The Formicinae are a

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zo ...

within the Formicidae containing

ant Ants are Eusociality, eusocial insects of the Family (biology), family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the Taxonomy (biology), order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from Vespoidea, vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cre ...

s of moderate evolutionary development. Formicines retain some primitive features, such as the presence of cocoons around

pupa A pupa (; : pupae) is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation between immature and mature stages. Insects that go through a pupal stage are holometabolous: they go through four distinct stages in their life cycle, the stages th ...

e, the presence of

ocelli A simple eye or ocellus (sometimes called a pigment pit) is a form of eye or an optical arrangement which has a single lens without the sort of elaborate retina that occurs in most vertebrates. These eyes are called "simple" to distinguish the ...

in workers, and little tendency toward reduction of palp or antennal segmentation in most species, except subterranean groups. Extreme modification of

mandible In jawed vertebrates, the mandible (from the Latin ''mandibula'', 'for chewing'), lower jaw, or jawbone is a bone that makes up the lowerand typically more mobilecomponent of the mouth (the upper jaw being known as the maxilla). The jawbone i ...

s is rare, except in the genera '' Myrmoteras'' and '' Polyergus''. However, some members show considerable evolutionary advancement in behaviors such as slave-making and symbiosis with root-feeding

hemiptera Hemiptera (; ) is an order of insects, commonly called true bugs, comprising more than 80,000 species within groups such as the cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, assassin bugs, bed bugs, and shield bugs. They range in size from ...

ns. Finally, all formicines have very reduced stings and enlarged

venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...

reservoirs, with the venom gland, specialized (uniquely among ants) for the production of

formic acid Formic acid (), systematically named methanoic acid, is the simplest carboxylic acid. It has the chemical formula HCOOH and structure . This acid is an important intermediate in chemical synthesis and occurs naturally, most notably in some an ...

. All members of the Formicinae "have a one-segmented petiole in the form of a vertical scale".

Identification

Formicine ants have a single node-like or scale-like petiole (postpetiole entirely lacking) and the apex of the abdomen has a circular or U-shaped opening (the acidopore), usually fringed with hairs. A functional sting is absent, and defense is provided by the ejection of formic acid through the acidopore. If the acidopore is concealed by the pygidium and difficult to discern, then the antennal sockets are located well behind the posterior margin of the clypeus (cf.

Dolichoderinae Dolichoderinae is a subfamily of ants, which includes species such as the Argentine ant (''Linepithema humile''), the erratic ant, the odorous house ant, and the cone ant. The subfamily presents a great diversity of species throughout the wor ...

). In most formicines, the eyes are well developed (ocelli may also be present), the antennal insertions are not concealed by the frontal carinae, and the promesonotal suture is present and flexible.

Tribes and genera

The

tribal The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide use of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. The definition is contested, in part due to conflict ...

structure of the Formicinae is not completely understood. This list follows the scheme at AntCat, but other schemes and names are used. * Camponotini Forel, 1878 ** '' Calomyrmex'' Emery, 1895 ** ''

Camponotus Carpenter ants (''Camponotus'' spp.) are a genus of large ants (workers ) indigenous to many parts of the world. True carpenter ants build nests inside wood, consisting of galleries chewed out with their mandibles or jaws, preferably in dead, ...

'' Mayr, 1861 – carpenter ants (global) ** †'' Chimaeromyrma'' Dlussky, 1988 ** '' Colobopsis'' Mayr, 1861 ** '' Dinomyrmex'' Ashmead, 1905 ** '' Echinopla'' Smith, 1857 ** '' Opisthopsis'' Dalla Torre, 1893 ** '' Overbeckia'' Viehmeyer, 1916 ** '' Polyrhachis'' Smith, 1857 (Asian, African tropics) ** †'' Pseudocamponotus'' Carpenter, 1930 * Formicini Latreille, 1809 ** '' Alloformica'' Dlussky, 1969 ** †'' Asymphylomyrmex'' Wheeler, 1915 ** '' Bajcaridris'' Agosti, 1994 ** '' Cataglyphis'' Foerster, 1850 ** †'' Cataglyphoides'' Dlussky, 2008 ** †'' Conoformica'' Dlussky, 2008 ** ''

Formica ''Formica'' is a genus of ants of the subfamily Formicinae, including species commonly known as wood ants, mound ants, thatching ants, and field ants. ''Formica'' is the type genus of the Formicidae, and of the subfamily Formicinae. The type ...

'' Linnaeus, 1758 ** †'' Glaphyromyrmex'' Wheeler, 1915 ** '' Iberoformica'' Tinaut, 1990 ** '' Polyergus'' Latreille, 1804 – Amazon ants ** '' Proformica'' Ruzsky, 1902 ** †'' Protoformica'' Dlussky, 1967 ** '' Rossomyrmex'' Arnol'di, 1928 * Gesomyrmecini Ashmead, 1905 ** ''

Gesomyrmex ''Gesomyrmex'' is a genus of ants in the subfamily Formicinae. The genus contains six extant species, known from the Indomalayan realm, and nine fossil species. Of the extant species, four are known only from workers (''G. chaperi'', ''G. howardi ...

'' Mayr, 1868 ** †'' Prodimorphomyrmex'' Wheeler, 1915 ** †'' Sicilomyrmex'' Wheeler, 1915 * Gigantiopini Ashmead, 1905 ** '' Gigantiops'' Roger, 1863 (Neotropical) * Lasiini Ashmead, 1905 ** '' Cladomyrma'' Wheeler, 1920 ** '' Euprenolepis'' Emery, 1906 ** '' Lasius'' Fabricius, 1804 – cornfield ants, citronella ants ** '' Metalasius'' Boudinot et al., 2022 ** '' Myrmecocystus'' Wesmael, 1838 – honeypot ants ** '' Nylanderia'' Emery, 1906 – crazy ants ** '' Paraparatrechina'' Donisthorpe, 1947 ** '' Paratrechina'' Motschoulsky, 1863 ** '' Prenolepis'' Mayr, 1861 – false honey ants ** '' Pseudolasius'' Emery, 1887 ** '' Zatania'' LaPolla et al., 2012 * Melophorini Forel, 1912 ** '' Lasiophanes'' Emery, 1895 ** ''

Melophorus ''Melophorus'' (meaning "honey carrier") is a genus of ants in the subfamily Formicinae. The genus is endemic to Australia, where its species are common in arid and semiarid areas. Species *''Melophorus aeneovirens'' (Lowne, 1865) *''Melophoru ...

'' Lubbock, 1883 (Australian) ** '' Myrmecorhynchus'' André, 1896 ** '' Notoncus'' Emery, 1895 ** '' Notostigma'' Emery, 1920 ** '' Prolasius'' Forel, 1892 ** '' Pseudonotoncus'' Clark, 1934 **''

Stigmacros ''Stigmacros'' is a genus of small ants in the subfamily Formicinae endemic to Australia. They are Generalist and specialist species, generalist predators that forage in leaf litter, on the ground, or on trees. Species *''Stigmacros aciculata'' ...

'' Forel, 1905 **'' Teratomyrmex'' McAreavey, 1957 * Myrmelachistini ** '' Brachymyrmex'' Mayr, 1868 ** '' Myrmelachista'' Roger, 1863 * Myrmoteratini Emery, 1895 ** '' Myrmoteras'' Forel, 1893 * Oecophyllini Emery, 1895 ** '' Oecophylla'' Smith, 1860 – weaver ants * Plagiolepidini Forel, 1886 ** '' Acropyga'' Roger, 1862 ** '' Agraulomyrmex'' Prins, 1983 ** '' Anoplolepis'' Santschi, 1914 ** '' Aphomomyrmex'' Emery, 1899 ** '' Bregmatomyrma'' Wheeler, 1929 ** '' Lepisiota'' Santschi, 1926 ** '' Petalomyrmex'' Snelling, 1979 ** '' Plagiolepis'' Mayr, 1861 ** '' Tapinolepis'' Emery, 1925 * Santschiellini Forel, 1917 ** '' Santschiella'' Forel, 1916 * ''

incertae sedis or is a term used for a taxonomy (biology), taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Alternatively, such groups are frequently referred to as "enigmatic taxa". In the system of open nomenclature, uncertainty ...

'' ** †'' Attopsis'' Heer, 1850 ** †'' Leucotaphus'' Donisthorpe, 1920 ** †'' Liaoformica'' Hong, 2002 ** †'' Longiformica'' Hong, 2002 ** †'' Magnogasterites'' Hong, 2002 ** †'' Orbicapitia'' Hong, 2002 ** †'' Ovalicapito'' Hong, 2002 ** †'' Ovaligastrula'' Hong, 2002 ** †'' Protrechina'' Wilson, 1985 ** †'' Sinoformica'' Hong, 2002 ** †'' Sinotenuicapito'' Hong, 2002 ** †'' Wilsonia'' Hong, 2002

References

External links

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q119691 Ant subfamilies Taxa named by Amédée Louis Michel le Peletier Extant Turonian first appearances