Formicinae

Formicinae
The Formicinae are a subfamily within the Formicidae containing ants of moderate evolutionary development.
Formicines retain some primitive features, such as the presence of cocoons around pupae, the presence of ocelli in workers, and little tendency toward reduction of palp or antennal segmentation in most species, except subterranean groups. Extreme modification of mandibles 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 hemipterans. Finally, all formicines have very reduced stings and enlarged venom reservoirs, with the venom gland, specialized (uniquely among ants) for the production of formic acid.
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). 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 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 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 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 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 Lubbock, 1883 (Asutralian)
Myrmecorhynchus André, 1896
Notoncus Emery, 1895
Notostigma Emery, 1920
Prolasius Forel, 1892
Pseudonotoncus Clark, 1934
Stigmacros 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
†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
Ant subfamilies
Taxa named by Amédée Louis Michel le Peletier
Extant Turonian first appearances