Ant Taxonomy SubFamily- Formicinae

Ant Mania > Family > SubFamily (Formicinae)

About SubFamily Formicinae

Formicinae are not to be confused with the extinct Formicidae subfamily Formicidae.

Formicinae

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Lepeletier, 1836
Type genus
Formica
Linnaeus, 1758
Diversity
51 extant genera in 12 tribes

Formicinae is a subfamily within Formicidae that possesses ant of average evolutionary expansion.

Formicines possess some primal components, such as the existence of cocoons around pupae, the presence of ocelli in workers, and a smallish direction toward reduction of palp or antennal segmentation in most species, excluding belowground classes. Extreme mutation of mandibles is irregular, except in the genera Myrmoteras and Polyergus.

Nonetheless, some members display considerable evolutionary advancement in conducts such as slave-making and symbiosis with root-feeding hemipterans. Finally, all formicines have very reduced stings and enlarged venom reservoirs, 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 shape of an upright hierarchy”.

Identification

Formicine ants include a single node-like or scale-like petiole (postpetiole totally lacking) and the apex of the waistline has a circular or U-shaped opening (the acidopore), usually bordered with hairs. A useful sting is absent, and protection is equipped by the ejection of formic acid through the acidopore. If the acidopore is suppressed by the pygidium and challenging to discern, then the antennal sockets are found well behind the posterior margin of the clypeus (cf. Dolichoderinae). In most formicine, the eyes are well refined (ocelli may also be present), the antennal insertions are not concealed by the frontal carinae, and the promesonotal suture is present and adaptable.

Carpenter Ant

Subfamilies Of Ants