Myrmoteras

Myrmoteras
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Genus:	Myrmoteras Forel, 1893
Type species
Myrmoteras binghami Forel, 1893
Species
See text.
Diversity
c. 30 species

Myrmoteras is a genus of ants in the subfamily Formicinae. They have enormous eyes, a character found in other ancient genera, and extremely elongate mandibles with eight to sixteen teeth. These work as trap-jaws and can open up to 270°.

Description

trap jawed ants: Strumigenys, Daceton, Odontomachus, Anochetus, Myrmoteras

While the elongate 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

Myrmoteras arcoelinae Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras bakeri Wheeler, 1919 — Borneo Myrmoteras barbouri Creighton, 1930 — Java Myrmoteras baslerorum Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras binghamii Forel, 1893 — Burma Myrmoteras brachygnathum Moffett, 1985 Myrmoteras brigitteae Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras ceylonica Gregg, 1957 Myrmoteras chondrogastrum Moffett, 1985 Myrmoteras danieli Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras diastematum Moffett, 1985 Myrmoteras donisthorpei Wheeler, 1916 — Borneo Myrmoteras elfeorum Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras estrudae Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras indicum Moffett, 1985

Myrmoteras insulcatum Moffett, 1985 Myrmoteras iriodum Moffett, 1985 Myrmoteras ivani Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras jacquelinae Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras karnyi Gregg, 1954 Myrmoteras marianneae Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras maudeae Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras mjoebergi Wheeler, 1930 — Borneo Myrmoteras morowali Moffett, 1985 Myrmoteras nicoletteae Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras scabrum Moffett, 1985 Myrmoteras susanneae Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras tonboli Agosti, 1992 Myrmoteras toro Moffett, 1985 Myrmoteras williamsi Wheeler, 1919 — Philippines Myrmoteras wolasi Moffett, 1985

References

• Creighton, William S. (1930): A Review of the Genus Myrmoteras (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Journal of the New York Entomological Society 38: 177-193. PDF
• Bolton, B. (2003): Synopsis and Classification of Formicidae. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute. 71. 370 pp.
• ITIS: Genus Myrmoteras