Myrmoteras
Myrmoteras is a genus of ants in the subfamily Formicinae and the sole member of the tribe Myrmoteratini. They have enormous eyes, a character found in other ancient genera, and extremely elongated mandibles with eight to 16 teeth. These work as trap-jaws and can open up to 270°.
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- taxon
- Parent taxon
- Formicidae
- Image
- Myrmoteras iriodum casent0003210 profile 1.jpg
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- P105
Article
5 sectionsContents
- Description
- Distribution
- Species
- References
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Myrmoteras is a genus of ants in the subfamily Formicinae and the sole member of the tribe Myrmoteratini. They have enormous eyes, a character found in other ancient genera, and extremely elongated mandibles with eight to 16 teeth. These work as trap-jaws and can open up to 270°.
==Description== thumb|left|250px|Trap-jawed ants: Strumigenys, Daceton, Odontomachus, Anochetus, Myrmoteras While the elongated mandibles look superficially similar to those of the basal Myrmecia, the mechanism is, as a whole, totally dissimilar and is rather convergent to that of the ponerine genera Anochetus and Odontomachus, and the myrmicine Strumigenys. The trigger mechanism of the trap-jaw-like mandibles of Myrmoteras consists of two hairs. Other trap-jawed genera are Daceton, Acanthognathus, Orectognathus, Microdaceton, and Epitritus.