Generic revision of the ant subfamily Dorylinae (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Abstract

The generic classification of the ant subfamily Dorylinae is revised, with the aim of facilitating identification of easily-diagnosable monophyletic genera. The new classification is based on recent molecular phylogenetic evidence and a critical reappraisal of doryline morphology. New keys and diagnoses based on workers and males are provided, along with reviews of natural history and phylogenetic relationships, distribution maps, and a list of valid species for each lineage. Twenty-eight genera (27 extant and 1 extinct) are recognized within the subfamily, an increase from 20 in the previous classification scheme. Species classified in the polyphyletic Cerapachys and Sphinctomyrmex prior to this publication are here distributed among 9 and 3 different genera, respectively. Amyrmex and Asphinctanilloides are synonymized under Leptanilloides and the currently recognized subgenera are synonymized for Dorylus. No tribal classification is proposed for the subfamily, but several apparently monophyletic genus-groups are discussed. Valid generic names recognized here include: Acanthostichus (= Ctenopyga), Aenictogiton, Aenictus (= Paraenictus, Typhlatta), Cerapachys (= Ceratopachys), Cheliomyrmex, Chrysapace gen. rev., Cylindromyrmex (= Holcoponera, Hypocylindromyrmex, Metacylindromyrmex), Dorylus (= Alaopone syn. n., Anomma syn. n., Cosmaecetes, Dichthadia syn. n., Rhogmus syn. n., Shuckardia, Sphecomyrmex, Sphegomyrmex, Typhlopone syn. n.), Eburopone gen. n., Eciton (= Camptognatha, Holopone, Mayromyrmex), Eusphinctus gen. rev., Labidus (= Nycteresia, Pseudodichthadia), Leptanilloides (= Amyrmex syn. n., Asphinctanilloides syn. n.), Lioponera gen. rev. (= Neophyracaces syn. n., Phyracaces syn. n.), Lividopone, Neivamyrmex (= Acamatus, Woitkowskia), Neocerapachys gen. n., Nomamyrmex, Ooceraea gen. rev. (= Cysias syn. n.), Parasyscia gen. rev., †Procerapachys, Simopone, Sphinctomyrmex, Syscia gen. rev., Tanipone, Vicinopone, Yunodorylus gen. rev., Zasphinctus gen. rev. (= Aethiopopone syn. n., Nothosphinctus syn. n.).

Transcriptomics and neuroanatomy of the clonal raider ant implicate an expanded clade of odorant receptors in chemical communication

“…Our findings, taken together with those of previous evolutionary studies (31,39), suggest that dynamic gene family evolution, including gene expansion and sequence evolution, has played an essential role in the evolution of ant communication and sociality. This discovery provides further evidence for the importance of chemical communication in ant biology, as well as a striking example of the role of novel genes in the evolution of social behavior.…”

“…Engsontia et al (31) examined patterns of positive selection in ant ORs and found seven lineages under positive selection, all of which fall into the 9e-α clade. Additionally, Zhou et al (39) found that the 9-exon subfamily has the highest selection coefficient of all ant OR subfamilies.…”

“…The OR gene repertoire has expanded more than threefold in the ancestors of ants (27,31,39). However, evolutionary histories of individual gene lineages have not been systematically investigated.…”

Next-generation morphological character discovery and evaluation: an X-ray micro-CT enhanced revision of the ant genus Zasphinctus Wheeler (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Dorylinae) in the Afrotropics

“…The general terminology for ant morphology predominantly follows Keller (2011) and to a lesser extent Bolton (1990) and Borowiec (2009, 2016). For the description of mouthparts, we used the terminology of Gotwald (1969) and Keller (2011).…”

“…Wilson 1964; Jaitrong and Yamane 2011; Borowiec 2016). Workers and reproductives are rarely collected together, and usually only one caste is available for taxonomic evaluation, which creates great difficulties for the association of workers with queen and/or males.…”