Subfamily: Myrmicinae

Taxonomic History (provided by Barry Bolton, 2013)

Identification:

Myrmicine worker ants have a distinct postpetiole, i.e., abdominal segment III is notably smaller than segment IV and set off from it by a well developed constriction; the pronotum is inflexibly fused to the rest of the mesosoma, such that the promesonotal suture is weakly impressed or absent; and a functional sting is usually present. The clypeus is well developed; as a result the antennal sockets are well separated from the anterior margin of the head (cf. Ecitoninae). Most myrmicine genera possess well developed eyes, and frontal lobes that partly conceal the antennal insertions.

Male myrmicines are recognizable by the anterior and posterior constrictions of abdominal segment III, forming a postpetiole, which is smaller than the fourth abdominal segment (gastral segment I); antennal insertions distant from the anterior margin of the clypeus (nearly abutting in the proceratiine genera); meso- and metatibiae never with two spurs each (two each in the pseudomyrmecinae); anterior and posterior foramena of petiole more-or-less in the same plane (the posterior foramen of Tatuidris is distinctly raised above the anterior foramen in profile view). Characters which separate myrmicine from myrmeciine males are not included in this diagnosis; diagnosis based on Yoshimura & FIsher (2007), M.R. Smith (1943) and Boudinot ("Mesoamerican Males" in prep.).

Notes:

This is the largest ant subfamily, with more than 130 species in California alone. Most species are generalist omnivores but some have become specialized as predators, granivores, or fungus-growers.

References:

Bolton (1994, 2000); Ettershank (1966); Kugler (1978a, 1979c, 1986); Ogata (1991b).

Male references:

Smith, M.R. (1943) A generic and subgeneric synopsis of the male ants of the United States. American Midland Naturalist, 30: 273--321.

Yoshimura, M. & Fisher B.L. (2007) A revision of male ants of the Malagasy region (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): key to subfamilies and treatment of the genera of Ponerinae. Zootaxa, 1654: 21--40.

 

Taxon Page Author History

On 2012-09-09 10:41:19 Brendon Boudinot modified References
On 2012-09-09 10:39:00 Brendon Boudinot modified Identification
On 2012-09-09 10:37:13 Brendon Boudinot modified Identification
On 2012-09-09 10:32:58 Brendon Boudinot modified Identification
On 2011-03-31 23:46:13 Brendon Boudinot modified References
On 2011-03-31 23:46:13 Brendon Boudinot modified Identification

15 Genera Imaged | View All 16 Genera for this subfamily

Anergates    

---

Aphaenogaster    

---

Crematogaster    

---

Formicoxenus    

---

Harpagoxenus    

---

Leptothorax    

---

Manica    

---

Monomorium    

---

Myrmecina    

---

Myrmica    

---

Myrmoxenus    

---

Solenopsis    

---

Stenamma    

---

Temnothorax    

---

Tetramorium    

---