Ant Taxonomy SubFamily- Paraponerinae

Ant Mania > Family > SubFamily (Paraponerinae)

About SubFamily Paraponerinae

Paraponerinae

Paraponera is a breed of ants and the only genus in the sublineage Paraponerinae. The representation signifies “near Ponera.

This has two genera. The alive Paraponera clavata, also known as the bullet ant, is located in the Neotropics. The very diminutive fossil species Paraponera dieteri recognized from Dominican amber (early Miocene; 16-19 million years ago). Bullet ants have a very bad sting that is poisonous to vertebrates and invertebrates. An essential component of this is the neurotoxic peptide poneratoxin.

Subfamily Paraponerinae

Paraponera clavata, the just living type of the subfamily Paraponerinae, is easily recognized by its plus size and V-shaped antennal grooves. It is typical in lowland tropical forests of Central and South America. It is discovered in 13 departments in Colombia, between 0-1846 meters of altitude. Their nests, which contain around 200 to 3,000 individuals, are generally found at the base of large trees where they forage. Although it inhabits a basal position in the Formicidae phylogeny, P. clavata exhibits an extremely complex behavioral spectrum, enabling it to efficiently and flexibly use the resources (nectar and prey) readily available in the forest canopy. Numerous organisms have developed relationships with it (e.g., parabiosis, inquilinism, parasitism). Its sting is well-known for being the most unpleasant of the Hymenoptera. Different native individuals utilize it during initiation rituals. Its venom consists of a cocktail of molecules with various residential or commercial properties, such as poneratoxin, which is neurotoxic.

Characterization

1. Antennal grooves well impressed to the base of the front carina.
2. Mandible with one proximalbasal tooth
3. Reduced third abdominal segment
4. Petiole with a long peduncle and without complete tergosternal fusion
5. The hypopygidium with spines.

All of these features are unique to this Neotropical subfamily.

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Paraponerinae

Identification

Inhabiting the Lowland American tropics, Paraponera ants are distinguished by an apically bidentate abdominal sternum IX and a uniquely shaped petiole (Boudinot et al., 2015). Also unusual among formicids are the triangular jaws and clypeus well developed. The anterior margin of the clypeus is free of antennal tubercles, while each antenna bears 13 segments. The meso- and metatibiae have two ventroapical spurs on each leg. There are eight closed cells on the forewings. A jugal lobe can be found just in front of the labium. Abdominal tergum bears an incisure that is dorsolateral in position; abdominal tergum IV has no vaulting; abdominal tergum VIII does not have a spiniform process; pre- and postsclerites of tergum IV are not connected by a cinctus.

[FULL LIST OF Paraponerinae ants]

Subfamilies Of Ants