoteras binghamii Forel, 1893
| |
| Diversity[1] | |
| 41 species | |
Myrmoteras is a genus of ants in the subfamily Formicinae and the sole member of the tribe Myrmoteratini.[2] They have enormous eyes, a character found in other ancient genera, and extremely elongated mandibles with eight to 16 teeth. These work as trap-jaws and can open up to 270°.[3]
Description[]
While the elongated mandibles look superficially similar to those of the basal Myrmecia, the mechanism is, as a whole, totally dissimilar and is rather convergent to that of the ponerine genera Anochetus and Odontomachus, and the myrmicine Strumigenys. The trigger mechanism of the trap-jaw-like mandibles of Myrmoteras consists of two hairs. Other trap-jawed genera are Daceton, Acanthognathus, Orectognathus, Microdaceton, and Epitritus.[citation needed]
Distribution[]
Myrmoteras occurs in the Indo-Malayan region.[4]
Species[]
- Agosti, 1992
- Wheeler, 1919 — Borneo
- Creighton, 1930 — Java
- Agosti, 1992
- Myrmoteras binghamii Forel, 1893 — Burma
- Moffett, 1985
- Agosti, 1992
- Myrmoteras ceylonicum Gregg, 1957 — Sri Lanka
- Moffett, 1985
- Bui, Eguchi & Yamane, 2013
- Xu, 1998
- Agosti, 1992
- Moffett, 1985
- Wheeler, 1916 — Borneo
- Agosti, 1992
- Agosti, 1992
- Zettel & Sorger, 2011
- Moffett, 1985
- Moffett, 1985
- Moffett, 1985
- Agosti, 1992
- Agosti, 1992
- Bui, Eguchi & Yamane, 2013
- Gregg, 1954
- Agosti, 1992
- Agosti, 1992
- Zettel & Sorger, 2011
- Creighton, 1930 — Borneo
- Moffett, 1985
- Bui, Eguchi & Yamane, 2013
- Agosti, 1992
- Bui, Eguchi & Yamane, 2013
- Moffett, 1985
- Agosti, 1992
- Bui, Eguchi & Yamane, 2013
- Agosti, 1992
- Moffett, 1985
- Wheeler, 1919 — Philippines
- Moffett, 1985
References[]
- ^ Bolton, B. (2014). "Myrmoteras". AntCat. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
- ^ ITIS: Genus Myrmoteras
- ^ Bolton, B. (2003): Synopsis and Classification of Formicidae. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute. 71. 370 pp.
- ^ Creighton, William S. (1930): A Review of the Genus Myrmoteras (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Journal of the New York Entomological Society 38: 177-193. PDF
External links[]
Media related to Myrmoteras at Wikimedia Commons
- Formicinae
- Ant genera
- Formicinae stubs