Ponerinae tend to be more tropical, often they can sting.
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Ponerinae tend to be more tropical, often they can sting. One of the most charismatic Ponerinae are the Matabele (Megaponera analis) a single species genus of big, black, termitophagous ants who march in unmistakable columns all over Africa in to raid the nests of termites, in a war between eusocial insects older than humankind.
Indeed "Matabele" is also the name of a people who were so impressed with the organization and warrior spirit of these ants.
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Ponerinae tend to be more tropical, often they can sting. One of the most charismatic Ponerinae are the Matabele (Megaponera analis) a single species genus of big, black, termitophagous ants who march in unmistakable columns all over Africa in to raid the nests of termites, in a war between eusocial insects older than humankind.
Indeed "Matabele" is also the name of a people who were so impressed with the organization and warrior spirit of these ants.
Genetics and phylogeny are fascinating. I know a bit less about the Ponerinae ants than I do about Formicinae. So, I thought that Megaponera would be a close relative of of the similarly shaped "panther ants" of the Americas.
There is only one species of Matabele but there are many members of Neoponera and they tend to be smaller in size and do not hunt termites in conspicuous raids.
Neoponera do look superficially similar to Megaponera. But, they diverged long ago. Have a look:
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Genetics and phylogeny are fascinating. I know a bit less about the Ponerinae ants than I do about Formicinae. So, I thought that Megaponera would be a close relative of of the similarly shaped "panther ants" of the Americas.
There is only one species of Matabele but there are many members of Neoponera and they tend to be smaller in size and do not hunt termites in conspicuous raids.
Neoponera do look superficially similar to Megaponera. But, they diverged long ago. Have a look:
What surprised me most? Megaponera are in the Odontomachus group! That means that Megaponera are more closely related to trapjaw ants than they are to the "panther ants" of the Americas.
At least Dinoponera is where I'd expect them to be on this tree.
Further Megaponera are also more closely related to Harpegnathos than they are to Neoponera.
The resemblance is totally superficial if not a case of convergent evolution.
Or maybe the "ur poneroid ant" was like the little black panthers.
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Ponerinae tend to be more tropical, often they can sting. One of the most charismatic Ponerinae are the Matabele (Megaponera analis) a single species genus of big, black, termitophagous ants who march in unmistakable columns all over Africa in to raid the nests of termites, in a war between eusocial insects older than humankind.
Indeed "Matabele" is also the name of a people who were so impressed with the organization and warrior spirit of these ants.
@futurebird I hope you won’t block me for saying that Megaponera Analis sounds like the screen name of a gay porn star who specializes in sword-and-sandal porn set in Ancient Rome.
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F myrmepropagandist shared this topic
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What surprised me most? Megaponera are in the Odontomachus group! That means that Megaponera are more closely related to trapjaw ants than they are to the "panther ants" of the Americas.
At least Dinoponera is where I'd expect them to be on this tree.
Further Megaponera are also more closely related to Harpegnathos than they are to Neoponera.
The resemblance is totally superficial if not a case of convergent evolution.
Or maybe the "ur poneroid ant" was like the little black panthers.
@hist_myth told us about the Titanomachy and the Gigantomachy, but never about the Odontomachy.
Could you enlighten us ?
Is it a lost Hesiod's opus ? -
@futurebird I hope you won’t block me for saying that Megaponera Analis sounds like the screen name of a gay porn star who specializes in sword-and-sandal porn set in Ancient Rome.
"ponera" means "evil" or "wicked" a name given to this vast group of ants probably because of their fearsome stings. (I will maintain their innocence, look more closely they also tend to have larger eyes than ants in other groups, they are cute!)
Anyway "megaponera" could be badly translated as "Big Baddie" so I don't think you are wrong.
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@hist_myth told us about the Titanomachy and the Gigantomachy, but never about the Odontomachy.
Could you enlighten us ?
Is it a lost Hesiod's opus ?"Odonto" is given as a prefix to this group because of the remarkable mandibles of the trapjaw ants.
"Odonto" meaning tooth or teeth.
I don't know what "Gigantomachy" is... is "machy" ... war?
The Battle of the Tooths?
