Myrmoteras is a genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of 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 in the subfamily Formicinae

Formicinae

Formicinae is a subfamily within the Formicidae containing ants of moderate evolutionary development.Formicines retain some primitive features such as the presence of cocoons around pupae, the presence of ocelli in workers, and little tendency toward reduction of palp or antennal segmentation in...

. They have enormous eyes, a character found in other ancient genera, and extremely elongate mandibles with eight to sixteen teeth. These work as trap-jaws and can open up to 270°.

Description

While the elongate mandibles look superficially similar to those of the basal

Basal (phylogenetics)

In phylogenetics, a basal clade is the earliest clade to branch in a larger clade; it appears at the base of a cladogram.A basal group forms an outgroup to the rest of the clade, such as in the following example:...

 Myrmecia

Myrmecia

Myrmecia, often called bulldog ants, bull ants, inch ants, sergeant ants, jumper ants or jack-jumpers , is a genus of ants. Bull ants can grow to over in length, with the smallest species long...

, the mechanism is as a whole totally dissimilar and is rather convergent to that of the ponerine

Ponerinae

Ponerinae is a subfamily of ants in the Poneromorph subfamilies group, with about 1,600 species in 28 extant genera, including Dinoponera gigantea - one of the world's largest species of ant....

 genera Anochetus

Anochetus

Anochetus is a genus of carnivorous ants found in the tropics and subtropics throughout the world.- Species :This is an incomplete list of species in this genus....

and Odontomachus

Odontomachus

Odontomachus is a genus of carnivorous ants found in the tropics and subtropics throughout the world.-Overview:Commonly known as trap-jaw ants, species in Odontomachus have a pair of large, straight mandibles capable of opening 180 degrees...

, and the myrmicine

Myrmicinae

Myrmicinae is a subfamily of ants. There are about 140 genera within the group, with the family being cosmopolitan. The pupae lack cocoons. Some species retain a functional sting. The petioles of Myrmicinae consist of two nodes...

 Strumigenys

Strumigenys

Strumigenys is a genus of myrmicine ants in the tribe Dacetini.-Biology:Strumigenys form small nests in soil, under or between rocks, or in and under logs or under cattle dung. Some species nest in association with other ants such as Bothriomyrmex mayri or Rhytidoponera metallica. Although they are...

. The trigger mechanism of the trap-jaw like mandibles of Myrmoteras consists of two hairs. Other trap-jawed genera are Daceton, Acanthognathus

Acanthognathus

Acanthognathus is a genus of ants that are found in tropical Central and South America. They are reddish in colour and have long trap-jaws that can be compared to those of Odontomachus. These predatory ants live in small colonies that typically consist of less than 30 adults.Mistakenly, the name...

, Orectognathus, Microdaceton and Epitritus.

Species

Myrmoteras arcoelinae Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras bakeri Wheeler, 1919 — Borneo Borneo Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia.... Myrmoteras barbouri Creighton, 1930 — Java Java Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java... Myrmoteras baslerorum Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras binghamii Forel, 1893 — Burma Myrmoteras brachygnathum Moffett, 1985 Myrmoteras brigitteae Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras ceylonica Gregg, 1957 Myrmoteras chondrogastrum Moffett, 1985 Myrmoteras danieli Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras diastematum Moffett, 1985 Myrmoteras donisthorpei Wheeler, 1916 — Borneo Myrmoteras elfeorum Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras estrudae Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras indicum Moffett, 1985

Myrmoteras insulcatum Moffett, 1985 Myrmoteras iriodum Moffett, 1985 Myrmoteras ivani Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras jacquelinae Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras karnyi Gregg, 1954 Myrmoteras marianneae Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras maudeae Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras mjoebergi Wheeler, 1930 — Borneo Myrmoteras morowali Moffett, 1985 Myrmoteras nicoletteae Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras scabrum Moffett, 1985 Myrmoteras susanneae Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras tonboli Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras toro Moffett, 1985 Myrmoteras williamsi Wheeler, 1919 — Philippines Philippines The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam... Myrmoteras wolasi Moffett, 1985