Cerapachys | |
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C. biroi worker from Madagascar | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Formicidae |
Subfamily: | Dorylinae |
Genus: | Cerapachys Smith, 1857 |
Type species | |
Cerapachys antennatus | |
Diversity [1] | |
5 species | |
Synonyms | |
CeratopachysSchulz, 1906 Contents |
Cerapachys (common names include "raider ant" and "ant-raiding ant") [2] is a genus of ants in the subfamily Dorylinae. [3] Species are mainly myrmecophagous ants which raid the nests of other ants for prey. The genus is distributed widely throughout the Indomalayan region. [4] The genus was revised by BoroWiec (2016) who split a number of previously synonymized genera out of Cerapachys, leaving only 5 species in the genus. [1] [5]
Dorylinae is an ant subfamily, with distributions in both the Old World and New World. Brady et al. (2014) synonymized the previous dorylomorph subfamilies under Dorylinae, while Borowiec (2016) reviewed and revised the genera, resurrecting many genera which had previously been merged. Dorylinae genera are suggested to have evolved sometime between 102 to 74 million years ago, subsequently undergoing rapid adaptive radiation events during their early history.
Tapinoma is a genus of ants that belongs to the subfamily Dolichoderinae. The genus currently comprises 74 described species distributed worldwide in tropical and temperate regions. Members of are generalized foragers, nesting in a wide variety of habitats, ranging from grasslands, open fields, woodlands, to inside buildings. The majority of species nest in the ground under objects such as stones or tree logs, other species build nests under bark of logs and stumps, in plant cavities, insect galls or refuse piles.
Myrmica is a genus of ants within the subfamily Myrmicinae. It is widespread throughout the temperate regions of the Holarctic and high mountains in Southeast Asia.
Aenictus is a large army ant genus distributed in the Old World tropics and subtropics. It contains about 181 species, making it one of the larger ant genera of the world.
Ooceraea biroi, the clonal raider ant, is a queenless clonal ant in the genus Ooceraea. Native to the Asian mainland, this species has become invasive on tropical and subtropical islands throughout the world. Unlike most ants, which have reproductive queens and mostly nonreproductive workers, all individuals in a O. biroi colony reproduce clonally via thelytokous parthenogenesis. Like most dorylines, O. biroi are obligate myrmecophages and raid nests of other ant species to feed on the brood.
Technomyrmex is a genus of ants in the subfamily Dolichoderinae. With 98 species, it is one of the largest and most diverse ant genera in the Dolichoderinae. The genus distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical zones with most species occurring in the Oriental-Malesian and Afrotropical regions. One species, Technomyrmex albipes is a tramp ant now widespread throughout the tropics due to human activities.
Sphinctomyrmex is a genus of ants in the subfamily Dorylinae. The genus is a tropical and distinctive group, originally described by Mayr based on a single gyne collected in Brazil. Morphologically, the genus is characterized by the unique arrangement of the gastric segments, which are nearly equal in length and separated from each other by distinct constrictions. Very little is known on the natural history of Sphinctomyrmex. The few observations so far suggest that ants of this genus are nomadic predators of other ants. The genus Zasphinctus and approximately 20 species were formerly included, but were split out during revision of the Dorylinae genera by Borowiec (2016).
Stenamma is a genus of cryptic leaf-litter ants that occurs in mesic forest habitats throughout the Holarctic region, Central America, and part of northwestern South America.
Carebara is a genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. It is one of the largest myrmicine genera with more than 200 species distributed worldwide in the tropics and the Afrotropical region. Many of them are very tiny cryptic soil and leaf-litter inhabitants. They nest in rotten wood to which the bark is still adherent in the Afrotropical region, or may be lestobiotic nesting near other ant species. Some species are known to exist parasitically within termite nests. Little is known about the biology of the genus, but they are notable for the vast difference in size between queens and workers.
Pristomyrmex is a genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae.
Zasphinctus is a genus of ants in the subfamily Dorylinae. The genus is a pantropical and distinctive group, originally described by Wheeler (1918) based on "Sphinctomyrmex" turneri collected in Queensland, Australia. Zasphinctus was first described as a subgenus of "Eusphinctus", and then synonymized into Sphinctomyrmex, to later be raised to full genus status by Borowiec (2016), who included approximately 20 species in the new genus circumscription.
Chrysapace is a genus of ants in the subfamily Dorylinae containing four described species. The genus is distributed across the Malaysian peninsula, Indonesia, and the Philippines, with undescribed species from Madagascar and from Baltic amber Chrysapace was described by Crawley (1924) and later placed as a junior synonym of Cerapachys by Brown (1975). Chrysapace was resurrected as a valid genus by Borowiec (2016) during redescription of the doryline genera.
Lioponera is a genus of ants in the subfamily Dorylinae containing approximately 74 described species. The genus is distributed widely across the Afrotropical, Australasia, Indomalaya, Malagasy, and Palearctic bioregions. Lioponera was described by Mayr (1879) and later placed as a junior synonym of Cerapachys by Brown (1975). Lioponera was resurrected as a valid genus by Borowiec (2016) during redescription of the doryline genera.
Ooceraea is a genus of ants in the subfamily Dorylinae containing approximately 16 described species. The genus is distributed across the Australasia, Indomalaya, Malagasy, Neotropical, Oceania, and Palearctic bioregions. Ooceraea was described by Roger (1862) and later placed as a junior synonym of Cerapachys by Brown (1973). Ooceraea was resurrected as a valid genus by Borowiec (2016) during redescription of the doryline genera.
Parasyscia is a genus of ants in the subfamily Dorylinae containing approximately 50 described species. The genus is distributed across the Afrotropical, Australasia, Indomalaya, Malagasy, Oceania, and Palearctic bioregions. Parasyscia was described by Carlo Emery (1882), moved to a subgenus of Cerapachys by Forel (1892) and finally placed as a junior synonym of Cerapachys by Kempf (1972). Parasyscia was resurrected as a valid genus by Borowiec (2016) during the redescription of the doryline genera.
Syscia is a genus of ants in the subfamily Dorylinae containing thirty eight described species. The genus is distributed widely across the Eastern Asia, North America, and South America. Syscia was described by Roger (1861), later placed as a Cerapachys subgenus by Wheeler (1902) and then junior synonym of Cerapachys by Kempf (1972). Syscia was resurrected as a valid genus by Borowiec (2016) during redescription of the doryline genera.
Yunodorylus is a genus of ants in the subfamily Dorylinae containing four described species. The genus is distributed widely across mainland Southeast Asia and the island of Borneo. Yunodorylus was described in 2000, later placed as a junior synonym of Cerapachys by Bolton (2003), and was resurrected as a valid genus by Borowiec (2016)
Dorylus orientalis is an Asian species of army ants in the genus Dorylus. It can be found in Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, China, and Borneo.
Neocerapachys is a genus of ants in the subfamily Dorylinae containing 2 described species. The genus is distributed across the Neotropical bioregion in central and South America. Neocerapachys was described by Borowiec (2016) during redescription of the doryline genera.
Eburopone is a genus of ants belonging to the family Formicidae.