| Tyrannomyrmex legatus | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Genus: | Tyrannomyrmex |
| Species: | T. legatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Tyrannomyrmex legatus Alpert, 2013 | |
Tyrannomyrmex legatus is a tropical Old World species of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. It is only known from a single worker from Sri Lanka. Gynes and males are unknown. [1]
This single specimen was collected from leaf litter in lowland dipterocarp forest in southern Sri Lanka, near a stream at the bottom of a slope in the drier period of the year. [1] [2]
T. legatus is most easily distinguished from T. rex and T. dux by differences in pilosity, sculpture and the shape of the petiole and postpetiole. T. rex is almost lacking pilosity on the mesosomal dorsum, while the whole dorsal surface is covered with long erect hairs in T. legatus and T. dux. The foveolation is weaker in T. rex, especially on the mesosoma where the foveae on the mesosoma are small with most interspaces equal or wider than their diameter. T. legatus can be most easily separated from T. dux by the shape of the petiole, which is much more robust in the former. In lateral view, the peduncle of the petiole is not clearly differentiated, with an abrupt anterior slope of the node. There is also a conspicuous antereoventral projection of the petiole in T. legatus which is absent in T. dux. [1]
Tyrannomyrmex legatus has its sting extruded and it is comparable in length with T. dux. It is possible that a fully extruded sting could appear to be longer as in T. rex. The palp formula is 2,2 and each segment is rather short. The setae on the ventral margin of the mandibles are normal. There is no median seta on the anterior margin of the clypeus, but rather a series of evenly spaced setae along the entire margin. [1]
Myrmicinae is a subfamily of ants, with about 140 extant genera; 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.
Leptomyrmex, or spider ants, is a genus of ants and a distinctive member of the ant subfamily Dolichoderinae. Commonly known as "spider ants" for their long legs and spider-like movements, these orange and black ants are prominent residents of intact wet forest and sclerophyll habitats throughout their range. One extant species, Leptomyrmex relictus, is known from central Brazil; otherwise, the global distribution of this genus is restricted to eastern Australia, New Caledonia and New Guinea, as well as the nearby Indonesian islands of Aru and Seram.
Sphecomyrma is an extinct genus of ants which existed in the Cretaceous approximately 79 to 92 million years ago. The first specimens were collected in 1966, found embedded in amber which had been exposed in the cliffs of Cliffwood, New Jersey, by Edmund Frey and his wife. In 1967, zoologists E. O. Wilson, Frank Carpenter and William L. Brown, Jr. published a paper describing and naming Sphecomyrma freyi. They described an ant with a mosaic of features—a mix of characteristics from modern ants and aculeate wasps. It possessed a metapleural gland, a feature unique to ants. Furthermore, it was wingless and had a petiole which was ant-like in form. The mandibles were short and wasp-like with only two teeth, the gaster was constricted, and the middle and hind legs had double tibial spurs. The antennae were, in form, midway between the wasps and ants, having a short first segment but a long flexible funiculus. Two additional species, S. canadensis and S. mesaki, were described in 1985 and 2005, respectively.
Amblyoponinae is a subfamily of ants in the poneromorph subfamilies group containing 13 extant genera and one extinct genus. The ants in this subfamily are mostly specialized subterranean predators. Adult workers pierce the integument of their larvae to imbibe haemolymph, earning them the common name Dracula ant.
Tatuidris, or armadillo ant, is a rare genus of ants consisting of a single species, Tatuidris tatusia. The ants are small in size and inhabit the leaf litter of Neotropical forests in Central and South America, from Mexico to Brazil. Workers are ferruginous-colored to dark red and present a distinctive morphology, consisting of a shield-like head with a broad vertex, ventrally-turned heavy mandibles which do not overlap at full closure, and unique among ants – an antenna socket apparatus sitting upside-down. Little is known about the biology of the ants, but they are likely nocturnal and specialist predators.
Tyrannomyrmex is a rare tropical genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. Three similar species, only known from workers, are recognized and share small eyes and edentate mandibles.
Zigrasimecia is an extinct genus of ants which existed in the Cretaceous period approximately 98 million years ago. The first specimens were collected from Burmese amber in Kachin State, 100 kilometres (62 mi) west of Myitkyina town in Myanmar. In 2013, palaeoentomologists Phillip Barden and David Grimaldi published a paper describing and naming Zigrasimecia tonsora. They described a dealate female with unusual features, notably the highly specialized mandibles. Other features include large ocelli, short scapes, 12 antennomeres, small eyes, and a clypeal margin that has a row of peg-like denticles. The genus Zigrasimecia was originally incertae sedis within Formicidae until a second species, Zigrasimecia ferox, was described in 2014, leading to its placement in the subfamily Sphecomyrminae. Later, it was considered to belong to the distinct subfamily Zigrasimeciinae.
Dorylus gribodoi is a West African species of army ants in the genus Dorylus.
Dinoponera quadriceps is a queenless species of ants in the subfamily Ponerinae. The species, known from Brazil, is similar to Dinoponera mutica and uses venom for subduing large live prey and defense. Its venom could be of use to the pharmaceutical industry.
Pheidole dodo is a species of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae. It is named after the dodo, an extinct bird of Mauritius
Dinoponera lucida is a large queenless species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae. The species, endemic to Brazil, is threatened by habitat destruction. Workers range from 27 to 30 mm in body length, which is slightly larger than the related species Dinoponera australis, but smaller than other large ants. Males are unknown.
Lordomyrma reticulata is a species of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae.
Malagidris is a Malagasy genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. Described in 2014, the genus contains six species.
Pristomyrmex tsujii is a species of ant in the genus Pristomyrmex. Known from Fiji, where they are widely distributed but rarely encountered. The species has a discrete ergatoid queen caste that is intermediate between a worker and an alate queen.
Paraulax ronquisti is a species of gall wasp. Biology of the Paraulax species is unknown but given they are associated with Nothofagus forests their biology is probably associated with the pteromalid gall community. It is named in honour of Fredrik Ronquist. This species differs from P. perplexa and P. queulensis by its body's red-brown color, the shape of the antennal flagellomeres F3 and F4, the faint notauli and its smooth and shiny mesopleuron. It has an elongated body like P. queulensis.
Gerontoformica is an extinct genus of stem-group ants. The genus contains thirteen described species known from Late Cretaceous fossils found in Asia and Europe. The species were described between 2004 and 2016, with a number of the species formerly being placed into the junior synonym genus Sphecomyrmodes.
Aneuretellus is an extinct genus of ant in the formicid subfamily Aneuretinae, and is one of eight genera of the subfamily. The genus contains a single described species Aneuretellus deformis and is known from one Middle Eocene fossil which was found in Sakhalin in the Russian Far East.
Bradoponera is an extinct genus of ant in the Formicidae subfamily Proceratiinae, and is one of four genera of the subfamily. The genus contains four described species Bradoponera electrina, Bradoponera meieri, Bradoponera similis, and Bradoponera wunderlichi. The species are known from several Middle Eocene amber fossils which were found in Europe.
Linguamyrmex is an extinct genus of ant in the formicid subfamily Haidomyrmecinae, and is one of only nine genera placed in the subfamily Haidomyrmecinae. The genus contains three described species, Linguamyrmex brevicornis, Linguamyrmex rhinocerus, and the type species Linguamyrmex vladi all known from Late Cretaceous fossils found in Asia.
Tyrannomyrmex alii is a species of tropical ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae. T. alii is native to the Western Ghats in India. The species was described from workers and a winged queen, the first Tyrannomyrmex species in which a queen has been described, while the males are not known. Three additional species are also known, with one also being native to the Western Ghats.
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: Alpert, G. D. (2013), "A new species of Tyrannomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Sri Lanka" (PDF), Zootaxa, 3721 (3): 286–290, doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3721.3.5 Please check the source for the exact licensing terms.