family

FORMICIDAE

subfamily

Myrmicinae


Children

Myrmecina flava
Myrmecina nipponica
Myrmecina amamiana
Myrmecina ryukyuensis


Key to Species

Worker Ants


ITIS

 

Myrmecina

Hymenoptera On-Line

 

Myrmecina

FORMIS

 

Myrmecina

CSIRO

  Myrmecina



genus

Myrmecina


Display Mode

Shape
Real Size
(1.5x)
Japanese Name

Kadofushi-ari-zoku

Original Reference

Curtis, J. (1829) British Entomology; being illustrations and descriptions of the genera of insects found in Great Britain and Ireland 6: 242-288. London.

Description

Total length of workers around 2 - 5 mm. Antennae 12-segmented; the apical 3 segments forming a club. Occipital collar developed, running ventrally almost to the mandibular insertions. Clypeus raised medially; anterior margin projecting forwards. Mandibles robust, framing a space, when closed, between their basal margins and the anterior border of the clypeus. Mesosoma depressed dorsally; mesopleuron laterally expanded, partly covering the fore coxae. Metanotal groove indistinct. A small paired process present anterior to the base of each propodeal spine. The latter distinct. Petiole sessile, without peduncle.

Remarks

Myrmecina comprises about 20 described species, distributed in tropical and temperate areas of the Palaearctic, Oriental and Australian regions, with many apparently undescribed species in SE Asia and New Guinea. Found on the forest floor, nesting in soil. Masuko (1983) suggested that these ants are specialist predators of oribatid mites. Myrmecological Society of Japan Editorial Committee (1988) nominated 2 species, and remarked on the presence of 3 or 4 more in Japan. Although the taxonomy of the Japanese species is incomplete, 4 species are treated here. Further examination of material from the Sakisima Islands of the Nansei group is required.

References

  • Masuko, K. (1983). Some behavioral observations in Japanese ants. . Ari, (11), 1-2. .
  • Myrmecological Society of Japan, Editorial Committee (ed.) (Ed.). (1988). A list of the ants of Japan with common Japanese names. The Myrmecological Society of Japan, Tokyo.

Editor

Original text by Kazuo Ogata and Mamoru Terayama. English translation by Kazuo Ogata, edited by Robert W. Taylor.