Subfamily of ants From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ponerinae, the ponerine ants,[2] is a subfamily of ants in the Poneromorph subfamilies group, with about 1,600 species in 47 extant genera, including Dinoponera gigantea - one of the world's largest species of ant. Mated workers have replaced the queen as the functional egg-layers in several species of ponerine ants. In such queenless species, the reproductive status of workers can only be determined through ovarian dissections.[citation needed]
Ponerinae Temporal range: | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Fighting Harpegnathos saltator | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Formicidae |
Subfamily: | Ponerinae Lepeletier, 1835 |
Type genus | |
Ponera Latreille, 1804 | |
Diversity[1] | |
59 genera |
Ponerinae are most easily identified from other subfamilies by possessing a single-segmented petiole and the gaster usually being constricted between the first and second segments.[3] Odontomachus lack this constriction, but these can be identified from their elongate, straight mandibles attached close together along the front margin of the head and with teeth only at the mandible tips.[3] They are rare examples of stinging ants.[4] Females have 12-segmented antennae, whereas males have 13-segmented antennae.[3]
These ants typically nest in soil, forest litter, or rotting logs, and are predacious.[5] They primarily prey on isopods. They mostly live in small colonies of up to 200 workers. They can be found mostly in tropical environments, but have been found in southeastern Canada and New York.[citation needed]
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.