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Taxonomy
Formicidae
EOL Text
In some parts of the world, including the United States, ant species have been accidentally brought in from other continents. These invader ants are causing a lot of problems.
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Source | http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Formicidae/ |
Ants
Ants are small.
But ants don't have a beard at all.
They're under the ground almost all the time,
But they just don't know how to rhyme.
Out your door and beneath your feet,
They're digging nonstop, with every heartbeat!
- Poem written by William in Ms. McCurdy's 3rd Grade Class, North Falmouth Elementary School.
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Rights holder/Author | Anne Thessen, Anne Thessen |
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Ants, are classified in the family Formicidae. These insects are native to nearly all terrestrial habitats and all parts of the globe except for Antarctica, Iceland, Greenland, some parts of Polynesia, and a few remote Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean islands(3), and are often extremely abundant locally(2). Though there are over 8,800 species known (and perhaps over 11,000 more that have not been described)(3), ants generally have a distinctive body structure: while they have, like many insects, a head, thorax (the midsection), and abdomen (the rear section), their “waist” connecting their thorax to the main part of their abdomen is unusually thin and pinched (1,3). Most ants are also characterized by the presence of a metapleural gland, an organ that produces a chemical called phenylacetic acid that is used for fighting bacteria and fungi(2,3); this gland may have helped ants colonize the moist environments where most ant species now live(2). Like only a few other groups of insects, ants have evolved a complex system of social interaction that qualifies them as “eusocial” insects(2,3). They live and work together in multi-generational colonies that are generally organized in “castes” of queens and males (who reproduce) and worker females (who cannot reproduce)(2,3), communicating via a chemical communication system that may be more complicated than that of any other kind of animal(2). In addition to these extraordinary social structures, ants have complex and extremely important relationships with many other species, giving them a central role in ecosystems across the globe(2). Some ants have partnerships with fungi(2). Some ants defend plants from herbivores, help plants reproduce by pollinating their flowers and spreading their seeds, and help plants grow by turning over the soil (which keeps it rich and healthy)(1,2,3). In fact, many plants depend on ants for their survival(3). On the other hand, some ants are the primary plant-eaters in their environments(1,2), and in many cases ants are major predators of small animals(2). Although some ant species can be pests themselves(1,2), some are beneficial to humans by feeding on harmful crop pests(2)—and by serving as subjects for a wide range of scientific studies(2,3).
- 1. “Ant Information.” Center for Insect Science Education Outreach, University of Arizona. 1997. 29 Jul. 2011. http://insected.arizona.edu/antinfo.htm
- 2. Hölldobler, Bert and Edward O. Wilson. The Ants. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1990.
- 3. Roof, Jennifer. “Family Formicidae: Ants.” Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. 2001. 1 Sept. 2011. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Formicidae.html
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Rights holder/Author | Noah Weisz, Noah Weisz |
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Animal / parasite / endoparasite
cyst of Dicrocoelium lanceolatum endoparasitises brain of Formicoidea
Animal / parasitoid
larva of Eucharis adscendens is parasitoid of larva of Formicoidea
Animal / predator
adult of Systellonotus triguttatus is predator of pupa of Formicoidea
Remarks: season: late 5-mid 8
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Rights holder/Author | BioImages, BioImages - the Virtual Fieldguide (UK) |
Source | http://www.bioimages.org.uk/html/Formicoidea.htm |
Collection Sites: world map showing specimen collection locations for Formicidae
Animal / guest
nymph of Alydus calcaratus is a guest in nest of Formicidae
Animal / predator
larva of Chrysotoxum is predator of brood of Formicidae
Remarks: Other: uncertain
Animal / predator
larva of Doros conopseus is predator of brood of Formicidae
Remarks: Other: uncertain
Animal / honeydew feeder
Formicidae feeds on honeydew Maculolachnus submacula
Animal / honeydew feeder
Formicidae feeds on honeydew Aphis sambuci
Animal / slave maker
Formicidae makes a slave of Aphidoidea
Animal / slave maker
Formicidae makes a slave of Pseudococcidae
Animal / slave maker
Formicidae makes a slave of Coccoidea
In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Animal / associate
colony of anamorph of Hormiscium pithyophilum var. myrmecophilum is associated with nest of Formicidae
Animal / associate
larva of Microdon analis is associated with nest of Formicidae
Animal / associate
larva of Microdon mutabilis is associated with nest of Formicidae
Animal / predator
leaf of Pinguicula vulgaris is predator of adult of Formicidae
Other: minor host/prey
Animal / inquiline
larva of Smaragdina affinis is inquiline in nest of Formicidae
Remarks: Other: uncertain
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Rights holder/Author | BioImages, BioImages - the Virtual Fieldguide (UK) |
Source | http://www.bioimages.org.uk/html/Formicidae.htm |
Several ant species are considered threatened or in danger of extinction. This is because they live in special habitats that are very rare and may be destroyed by human construction or environmental change.
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Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2012, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Formicidae/ |
Key to Subfamilies of Malagasy male ants (alate)
A few genera are divided into parts, reflecting distinct characters sets outlined in Table 1.
1. Two distinct, long, narrow spines or lobes present on apical portion of abdominal sternum IX (Fig. 3a) or, if absent, then mandibles extremely elongated, distinctly longer than head, and volsella massive, claw-shaped, directed dorsally. Pygostyles absent........................................................... Cerapachyinae HNS
- Spines or lobes absent on apical portion of abdominal sternum IX or the apical portion bilobed, with each lobe very wide (Fig. 3b). Mandibles not elongated, distinctly shorter than head. Volsella moderate, not claw-shaped, not directed dorsally. Pygostyles present or absent......................................................2
2. Abdominal segment III much smaller than segment IV in lateral view (Fig. 3c)....................................3
- Abdominal segment III nearly as large as segment IV in lateral view (Fig. 3d)......................................4
3. Hind tibia with two spurs (Fig. 3e)......................................................................... Pseudomyrmecinae HNS
- Hind tibia with one spur or without spurs (Fig. 3f) ............................................................. Myrmicinae HNS
4. Anal region of hind wing vestigial. Oblique mesopleural furrow reaching pronotum close to its posteroventral corner (Fig. 4a)...................................................................................................... Proceratiinae HNS
- Anal region of hind wing well developed. Oblique mesopleural furrow not reaching pronotum, its anterior termination well separated from the pronotum (Fig. 1a)..................................................................5
5. Petiole (abdominal segment II) broadly and dorsally attached to abdominal segment III; dorsal constriction between petiole and abdominal segment III very shallow or indistinct in lateral view (Fig. 4b......... ........................................................................................................................................ Amblyoponinae HNS
- Petiole (abdominal segment II) narrowly and ventrally attached to abdominal segment III; dorsal constriction between petiole and abdominal segment III deep in lateral view (Fig. 6a)...6
6. Scuto-scutellar suture usually longitudinally sculptured. Forewing clearly with cross vein 2rs-m (Fig. 1b); if vein weak then at least with vestigial branches on Radial sector and Media. Scape short, not reaching posterior margin of head in full-face view (Fig. 5c). Constriction between abdominal segments III and IV present in some cases.............................................................................................. Ponerinae HNS
- Scuto-scutellar suture not longitudinally sculptured. Forewing usually without any trace of cross vein 2rs-m (Fig. 4c). Scape short (Fig. 4d) or long (Fig. 2a). Constriction between abdominal segments III and IV absent...........................................................................................................................................7
7. Many minute, serrate teeth present on masticatory margin of mandible (Fig. 4d), or, if teeth absent, then scape not reaching posterior margin of head in full-face view........................................ Dolichoderinae HNS
- Several larger teeth present on masticatory margin of mandible (Fig. 2a). Scape long, distinctly exceeding posterior margin of head in full-face view (Fig. 2a)........................................................ Formicinae HNS
- Yoshimura, M., Fisher, B. L. (2007): A revision of male ants of the Malagasy region (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Key to subfamilies and treatment of the genera of Ponerinae. Zootaxa 1654, 21-40: 28-28, URL:http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2007f/zt01654p040.pdf
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Rights holder/Author | No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation. |
Source | http://treatment.plazi.org/id/C46D7C9DCC964823DDD0BA12D2F1DC35 |
Formicidae is prey of:
Amphisbaena caeca
Eleutherodactylus coqui
Eleutherodactylus richmondi
Eleutherodactylus portoricensis
Eleutherodactylus wightmanae
Eleutherodactylus eneidae
Melanerpes portoricensis
Todus mexicanus
Mimocichla plumbea
Margarops fuscatus
Anolis cuvieri
Anolis evermanni
Anolis stratulus
Anolis gundlachi
Leptodactylus albilabris
Myiarchus antillarum
Nesospingus speculiferus
Icterus dominicensis
Vireo altiloquus
Seiurus aurocapillus
Sphaerodactylus klauberi
Sphaerodactylus macrolepis
Diploglossus pleei
Anthracothorax viridis
Parula americana
Dendroica caerulescens
Dendroica discolor
Typhlops rostellatus
Eptesicus fuscus
Lasiurus borealis
Dendroica petechia
Loxigilla noctis
Trochilidae
Anolis gingivinus
Anolis pogus
Orthoptera
Araneae
Chilopoda
Based on studies in:
Puerto Rico, El Verde (Rainforest)
This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.
- Waide RB, Reagan WB (eds) (1996) The food web of a tropical rainforest. University of Chicago Press, Chicago
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Rights holder/Author | Cynthia Sims Parr, Joel Sachs, SPIRE |
Source | http://spire.umbc.edu/fwc/ |
Ants can be major pests. Carpenter ants make their nests in wood, including houses, and several ant species come into houses looking for food. In the tropics leaf-cutter ants attack crops in the fields. Some stinging ants can be dangerous to people. Recently an ant species from South America was accidentally brought to the southern United States. It is called the Imported Fire Ant, and it makes large nests with thousands of stinging defenders.
Negative Impacts: injures humans (bites or stings); crop pest; household pest
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2012, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Formicidae/ |