Overview
Comprehensive Description
Physical Description
Diagnostic Description
Medium-sized or large ants closely resembling Anochetus .
In the worker, however, the antennal foveae are confluent, being united by a depression of the front behind the frontal carinae, and there is a welt or swelling which extends out obliquely from the eye and separates the antennal fossa from a depression, equally oblique and very pronounced on the side of the head. Both the apical and subapical teeth of the mandibles acute, the preapical truncated or acute, according to the species; the inner border of the mandibles usually minutely and serrately toothed. Maxillary palpi 4-jointed, labial palpi 3-jointed. Eyes always well developed. Petiole surmounted by a conical node usually terminating in a spine which is inclined backward.
Female winged, with large eyes and ocelli, but in other respects like the worker.
Male with the head of the ordinary shape and with very large eyes and ocelli; mandibles very small; maxillary palpi 6-jointed. Antennae as in Anochetus . Petiole ordinarily with a pointed or conical node, but without terminal spine. Postpetiole separated from the succeeding segment by a rather pronounced constriction. Pygidium terminating in a spine. Claws simple.
Odontomachus is a tropicopolitan genus with apparently two centers of distribution, one in the Neotropical, the other in the Indonesian and Australian Regions (Map 17). One species, O. haematoda , represented by numerous subspecies and varieties, is found in all the wanner regions of the globe, even in the Southern United States, though not in the Mediterranean Region. The species all nest in small colonies in the ground or in rotten wood and the workers of some of the species are very aggressive and sting severely. They are able to leap backward a distance of several inches by suddenly closing their divaricated mandibles against any hard body that happens to be in the environment. The genus is poorly represented in Africa.
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(Figs. 1, 8a-e)
Males winged. Antennal scrobe absent. Mandible reduced. Basal cavity of mandible extending to its front face and visible in full-face view. Notauli never impressed on mesoscutum. Mesepimeron bearing distinct (epimeral) lobe posterodorsally, lobe covering mesothoracic spiracle and seeming to form isolated plate. Dorsolateral corner of petiole in anterior view not projecting. Dorsal margin of petiole in anterior view more or less conical, with a narrowly rounded or pointed apex. Apical margin of abdominal tergum VIII projecting into sharp spine. Jugal lobe of hind wing present. Each middle and hind tibia with two spurs. Claws simple, never multidentate to pectinate.
Remarks. Two species are known in the Malagasy region. The males of both species are yellow to yellowish-brown. In the single species from the Seychelles ( O. simillimus ) the males are blackish. Males belonging to this genus are often similar to those in Anochetus and Pachycondyla . Characteristics separating this genus from Anochetus are noted in the Anochetus section. Characters separating it from Pachycondyla are: 1) petiolar apex more or less conical; 2) hind wing having a jugal lobe; 3) absence of notauli on the mesoscutum; and 4) a yellowish (rarely blackish) body color.
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Alto Paraguay, Caaguazú , Central, Cordillera, Itapúa (ALWC, IFML, INBP, MZSP).
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[[ worker ]] [[ queen ]] Die Fuehlergruben vereinigen sich auf der Stirne. Das 2. Geisselglied ist laenger als das erste. Die Scheitel furche ist vorhanden. Der schiefe Eindruck beiderseits hinter den Augen deutlich. Das Stielchen traegt oben einen Kegel, welcher in einen Dorn endet.
Ich enthalte mich der Beschreibung von nur neu scheinenden Formen, indem ich, obschon im Besitze mancher Typen, doch nicht im Stande bin, mir eine klare Uebersicht ueber die beschriebenen Arten zu verschaffen; es scheint mir, dass hier die Speciesfabrikation zu sehr Platz gegriffen hat und eine bedeutende Reduction noethig sein wird.
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differs from the last in the one abdominal pedicle ending superiorly in a spine; antennae very slender and filiform in the neuters; head oblong, much notched posteriorly jaws long, narrow, parallel, three toothed.
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Formica , pt., Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 965 (1766).
Odontomachus , Latr. Gen. Crust, et Ins. iv. 128 (1804).
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Molecular Biology and Genetics
Molecular Biology
Statistics of barcoding coverage: Odontomachus MAS002
Public Records: 0
Species: 1
Species With Barcodes: 1
© Barcode of Life Data Systems
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Wikipedia
Odontomachus
Odontomachus is a genus of carnivorous ants found in the tropics and subtropics throughout the world.
Contents |
Overview
Commonly known as trap-jaw ants, species in Odontomachus have a pair of large, straight mandibles capable of opening 180 degrees. These jaws are locked in place by an internal mechanism, and can snap shut on prey or objects when sensory hairs on the inside of the mandibles are touched. The mandibles are powerful and fast, giving the ant its common name. The mandibles either kill or maim the prey, allowing the ant to bring it back to the nest. Odontomachus can simply lock and snap its jaws again if one bite is not enough, or to cut off bits of larger food. The mandibles also permit slow and fine movements for other tasks such as nest building and care of larvae.
Speed record
Trap-jaw ants of this genus have the fastest moving predatory appendages within the animal kingdom.[1] One study of Odontomachus bauri recorded peak speeds of between 126–230 kilometres per hour (78–140 mph), with the jaws closing within just 130 microseconds on average. The peak force exerted was in the order of 300 times the body weight of the ant. The ants were also observed to use their jaws as a catapult to eject intruders or fling themselves backwards to escape a threat.[1][2]
Mimicry
The jumping spider genus Enoplomischus seems to mimic this ant genus.
Distribution
Odontomachus species are found in Central to South America, tropical Asia, Australia, and Africa.
Species
This species list is taken mostly from (Bolton 1995).
- Odontomachus aciculatus F. Smith, 1863
- Odontomachus affinis Guerin-Meneville, 1844
- Odontomachus allolabis Kempf, 1974
- Odontomachus angulatus Mayr, 1866
- Odontomachus animosus F. Smith, 1860
- Odontomachus assiniensis Emery, 1892
- Odontomachus banksi Forel, 1910
- Odontomachus bauri Emery, 1892
- Odontomachus biolleyi Forel, 1908
- Odontomachus biumbonatus Brown, 1976
- Odontomachus bradleyi Brown, 1976
- Odontomachus brunneus (Patton, 1894)
- Odontomachus caelatus Brown, 1976
- Odontomachus cephalotes F. Smith, 1863 (Indonesia, Australia, etc)
- Odontomachus chelifer (Latreille, 1802)
- Odontomachus circulus M. Wang, 1993
- Odontomachus clarus Roger, 1861
- Odontomachus coquereli Roger, 1861
- Odontomachus cornutus Stitz, 1933
- Odontomachus erythrocephalus Emery, 1890
- Odontomachus floresensis Brown, 1976 (Indonesia: Flores)
- Odontomachus fulgidus M. Wang, 1993
- Odontomachus granatus M. Wang, 1993
- Odontomachus haematodus (Linnaeus, 1758) (South America, introduced to Australia prior to 1876)
- Odontomachus hastatus (Fabricius, 1804)
- Odontomachus imperator Emery, 1887
- Odontomachus infandus F. Smith, 1858
- Odontomachus insularis Guerin-Meneville, 1844
- Odontomachus laticeps Roger, 1861
- Odontomachus latidens Mayr, 1867
- Odontomachus latissimus Viehmeyer, 1914
- Odontomachus macrorhynchus (Bernstein, 1861)
- Odontomachus malignus F. Smith , 1859
- Odontomachus mayi Mann, 1912
- Odontomachus meinerti Forel, 1905
- Odontomachus montanus Stitz, 1925
- Odontomachus monticola Emery, 1892
- Odontomachus mormo Brown, 1976
- Odontomachus nigriceps F. Smith, 1860
- Odontomachus opaciventris Forel, 1899
- Odontomachus opaculus Viehmeyer, 1912
- Odontomachus panamensis Forel, 1899
- Odontomachus papuanus Emery, 1887
- Odontomachus peruanus Stitz, 1933
- Odontomachus pseudobauri De Andrade, 1994
- Odontomachus rixosus F. Smith, 1857
- Odontomachus ruficeps F. Smith, 1858 (Australia)
- Odontomachus rufithorax Emery, 1911
- Odontomachus ruginodis M.R. Smith, 1937
- Odontomachus saevissimus F. Smith, 1858
- Odontomachus scalptus Brown, 1978
- Odontomachus silvestrii W.M. Wheeler, 1927
- Odontomachus simillimus F. Smith, 1858 (Australia, Fiji, etc)
- Odontomachus spinifer De Andrade, 1994
- Odontomachus spissus Kempf, 1962
- Odontomachus sumbensis Brown, 1976
- Odontomachus tensus M. Wang, 1993
- Odontomachus testaceus Emery, 1897
- Odontomachus troglodytes Santschi, 1914 (Africa, Madagascar, Inner Seychelles)
- Odontomachus turneri Forel, 1900 (Australia)
- Odontomachus tyrannicus F. Smith, 1859
- Odontomachus unispinosus (Fabricius, 1793)
- Odontomachus xizangensis M. Wang, 1993
- Odontomachus yucatecus Brown, 1976
Footnotes
- ^ a b Patek SN, Baio JE, Fisher BL, Suarez AV (22 August 2006). "Multifunctionality and mechanical origins: Ballistic jaw propulsion in trap-jaw ants" (PDF). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 103 (34): 12787–12792. doi:10.1073/pnas.0604290103. PMC 1568925. PMID 16924120. http://www.pnas.org/content/103/34/12787.full.pdf+html. Retrieved 7 June 2008.
- ^ Ant Jaws Break Speed Record — Videos of Odontomachus jumping using its jaws
References
- Bolton, Barry (1995): A New General Catalogue of the Ants of the World, Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-61514-4
- S. N. Patek, J. E. Baio, B. L. Fisher and A. V. Suarez (2006). "Multifunctionality and mechanical origins: ballistic jaw propulsion in trap-jaw ants". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 103 (34): 12787–12792. doi:10.1073/pnas.0604290103. PMC 1568925. PMID 16924120. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=1568925.
- Hymenoptera Name Server: Odontomachus — Retrieved on Jan 04, 2008.
Source:
Wikipedia
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