Myrmoteras

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]

Myrmoteras
M. iriodum worker from Malaysia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Hymenoptera
Family:
Formicidae
Subfamily:
Formicinae
Tribe:
Myrmoteratini

Emery, 1895
Genus:
Myrmoteras

Forel, 1893
Type species
Myrmoteras binghamii
Forel, 1893
Diversity[1]
41 species

Description
Trap-jawed ants: Strumigenys, Daceton, Odontomachus, Anochetus, Myrmoteras

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.

Distribution

Myrmoteras occurs in the Indo-Malayan region.[4]

Species
  • Myrmoteras arcoelinae Agosti, 1992
  • Myrmoteras bakeri Wheeler, 1919 — Borneo
  • Myrmoteras barbouri Creighton, 1930 — Java
  • Myrmoteras baslerorum Agosti, 1992
  • Myrmoteras binghamii Forel, 1893 — Burma
  • Myrmoteras brachygnathum Moffett, 1985
  • Myrmoteras brigitteae Agosti, 1992
  • Myrmoteras ceylonicum Gregg, 1957 — Sri Lanka
  • Myrmoteras chondrogastrum Moffett, 1985
  • Myrmoteras concolor Bui, Eguchi & Yamane, 2013
  • Myrmoteras cuneonodum Xu, 1998
  • Myrmoteras danieli Agosti, 1992
  • Myrmoteras diastematum Moffett, 1985
  • Myrmoteras donisthorpei Wheeler, 1916 — Borneo
  • Myrmoteras elfeorum Agosti, 1992
  • Myrmoteras estrudae Agosti, 1992
  • Myrmoteras glabrum Zettel & Sorger, 2011
  • Myrmoteras indicum Moffett, 1985
  • Myrmoteras insulcatum Moffett, 1985
  • Myrmoteras iriodum Moffett, 1985
  • Myrmoteras ivani Agosti, 1992
  • Myrmoteras jacquelinae Agosti, 1992
  • Myrmoteras jaitrongi Bui, Eguchi & Yamane, 2013
  • Myrmoteras karnyi Gregg, 1954
  • Myrmoteras marianneae Agosti, 1992
  • Myrmoteras maudeae Agosti, 1992
  • Myrmoteras mcarthuri Zettel & Sorger, 2011
  • Myrmoteras mjoebergi Creighton, 1930 — Borneo
  • Myrmoteras morowali Moffett, 1985
  • Myrmoteras namphuong Bui, Eguchi & Yamane, 2013
  • Myrmoteras nicoletteae Agosti, 1992
  • Myrmoteras opalinum Bui, Eguchi & Yamane, 2013
  • Myrmoteras scabrum Moffett, 1985
  • Myrmoteras susanneae Agosti, 1992
  • Myrmoteras tomimasai Bui, Eguchi & Yamane, 2013
  • Myrmoteras tonboli Agosti, 1992
  • Myrmoteras toro Moffett, 1985
  • Myrmoteras williamsi Wheeler, 1919 — Philippines
  • Myrmoteras wolasi Moffett, 1985

References
  1. Bolton, B. (2014). "Myrmoteras". AntCat. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
  2. ITIS: Genus Myrmoteras
  3. Bolton, B. (2003): Synopsis and Classification of Formicidae. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute. 71. 370 pp.
  4. Creighton, William S. (1930): A Review of the Genus Myrmoteras (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Journal of the New York Entomological Society 38: 177-193. PDF

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