Myrmicinae Last updated February 07, 2026 Subfamily of ants with cosmopolitan distribution whose pupae do not create cocoons
Myrmicinae is a subfamily of ants , with about 140 extant genera; [ 1] their distribution is cosmopolitan . The pupae lack cocoons . Some species retain a functional sting . The petioles of Myrmicinae consist of two nodes. The nests are permanent and in soil, rotting wood, under stones, or in trees. [ 2] All species of Cephalotes (within the tribe Attini ) are gliding ants .
Identification Myrmicine worker ants have a distinct postpetiole , i.e., abdominal segment III is notably smaller than segment IV and set off from it by a well-developed constriction; the pronotum is inflexibly fused to the rest of the mesosoma , such that the promesonotal suture is weakly impressed or absent, and a functional sting is usually present. The clypeus is well-developed; as a result, the antennal sockets are well separated from the anterior margin of the head. Most myrmicine genera possess well-developed eyes and frontal lobes that partly conceal the antennal insertions. [ 3]
Tribes In 2015, the number of tribes was reduced from 25 to six. [ 4]
Phylogeny The relationships between the six myrmicine tribes have been debated, and the most recent 2025 phylogeny is shown here. [ 5]
Myrmicinae Myrmicini
Pogonomyrmecini
Stenammini
Crematogastrini
Attini
Solenopsidini
Genera In 2014, most genera were placed into different tribes or moved to other subfamilies. Below is an updated list: [ 1] [ 4]
Attini Smith, 1858 Acanthognathus Mayr, 1887 Acromyrmex Mayr, 1865 Allomerus Mayr, 1878 Amoimyrmex Cristiano, Cardoso & Sandoval, 2020 Apterostigma Mayr, 1865 Atta Fabricius, 1804 † Attaichnus Laza, 1982 Basiceros Schulz, 1906 Blepharidatta Wheeler, 1915 Cephalotes Latreille, 1802 Chimaeridris Wilson, 1989 Colobostruma Wheeler, 1927 Cyatta Sosa-Calvo et al. , 2013 Cyphomyrmex Mayr, 1862 Daceton Perty, 1833 Diaphoromyrma Fernández, Delabie & Nascimento, 2009 Epopostruma Forel, 1895 Eurhopalothrix Brown & Kempf, 1961 Ishakidris Bolton, 1984 Kalathomyrmex Klingenberg & Brandão, 2009 Lachnomyrmex Wheeler, 1910 Lenomyrmex Fernández & Palacio, 1999 Mesostruma Brown, 1948 Microdaceton Santschi, 1913 Mycetagroicus Brandão & Mayhé-Nunes, 2001 Mycetarotes Emery, 1913 Mycetophylax Emery, 1913 Mycetosoritis Wheeler, 1907 Mycocepurus Forel, 1893 Myrmicocrypta Smith, 1860 Ochetomyrmex Mayr, 1878 Octostruma Forel, 1912 Orectognathus Smith, 1853 Paramycetophylax Kusnezov, 1956 Phalacromyrmex Kempf, 1960 Pheidole Westwood, 1839 Pilotrochus Brown, 1978 Procryptocerus Emery, 1887 Protalaridris Brown, 1980 Pseudoatta Gallardo, 1916 Rhopalothrix Mayr, 1870 Sericomyrmex Mayr, 1865 Strumigenys Smith, 1860 Talaridris Weber, 1941 Trachymyrmex Forel, 1893 Tranopelta Mayr, 1866 Wasmannia Forel, 1893 Crematogastrini Forel, 1893 Acanthomyrmex Emery, 1893 Adlerzia Forel, 1902 Ancyridris Wheeler, 1935 Aretidris General, 2015 Atopomyrmex André, 1889 Calyptomyrmex Emery, 1887 Cardiocondyla Emery, 1869 Carebara Westwood, 1840 Cataulacus Smith, 1853 Crematogaster Lund, 1831 Cyphoidris Weber, 1952 Dacatria Rigato, 1994 Dacetinops Brown & Wilson, 1957 Dicroaspis Emery, 1908 Dilobocondyla Santschi, 1910 Diplomorium Mayr, 1901 † Enneamerus Mayr, 1868 † Eocenomyrma Dlussky & Radchenko, 2006 Eutetramorium Emery, 1899 Formicoxenus Mayr, 1855 Formosimyrma Terayama, 2009 Gauromyrmex Menozzi, 1933 Gaoligongidris Xu, 2012 Harpagoxenus Forel, 1893 Huberia Forel, 1890 † Hypopomyrmex Emery, 1891 Indomyrma Brown, 1986 Kartidris Bolton, 1991 Lasiomyrma Terayama & Yamane, 2000 Leptothorax Mayr, 1855 Liomyrmex Mayr, 1865 † Lonchomyrmex Mayr, 1867 Lophomyrmex Emery, 1892 Lordomyrma Emery, 1897 Malagidris Bolton & Fisher, 2014 Mayriella Forel, 1902 Melissotarsus Emery, 1877 Meranoplus Smith, 1853 Metapone Forel, 1911 Myrmecina Curtis, 1829 Nesomyrmex Wheeler, 1910 Ocymyrmex Emery, 1886 † Oxyidris Wilson, 1985 † Parameranoplus Wheeler, 1915 Paratopula Wheeler, 1919 Perissomyrmex Smith, 1947 Peronomyrmex Viehmeyer, 1922 Podomyrma Smith, 1859 Poecilomyrma Mann, 1921 Pristomyrmex Mayr, 1866 Proatta Forel, 1912 Propodilobus Branstetter, 2009 Recurvidris Bolton, 1992 Rhopalomastix Forel, 1900 Romblonella Wheeler, 1935 Rostromyrmex Rosciszewski, 1994 Rotastruma Bolton, 1991 Royidris Bolton & Fisher, 2014 Secostruma Bolton, 1988 Stereomyrmex Emery, 1901 † Stigmomyrmex Mayr, 1868 † Stiphromyrmex Wheeler, 1915 Strongylognathus Mayr, 1853 Temnothorax Mayr, 1861 Terataner Emery, 1912 Tetheamyrma Bolton, 1991 Tetramorium Mayr, 1855 Trichomyrmex Mayr, 1865 Vitsika Bolton & Fisher, 2014 Vollenhovia Mayr, 1865 Vombisidris Bolton, 1991 Xenomyrmex Forel, 1885 Myrmicini Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau, 1835 Pogonomyrmecini Ward, Brady, Fisher & Schultz, 2014 Solenopsidini Forel, 1893 Adelomyrmex Emery, 1897 Anillomyrma Emery, 1913 Austromorium Shattuck, 2009 Baracidris Bolton, 1981 Bariamyrma Lattke, 1990 Bondroitia Forel, 1911 Cryptomyrmex Fernández, 2004 Dolopomyrmex Cover & Deyrup, 2007 Epelysidris Bolton, 1987 Kempfidris Fernández, Feitosa & Lattke, 2014 Megalomyrmex Forel, 1885 Monomorium Mayr, 1855 Myrmicaria Saunders, 1842 Oxyepoecus Santschi, 1926 Rogeria Emery, 1894 Solenopsis Westwood, 1840 Stegomyrmex Emery, 1912 Syllophopsis Santschi, 1915 Tropidomyrmex Silva, Feitosa, Brandão & Diniz, 2009 Tyrannomyrmex Fernández, 2003 Stenammini Ashmead, 1905 incertae sedis † Afromyrma Dlussky, Brothers & Rasnitsyn, 2004 † Agastomyrma Dlussky, Rasnitsyn & Perfilieva, 2015 † Bilobomyrma Radchenko & Dlussky, 2013 † Biamomyrma Dlussky, Rasnitsyn & Perfilieva, 2015 † Boltonidris Radchenko & Dlussky, 2012 † Brachytarsites Hong, 2002 † Cephalomyrmex Carpenter, 1930 † Clavipetiola Hong, 2002 † Electromyrmex Wheeler, 1910 † Eocenidris Wilson, 1985 † Eomyrmex Hong, 1974 † Fallomyrma Dlussky & Radchenko, 2006 † Fushunomyrmex Hong, 2002 † Ilemomyrmex Wilson, 1985 † Miosolenopsis Zhang, 1989 † Myrmecites Dlussky & Rasnitsyn, 2003 † Orbigastrula Hong, 2002 † Quadrulicapito Hong, 2002 † Quineangulicapito Hong, 2002 † Sinomyrmex Hong, 2002 † Solenopsites Dlussky & Rasnitsyn, 2003 † Sphaerogasterites Hong, 2002 † Wumyrmex Hong, 2002 † Zhangidris Bolton, 2003 References This article incorporates text from a scholarly publication published under a copyright license that allows anyone to reuse, revise, remix and redistribute the materials in any form for any purpose: "Subfamily: Myrmicinae" . antweb.org . AntWeb . Retrieved 21 September 2013 . This page is based on this
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