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Myrmoteras

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Genus of ants

Myrmoteras
Myrmoteras iriodum worker from Malaysia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
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
41 species

Myrmoteras is a genus of ants in the subfamily Formicinae and the sole member of the tribe Myrmoteratini. 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°.

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.

Species

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

External links

Media related to Myrmoteras at Wikimedia Commons

Taxon identifiers
Myrmoteras
Myrmoteratini


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