Ectatomminae Emery, 1895

Camacho, G P, Franco, W, Branstetter, M G, Pie, M R, Longino, J T, Schultz, T R & Feitosa, R M, 2022, UCE Phylogenomics Resolves Major Relationships Among Ectaheteromorph Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ectatomminae, Heteroponerinae): A New Classification For the Subfamilies and the Description of a New Genus, Insect Systematics and Diversity 6 (1), pp. 6-6 : 9-10

Ectatomminae Emery

= Heteroponerinae Bolton new synonym

Diagnosis: Presenting the characters of ‘poneromorph’ subfamilies described by Bolton (2003: p.40). Clypeus broadly inserted between frontal lobes ( Bolton 2003); anterior clypeal margin with a narrow lamellar apron ( Bolton 2003). Torulus not completely fused to frontal lobe ( Bolton 2003). Antenna with 12 segments ( Bolton 2003). Pronotum with the humeral corners angled, forming a distinct delimitation between the anterior and lateral margins ( Lattke 2004). Antero-ventral angle of pronotum triangular ( Feitosa 2015). Pretarsus without arolium ( Lattke 2004). Petiole pedunculate ( Keller 2011). Petiolar node as wide or wider than long ( Feitosa 2015). Subpetiolar process very well developed, occupying more than onethird of the ventral portion of the petiolar sternite ( Feitosa 2015). Helcium projecting from about midheight of the anterior face of abdominal segment III. Abdominal segment IV presclerites separated from the rest of segment by a constriction or slight thickening ( Lattke 1994). Fourth abdominal tergite arched and larger than the sternite, giving the segment a curved appearance ( Keller 2011).

Tribes: Ectatommini and Heteroponerini

Incertae sedis: † Canapone, † Electroponera , † Pseudectatomma.

Notes: In spite of the reciprocal monophyly of the subfamilies Ectatomminae and Heteroponerinae , the morphological evidence strongly suggests that all ectaheteromorph genera could be combined into a single subfamily Ectatomminae, which is the oldest available name. Ectatomminae, as defined here, presents a combination of 10 diagnostic characters that can be used to differentiate those ants from any other ant subfamily, making the identification of those groups more accessible.