Paraponerinae Emery, 1901

Boudinot, Brendon E., 2015, Contributions to the knowledge of Formicidae (Hymenoptera, Aculeata): a new diagnosis of the family, the first global male-based key to subfamilies, and a treatment of early branching lineages, European Journal of Taxonomy 120, pp. 1-62 : 47

Subfamily Paraponerinae Emery, 1901

Figs 1 , 2C , 3C, 4D , 13 C–D

Diagnosis

The hatchet-shaped petiole ( Fig. 4D ) and the morphology of abdominal sternum IX are both globally unique among the Formicidae . The ninth abdominal sternum of Paraponera is strongly produced posteriorly as an apically bidentate linear process.These characters may be supplemented by the following combination: mandibles triangular, unidentate; clypeus well-developed, antennal toruli situated distant from anterior clypeal margin; antenna 13-merous; meso- and metatibiae with two ventroapical spurs each; eight closed cells present on forewing; jugal lobe present; petiolar tergum and sternum distinct; abdominal segment IV pre- and postsclerites separated by cinctus; abdominal tergum IV not vaulted; abdominal tergum VIII not spiniform.

Comment

One species of the Paraponerinae is extant, Paraponera clavata . This species dwells in rainforests and is known from Honduras through Central America into tropical South America.

Figures

Fig. 1. Mesosoma of Paraponera clavata male (Paraponerinae, Formicidae). A. Dorsal view. B. Dorsal posterolateral oblique view. C. Lateral view. Scale bar = 1.0 mm. Abbreviations: see Material and Methods

Fig. 2. Pterothoracic venter morphology of representative hymenopterans. A. Tenthredinidae, female. B. Polistes (Vespidae), worker. C. Paraponera clavata gyne (Paraponerinae, Formicidae). Scale bars = 1.0 mm. Abbreviations: see Material and Methods.

Fig. 4. Male morphology. A–C. Abdominal sternum IX in ventral view. B. Oblique. D–E. Petiole in lateral view. F. Forewing in dorsal view. G–H. Propodeum in lateral view. — A. Aenictogiton indet. (Zambia, CASENT0106126, M. Branstetter). B. Cerapachys “parasyscia” lineage (Kenya, B. Boudinot). C. Emeryopone buttelreepeni (Thailand, CASENT0278779, B. Boudinot). D. Paraponera clavata (?Panama, B. Boudinot). E. Cerapachys lividus (Madagascar, CASENT0138502, D. Raharinjanahary). F. Phaulomyrma indet. (Thailand, UCRENT150358, A. Nobile). G. Leptanillinae indet. (Thailand, CASENT0156249, B. Boudinot); arrow indicates dorsal margin of petiolar foramen. H. Adelomyrmex dentivagans; arrow indicates propodeal lobe. All scale bars = 0.2 mm, except D–E = 1.0 mm.

Fig. 13. Male representatives of three subfamilies. A, C, E. Frontal view. B, D, F. Lateral view. — A–B. Tatuidris tatusia, Agroecomyrmecinae (Panama, CASENT0178870, E. Prado). C–D. Paraponera clavata, Paraponerinae (Guyana, CASENT0902407, R. Perry). E–F. Pseudoponera stigma, Ponerinae (Paraguay, CASENT0178182, A. Nobile). Scale bars: A = 0.1 mm, B = 0.5 mm, C, F = 1.0 mm, D = 2.0 mm, E = 0.2 mm.