Formicinae
Encyclopedia
Formicinae is a subfamily within the Formicidae
containing ant
s of moderate evolutionary development.
Formicines retain some primitive features such as the presence of cocoons around pupa
e, the presence of ocelli
in workers, and little tendency toward reduction of palp or antenna
l segmentation in most species, except subterranean groups. Extreme modification of mandibles is rare, except in the genera Myrmoteras
and Polyergus
. On the other hand, some members show considerable evolutionary advancement in behaviors such as slave-making and symbiosis with root-feeding homoptera
ns. Finally, all formicines have a very reduced sting and enlarged venom reservoir, with the venom gland, specialized (uniquely among ants) for the production of formic acid
.
All members of the Formicinae "have a one-segmented petiole in the form of a vertical scale".
structure of Formicinae is not completely understood. This list follows the scheme at antbase.org, but there are other schemes and names.
Ant
Ants are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than...
containing ant
Ant
Ants are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than...
s of moderate evolutionary development.
Formicines retain some primitive features such as the presence of cocoons around pupa
Pupa
A pupa is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. The pupal stage is found only in holometabolous insects, those that undergo a complete metamorphosis, going through four life stages; embryo, larva, pupa and imago...
e, the presence of ocelli
Ocellus
A simple eye refers to a type of eye design or optical arrangement that contains a single lens which detect light. A "simple eye" is so-called in distinction from a multi-lensed "compound eye", and is not necessarily at all simple in the usual sense of the word...
in workers, and little tendency toward reduction of palp or antenna
Antenna (biology)
Antennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....
l segmentation in most species, except subterranean groups. Extreme modification of mandibles is rare, except in the genera Myrmoteras
Myrmoteras
Myrmoteras is a genus of ants in the subfamily Formicinae. They have enormous eyes, a character found in other ancient genera, and extremely elongate mandibles with eight to sixteen teeth...
and Polyergus
Polyergus
Polyergus, also called Amazon ants, is a small genus of 6 described species of "slave-raiding" ants...
. On the other hand, some members show considerable evolutionary advancement in behaviors such as slave-making and symbiosis with root-feeding homoptera
Homoptera
Homoptera is a deprecated suborder of order Hemiptera; recent morphological studies and DNA analysis strongly suggests that the order is paraphyletic. It was therefore split into the suborders Sternorrhyncha, Auchenorrhyncha, and Coleorrhyncha....
ns. Finally, all formicines have a very reduced sting and enlarged venom reservoir, with the venom gland, specialized (uniquely among ants) for the production of formic acid
Formic acid
Formic acid is the simplest carboxylic acid. Its chemical formula is HCOOH or HCO2H. It is an important intermediate in chemical synthesis and occurs naturally, most notably in the venom of bee and ant stings. In fact, its name comes from the Latin word for ant, formica, referring to its early...
.
All members of the Formicinae "have a one-segmented petiole in the form of a vertical scale".
Classification
The tribalTribe (biology)
In biology, a tribe is a taxonomic rank between family and genus. It is sometimes subdivided into subtribes.Some examples include the tribes: Canini, Acalypheae, Hominini, Bombini, and Antidesmeae.-See also:* Biological classification* Rank...
structure of Formicinae is not completely understood. This list follows the scheme at antbase.org, but there are other schemes and names.
- CamponotiniCamponotiniCamponotini contains several ant genera, including Camponotus....
- Calomyrmex
- Camponotus – Carpenter ants (Global)
- Chaemeromyrma
- Echinopla
- Forelophilus
- Opisthopsis
- Overbeckia
- Phasmomyrmex
- PolyrhachisPolyrhachisPolyrhachis is a genus of formicine ants found in the Old World with a large number of species . The genus is yet to be comprehensively resolved and contains many varied species including nest weavers , swimming workers , soil and tree dwellers Polyrhachis is a genus of formicine ants found in the...
(Asian, African tropics) - Pseudocamponotus
- Formicini
- Alloformica
- Bajcaridris
- CataglyphisCataglyphisCataglyphis is a genus of ant in the subfamily Formicinae. Its most famous species is C. bicolor, the Sahara Desert ant, which runs on hot sand to find insects that died of heat exhaustion, and can sustain body temperatures of up to 50°C....
- FormicaFormicaFormica is a genus of ants of the family Formicidae, commonly known as wood ants, mound ants, or field ants. Formica is the type genus of the Formicidae, and of the subfamily Formicinae...
- PolyergusPolyergusPolyergus, also called Amazon ants, is a small genus of 6 described species of "slave-raiding" ants...
– Amazon ants - Proformica
- Protoformica
- Rossomyrmex
- Gesomyrmecini
- Gesomyrmex
- Prodimorphomyrmex
- Santschiella
- Sicilomyrmex
- Gigantopini
- Gigantiops (Neotropical)
- Lasiini
- AcanthomyopsAcanthomyopsAcanthomyops is a genus of ant in the family Formicidae. It includes the following species:* Acanthomyops arizonicus * Acanthomyops bureni Wing, 1968* Acanthomyops californicus...
- AcropygaAcropygaAcropyga is a genus of small formicine ants.Some species can be indirect pests. A. acutiventris, which is found from India to Australia, tends subterranean, root-feeding mealybugs of the species Xenococcus annandalei. Living, gravid females are carried in the jaws of A...
- AnoplolepisAnoplolepisAnoplolepis is a genus of ant in the family Formicidae.-Species:* Anoplolepis bothae * Anoplolepis candida Santschi, 1928* Anoplolepis carinata * Anoplolepis custodiens...
- Cladomyrma
- Lasiophanes
- LasiusLasiusLasius Latr. is a genus of boreal formicine ants.Included within this genus is the common black garden ant, Lasius niger, and its close relatives from dry heathland, L. alienus and L. neoniger....
- MyrmecocystusMyrmecocystusMyrmecocystus is a North American genus of ants. It is one of five genera that includes honeypot ants. Worker ants keep and tend plerergates, which are other ants that store large quantities of nutritious fluid in their abdomens to feed the colony during famine times...
- Prolasius
- Stigmacros
- Teratomyrmex
- Acanthomyops
- Melophorini
- Melophorus (Australian)
- Myrmecorhynchini
- Myrmecorhynchus
- Notoncus
- Pseudonotoncus
- Myrmoteranini
- MyrmoterasMyrmoterasMyrmoteras is a genus of ants in the subfamily Formicinae. They have enormous eyes, a character found in other ancient genera, and extremely elongate mandibles with eight to sixteen teeth...
- Myrmoteras
- Notostigmatini
- Notostigma
- Oecophyllini
- Oecophylla – Weaver ants
- PlagiolepidiniPlagiolepidiniPlagiolepidini are an ant tribe from the subfamily Formicinae.The following genera belong to this subfamily:*Agraulomyrmex*Anoplolepis*Aphomomyrmex*Brachymyrmex*Bregmatomyrma*Euprenolepis*Lepisiota*Myrmelachista...
- Agraulomyrmex
- Aphomomyrmex
- BrachymyrmexBrachymyrmexBrachymyrmex is a genus in the ant subfamily Formicinae. These ants are native to Northern Africa but several species have spread around the world with human commerce. The genus can be recognized by the combination of having nine antennal segments and the petiole concealed by the gaster in dorsal...
- Bregmatomyrma
- Euprenolepsis
- Myrmelachista
- Nylanderia
- Paraparatrechina
- ParatrechinaParatrechinaParatrechina is an ant genus from the subfamily Formicinae .There are over 150 described species and subspecies, some of which occur on every continent...
– Crazy ants - Petalomyrmex
- PlagiolepisPlagiolepisPlagiolepis is an ant genus of the formic acid-producing subfamily Formicinae.Species include:* Plagiolepis ampeloni* Plagiolepis grassei* Plagiolepis pygmaea * Plagiolepis regis...
- Pseudaphomomyrmex
- Pseudolasius
- Tapinolepis
- Incertae sedisIncertae sedis, is a term used to define a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Uncertainty at specific taxonomic levels is attributed by , , and similar terms.-Examples:*The fossil plant Paradinandra suecica could not be assigned to any...
- Eucharis
- Imhoffia
- Kyromyrma (fossilFossilFossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
: CretaceousCretaceousThe Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
) - Leucotaphus
- Protrechina
- Tylolasius
External links
- Formicinae at antbase.org
- Kye S. Hedlund, Subfamily Formicinae