Atta

Atta
Atta cephalotes
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Atta Fabricius, 1804
Type species
Formica cephalotes, now Atta cephalotes
Diversity
20 species (Species Checklist, Species by Country) Atta cephalotes Specimen Label
Synonyms
Archeatta Gonçalves, 1942 Epiatta Borgmeier, 1950 Neoatta Gonçalves, 1942 Oecodoma Latreille, 1818 Palaeatta Borgmeier, 1950

A genus of fungus growing ants. Leafcutter ants obligately cultivate clonally propagated fungus inside their nest as their main source of food. Larval and adult ants eat fungal mycelium from their fungus gardens, as well as clusters (“staphylae”) of modified hyphal tips (“gongylidia”). Nests of some species can be physically very large and consist of millions of workers. (Hölldobler and Wilson 1990, Dijkstra and Boomsma 2006).

At a Glance

• Fungus Grower

Identification

See images of species within this genus

Keys including this Genus

• Key to North American Genera of Myrmicinae

 

Keys to Species in this Genus

• Key to US Atta species
• Key to leaf‐cutting genera

Distribution

Species by Region

Number of species within biogeographic regions, along with the total number of species for each region.

	Afrotropical Region	Australasian Region	Indo-Australian Region	Malagasy Region	Nearctic Region	Neotropical Region	Oriental Region	Palaearctic Region
Species	0	0	0	0	2	16	0	0
Total Species	2840	1735	3042	932	835	4378	1740	2862

Biology

Atta species have a profound influence on the habitats where they live. A review by Swanson et al. (2019) summarized what has been found about their ecological effects on ecosystems: abstract - Leaf-cutter ants are a prominent feature in Neotropical ecosystems, but a comprehensive assessment of their effects on ecosystem functions is lacking. We reviewed the literature and used our own recent findings to identify knowledge gaps and develop a framework to quantify the effects of leaf-cutter ants on ecosystem processes. Leaf-cutter ants disturb the soil structure during nest excavation changing soil aeration and temperature. They mix relatively nutrient-poor soil from deeper layers with the upper organic-rich layers increasing the heterogeneity of carbon and nutrients within nest soils. Leaf-cutter ants account for about 25% of all herbivory in Neotropical forest ecosystems, moving 10%-15% of leaves in their foraging range to their nests. Fungal symbionts transform the fresh, nutrient-rich vegetative material to produce hyphal nodules to feed the ants. Organic material from roots and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi enhances carbon and nutrient turnover in nest soils and creates biogeochemical hot spots. Breakdown of organic matter, microbial and ant respiration, and nest waste material decomposition result in increased CO2, CH4, and N2O production, but the build-up of gases and heat within the nest is mitigated by the tunnel network ventilation system. Nest ventilation dynamics are challenging to measure without bias, and improved sensor systems would likely solve this problem. Canopy gaps above leaf-cutter ant nests change the light, wind and temperature regimes, which affects ecosystem processes. Nests differ in density and size depending on colony age, forest type and disturbance level and change over time resulting in spatial and temporal changes of ecosystem processes. These characteristics remain a challenge to evaluate rapidly and non-destructively. Addressing the knowledge gaps identified in this synthesis will bring insights into physical and biological processes driving biogeochemical cycles at the nest and ecosystem scale and will improve our understanding of ecosystem biogeochemical heterogeneity and larger scale ecological phenomena.

Dijkstra and Boomsma (2006) investigated the viability of worker-produced eggs in Atta cephalotes, Atta sexdens and Atta colombica. Most Atta workers have rudimentary, non-functional ovaries in a queenright colony but a few, typically tending the queen, can produce trophic eggs (Dijkstra et al., 2005). These eggs are feed to the queen. It was not known if any worker eggs can produce males. This study found, and concluded: Atta workers are not completely infertile, but worker fertility is low compared to the sister genus Acromyrmex, where workers routinely produce normally-size males after queen loss in the laboratory. Most worker eggs did not contain yolk but a small number did and yielded morphologically correct but very small males. They hypothesize that worker reproduction in orphaned Atta field colonies is almost never successful because the last workers die before their sons can be raised to adulthood, but the importance of worker-laid trophic eggs for queen feeding has precluded the evolutionary loss of worker ovaries.

Association with Other Organisms

 Explore: Show all Associate data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.

Species Uncertain

• An unknown species is a host for the phorid fly Apocephalus vicosae (a parasite) (phorid.net) (attacked).
• An unknown species is a prey for the phorid fly Dohrniphora curvispinosa (a predator) (Quevillon, 2018).
• An unknown species is a associate (details unknown) for the phorid fly Ecitoptera microps (a associate (details unknown)) (Quevillon, 2018).
• An unknown species is a host for the phorid fly Apocephalus vicosae (a parasitoid) (Quevillon, 2018) (encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest).
• An unknown species is a host for the phorid fly Neodohrniphora declinata (a parasitoid) (Quevillon, 2018) (encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest).
• An unknown species is a host for the fungus Aspergillus flavus (a parasitoid) (Quevillon, 2018) (encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission within nest).
• An unknown species is a host for the fungus Beauveria bassiana (a parasitoid) (Quevillon, 2018) (encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission within nest).
• An unknown species is a associate (details unknown) for the fungus Fusarium graminearum (a associate (details unknown)) (Quevillon, 2018).
• An unknown species is a associate (details unknown) for the fungus Fusarium oxysporum (a associate (details unknown)) (Quevillon, 2018).
• An unknown species is a associate (details unknown) for the fungus Fusarium solani (a associate (details unknown)) (Quevillon, 2018).
• An unknown species is a associate (details unknown) for the fungus Purpureocillium lilacinum (a associate (details unknown)) (Quevillon, 2018).
• An unknown species is a associate (details unknown) for the fungus Trichoderma atroviride (a associate (details unknown)) (Quevillon, 2018).

All Associate Records for Genus

Click here to show/hide associate data.

Taxon	Relationship	Associate Type	Associate Taxon	Associate Relationship	Locality	Source	Notes
Atta	associate (details unknown)	fungus	Fusarium graminearum	associate (details unknown)		Quevillon, 2018
Atta	associate (details unknown)	fungus	Fusarium oxysporum	associate (details unknown)		Quevillon, 2018
Atta	associate (details unknown)	fungus	Fusarium solani	associate (details unknown)		Quevillon, 2018
Atta	associate (details unknown)	fungus	Purpureocillium lilacinum	associate (details unknown)		Quevillon, 2018
Atta	associate (details unknown)	fungus	Trichoderma atroviride	associate (details unknown)		Quevillon, 2018
Atta	associate (details unknown)	phorid fly	Ecitoptera microps	associate (details unknown)		Quevillon, 2018
Atta	host	fungus	Aspergillus flavus	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission within nest
Atta	host	fungus	Beauveria bassiana	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission within nest
Atta	host	phorid fly	Apocephalus vicosae	parasite		phorid.net	attacked
Atta	host	phorid fly	Apocephalus vicosae	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta	host	phorid fly	Neodohrniphora declinata	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta	prey	phorid fly	Dohrniphora curvispinosa	predator		Quevillon, 2018
Atta bisphaerica	associate (details unknown)	fungus	Aspergillus ochraceus	associate (details unknown)		Quevillon, 2018
Atta bisphaerica	host	phorid fly	Apocephalus attophilus	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta bisphaerica	host	phorid fly	Myrmosicarius grandicornis	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta bisphaerica	host	phorid fly	Neodorhniphora bragancai	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta cephalotes	associate (details unknown)	phorid fly	Synclinusa spp.	associate (details unknown)		Quevillon, 2018
Atta cephalotes	host	fungus	Ophiocordyceps unilateralis	pathogen	Asia, North and South America	Shrestha et al., 2017
Atta cephalotes	host	milichiid fly	Milichiella argenteocincta	myrmecophile	Argentina, Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Dominica, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, Alabama, Florida	Brake, 2009; Milichiidae online
Atta cephalotes	host	milichiid fly	Pholeomyia comans	myrmecophile		Moser & Neff, 1971; Milichiidae online
Atta cephalotes	host	milichiid fly	Pholeomyia texensis	myrmecophile	Texas	Waller, 1980; Milichiidae online
Atta cephalotes	host	nematode	Panagrolaimus sp.	parasite		Quevillon, 2018	multiple encounter modes; indirect transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta cephalotes	host	nematode	Pristonchus sp.	parasite		Quevillon, 2018	multiple encounter modes; indirect transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta cephalotes	host	phorid fly	Allochaeta wallerae	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta cephalotes	host	phorid fly	Apocephalus asymmetricus	parasite		phorid.net	attacked
Atta cephalotes	host	phorid fly	Apocephalus attophilus	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta cephalotes	host	phorid fly	Apocephalus ritualis	parasite		phorid.net	attacked
Atta cephalotes	host	phorid fly	Apocephalus sp.	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta cephalotes	host	phorid fly	Apocephalus spinosus	parasite		phorid.net	attacked
Atta cephalotes	host	phorid fly	Eibesfeldtphora attae	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta cephalotes	host	phorid fly	Eibesfeldtphora pala	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta cephalotes	host	phorid fly	Eibesfeldtphora prolixa	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta cephalotes	host	phorid fly	Neodohrniphora curvinervis	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta cephalotes	host	phorid fly	Neodohrniphora sp. 1	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta cephalotes	host	phorid fly	Neodohrniphora sp. 2	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta colombica	host	fungus	Ophiocordyceps subramanianii	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta colombica	host	phorid fly	Apocephalus attophilus	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta colombica	host	phorid fly	Apocephalus colombicus	parasite		phorid.net	attacked
Atta colombica	host	phorid fly	Eibesfeldtphora pala	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta insularis	associate (details unknown)	phorid fly	Puliciphora cubensis	associate (details unknown)		Quevillon, 2018
Atta laevigata	host	phorid fly	Allochaeta excedens	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta laevigata	host	phorid fly	Apocephalus attophilus	parasite		phorid.net	attacked
Atta laevigata	host	phorid fly	Apocephalus vicosae	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta laevigata	host	phorid fly	Eibesfeldtphora	parasite		Souza & Pereira, 2020
Atta laevigata	host	phorid fly	Eibesfeldtphora tonhascai	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta laevigata	host	phorid fly	Myrmosicarius	parasite		Souza & Pereira, 2020
Atta laevigata	host	phorid fly	Neodohrniphora declinata	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta laevigata	host	phorid fly	Neodohrniphora erthali	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta laevigata	host	sarcophagid fly	Helicobia sp.	parasite	Brazil	Barganca et al., 2020
Atta mexicana	host	fungus	Beauveria bassiana	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission within nest
Atta mexicana	host	phorid fly	Eibesfeldtphora mexicanae	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta mexicana	host	phorid fly	Neodohrniphora sp.	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta mexicana	host	pteromalid wasp	Spalangia attae	parasite		Universal Chalcidoidea Database	associate
Atta robusta	host	phorid fly	Eibesfeldtphora breviloba	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta robusta	host	phorid fly	Eibesfeldtphora digitata	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta robusta	host	phorid fly	Myrmosicarius exrobusta	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta sexdens	associate (details unknown)	phorid fly	Apterophora attophila	associate (details unknown)		Quevillon, 2018
Atta sexdens	associate (details unknown)	phorid fly	Apterophora borgmeieri	associate (details unknown)		Quevillon, 2018
Atta sexdens	associate (details unknown)	phorid fly	Apterophora bragancai	associate (details unknown)		Quevillon, 2018
Atta sexdens	associate (details unknown)	phorid fly	Homalophora attae	associate (details unknown)		Quevillon, 2018
Atta sexdens	host	fungus	Metarhizium anisopliae	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission within nest
Atta sexdens	host	phorid fly	Allochaeta excedens	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta sexdens	host	phorid fly	Apocephalus attophilus	parasite		Farder-Gomes et al., 2020
Atta sexdens	host	phorid fly	Apocephalus vicosae	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta sexdens	host	phorid fly	Eibesfeldtphora tonhascai	parasite		Farder-Gomes et al., 2020; Souza & Pereira, 2020	Souza & Pereira, 2020 - genus-level identification only
Atta sexdens	host	phorid fly	Eibesfeldtphora trifurcata	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta sexdens	host	phorid fly	Myrmosicarius	parasite		Souza & Pereira, 2020	very rare
Atta sexdens	host	phorid fly	Myrmosicarius crudelis	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta sexdens	host	phorid fly	Myrmosicarius grandicornis	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta sexdens	host	phorid fly	Neodohrniphora acromyrmecis	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta sexdens	host	phorid fly	Neodohrniphora curvinervis	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta sexdens	host	phorid fly	Neodohrniphora declinata	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta sexdens	host	phorid fly	Neodohrniphora elongata	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta sexdens	host	phorid fly	Neodohrniphora sp.	parasite		Braganca et al., 1998
Atta sexdens	host	phorid fly	Neodohrniphora tonhascai	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta sexdens	prey	phorid fly	Dohrniphora fuscicoxa	predator		Quevillon, 2018
Atta sexdens	prey	phorid fly	Dohrniphora paraguayana	predator		Quevillon, 2018
Atta texana	host	diapriid wasp	Coptera pholeomyiae	parasite		www.diapriid.org	potential host
Atta texana	host	fungus	Aspergillus flavus	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission within nest
Atta texana	host	fungus	Beauveria bassiana	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission within nest
Atta texana	host	milichiid fly	Pholeomyia comans	myrmecophile		Moser & Neff, 1971; Muesebeck, 1980	associated with or potential host
Atta texana	host	milichiid fly	Pholeomyia texensis	myrmecophile	Texas	Waller, 1980	associated with or potential host
Atta texana	host	phorid fly	Apocephalus wallerae	parasite		phorid.net	attacked
Atta texana	host	phorid fly	Megaselia sp.	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta texana	host	phorid fly	Myrmosicarius texanus	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta texana	host	pteromalid wasp	Spalangia attae	parasite		Universal Chalcidoidea Database	associate
Atta vollenweideri	host	phorid fly	Apocephalus setitarsus	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta vollenweideri	host	phorid fly	Apocephalus vicosae	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta vollenweideri	host	phorid fly	Eibesfeldtphora trilobata	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta vollenweideri	host	phorid fly	Myrmosicarius brandaoi	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Atta vollenweideri	host	phorid fly	Myrmosicarius gonzalezae	parasitoid		Quevillon, 2018	encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest

Flight Period

All Flight Records for Genus

 Explore: Show all Flight Month data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.

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Taxon	Month	Source	Notes
Atta mexicana	Jun • Jul	antkeeping.info
Atta texana	Apr • May • Jun	antkeeping.info

Life History Traits

• Mean colony size: 1750000 (Greer et al., 2021)
• Compound colony type: not parasitic (Greer et al., 2021)
• Nest site: hypogaeic (Greer et al., 2021)
• Diet class: herbivore (Greer et al., 2021)
• Foraging stratum: subterranean/leaf litter; arboreal (Greer et al., 2021)
• Foraging behaviour: cooperative (Greer et al., 2021)

Morphology

Worker Morphology

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• Antennal segment count: 11 • Antennal club: gradual • Palp formula: 4,2 • Total dental count: 8-12 • Spur formula: 0,0 • Eyes: >100 ommatidia • Scrobes: absent • Pronotal Spines: present • Mesonotal Spines: dentiform; present • Propodeal Spines: present • Petiolar Spines: absent • Caste: polymorphic • Sting: absent • Metaplural Gland: present • Cocoon: absent

Karyotype

All Karyotype Records for Genus

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Taxon	Haploid	Diploid	Karyotype	Locality	Source	Notes
Atta bisphaerica		22	12M+6SM+4A	Brazil	Fadini & Pompolo, 1996; Barros et al., 2014
Atta colombica	11	22	12M+6SM+4A	Panama	Murakami et al., 1998; Barros et al., 2014	''Atta columbica'' is a writing mistake
Atta laevigata		22	12M+6SM+4A	Brazil	Fadini & Pompolo, 1996; Barros et al., 2014
Atta robusta		22	18M+2SM+2ST	Brazil	Barros et al., 2015; de Castro et al., 2020
Atta sexdens		22	12M+6SM+4A	Brazil	Fadini & Pompolo, 1996; SantosColares et al., 1997; Barros et al., 2014
Atta sexdens		22	18M + 4A	Brazil	de Castro et al., 2020
Atta sexdens		22	18M+2SM+2ST	Brazil, French Guiana	Aguiar et al., 2020

Phylogeny

Myrmicinae

Myrmicini ⊞(2 genera) ⊟ Manica  (5 species, 2 fossil species) Myrmica  (210 species, 18 fossil species) Pogonomyrmecini ⊞(3 genera) ⊟ Patagonomyrmex  (3 species, 0 fossil species) Hylomyrma  (30 species, 0 fossil species) Pogonomyrmex  (95 species, 1 fossil species) Stenammini ⊞(7 genera) ⊟ Stenamma  (85 species, 1 fossil species) Novomessor  (3 species, 0 fossil species) Veromessor  (10 species, 0 fossil species) some Aphaenogaster  (218 species, 12 fossil species) some Aphaenogaster Messor  (169 species, 1 fossil species) Goniomma  (10 species, 1 fossil species) Oxyopomyrmex  (12 species, 0 fossil species) Solenopsidini ⊞(22 genera) ⊟ Stegomyrmex  (5 species, 0 fossil species) Dolopomyrmex  (1 species, 0 fossil species) some Rogeria  (40 species, 0 fossil species) Bariamyrma  (1 species, 0 fossil species) some Rogeria Solenopsis  (215 species, 9 fossil species) Kempfidris  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Tropidomyrmex  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Austromorium  (2 species, 0 fossil species) some Monomorium  (320 species, 3 fossil species) some Monomorium Oxyepoecus  (21 species, 0 fossil species) Megalomyrmex  (45 species, 0 fossil species) Tyrannomyrmex  (4 species, 0 fossil species) some Monomorium Epelysidris  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Anillomyrma  (2 species, 0 fossil species) Myrmicaria  (71 species, 0 fossil species) some Monomorium Syllophopsis  (23 species, 0 fossil species) some Adelomyrmex  (31 species, 0 fossil species) Cryptomyrmex  (2 species, 0 fossil species) some Adelomyrmex Baracidris  (3 species, 0 fossil species) Attini ⊞(49 genera) ⊟ Ochetomyrmex  (2 species, 0 fossil species) Tranopelta  (2 species, 0 fossil species) Diaphoromyrma  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Lachnomyrmex  (16 species, 0 fossil species) Blepharidatta  (4 species, 0 fossil species) Allomerus  (8 species, 0 fossil species) Wasmannia  (11 species, 0 fossil species) Pheidole  (1,294 species, 7 fossil species) Cephalotes  (123 species, 16 fossil species) Procryptocerus  (44 species, 0 fossil species) Strumigenys  (879 species, 4 fossil species) Phalacromyrmex  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Pilotrochus  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Protalaridris  (7 species, 0 fossil species) Rhopalothrix  (19 species, 0 fossil species) Basiceros  (9 species, 0 fossil species) Octostruma  (35 species, 0 fossil species) Eurhopalothrix  (54 species, 0 fossil species) Talaridris  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Acanthognathus  (7 species, 1 fossil species) Daceton  (2 species, 0 fossil species) Lenomyrmex  (7 species, 0 fossil species) Microdaceton  (4 species, 0 fossil species) Orectognathus  (29 species, 0 fossil species) Colobostruma  (16 species, 0 fossil species) Epopostruma  (20 species, 0 fossil species) Mesostruma  (9 species, 0 fossil species) Paleoattina Apterostigma  (44 species, 2 fossil species) Mycocepurus  (6 species, 0 fossil species) Myrmicocrypta  (31 species, 0 fossil species) Neoattina Cyatta  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Kalathomyrmex  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Mycetarotes  (4 species, 0 fossil species) Mycetosoritis  (2 species, 0 fossil species) some Cyphomyrmex  (23 species, 2 fossil species) some Cyphomyrmex Paramycetophylax  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Mycetophylax  (21 species, 0 fossil species) Mycetagroicus  (4 species, 0 fossil species) Mycetomoellerius  (31 species, 1 fossil species) Sericomyrmex  (11 species, 0 fossil species) Xerolitor  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Paratrachymyrmex  (9 species, 0 fossil species) Trachymyrmex  (9 species, 0 fossil species) Amoimyrmex  (3 species, 0 fossil species) Atta  (20 species, 1 fossil species) some Acromyrmex  (56 species, 0 fossil species) some Acromyrmex Pseudoatta  (2 species, 0 fossil species) Crematogastrini ⊞(65 genera) ⊟ Rostromyrmex  (1 species, 6 fossil species) Cardiocondyla  (90 species, 0 fossil species) Ocymyrmex  (34 species, 0 fossil species) Nesomyrmex  (84 species, 2 fossil species) Xenomyrmex  (5 species, 0 fossil species) Terataner  (14 species, 0 fossil species) Atopomyrmex  (3 species, 0 fossil species) Cataulacus  (65 species, 3 fossil species) Carebara  (249 species, 9 fossil species) Diplomorium  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Melissotarsus  (4 species, 1 fossil species) Rhopalomastix  (14 species, 0 fossil species) Calyptomyrmex  (38 species, 0 fossil species) Strongylognathus  (27 species, 0 fossil species), Tetramorium  (598 species, 2 fossil species) Cyphoidris  (4 species, 0 fossil species) Dicroaspis  (2 species, 0 fossil species) Aretidris  (2 species, 0 fossil species) Vollenhovia  (83 species, 3 fossil species) Dacetinops  (7 species, 0 fossil species) Indomyrma  (2 species, 0 fossil species) Crematogaster  (783 species, 3 fossil species) Meranoplus  (91 species, 0 fossil species) Lophomyrmex  (13 species, 0 fossil species) Adlerzia  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Recurvidris  (12 species, 0 fossil species) Stereomyrmex  (3 species, 0 fossil species) Trichomyrmex  (29 species, 0 fossil species) Eutetramorium  (3 species, 0 fossil species) Royidris  (15 species, 0 fossil species) Malagidris  (6 species, 0 fossil species) Vitsika  (16 species, 0 fossil species) Huberia  (2 species, 0 fossil species) Podomyrma  (62 species, 1 fossil species) Liomyrmex  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Metapone  (31 species, 0 fossil species) Kartidris  (6 species, 0 fossil species) Mayriella  (9 species, 0 fossil species) Tetheamyrma  (2 species, 0 fossil species) Dacatria  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Proatta  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Dilobocondyla  (22 species, 0 fossil species) Secostruma  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Acanthomyrmex  (19 species, 0 fossil species) Myrmecina  (106 species, 0 fossil species) Perissomyrmex  (6 species, 0 fossil species) Pristomyrmex  (61 species, 3 fossil species) some Lordomyrma  (36 species, 0 fossil species) Propodilobus  (1 species, 0 fossil species) Lasiomyrma  (4 species, 0 fossil species) some Lordomyrma Ancyridris  (2 species, 0 fossil species) some Lordomyrma Paratopula  (12 species, 0 fossil species) Poecilomyrma  (2 species, 0 fossil species) Romblonella  (10 species, 0 fossil species) Rotastruma  (3 species, 0 fossil species) Gauromyrmex  (3 species, 0 fossil species) Vombisidris  (19 species, 0 fossil species) Temnothorax  (504 species, 7 fossil species) Harpagoxenus  (4 species, 0 fossil species) Formicoxenus  (8 species, 0 fossil species) Leptothorax  (20 species, 0 fossil species)

See Phylogeny of Myrmicinae for details.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

• ATTA [Myrmicinae: Attini]
  • Atta Fabricius, 1804: 421. Type-species: Formica cephalotes, by subsequent designation of Wheeler, W.M. 1911f: 159.
  • Atta senior synonym of Oecodoma: Roger, 1863b: 35.
  • Atta senior synonym of Archeatta: Smith, M.R. 1951a: 832.
  • Atta senior synonym of Archeatta, Epiatta, Neoatta, Palaeatta: Weber, 1958a: 8. [Each subgeneric name has subsequently been resurrected from and returned to synonymy, see under respective entries and in Bolton (1995b, 2003).]
• ARCHEATTA [junior synonym of Atta]
  • Archeatta Gonçalves, 1942: 342 [as subgenus of Atta]. Type-species: Oecodoma mexicana, by original designation.
  • Archeatta as subgenus of Atta: Borgmeier, 1959b: 350; Kempf, 1972a: 27.
  • Archeatta as junior synonym of Atta: Smith, M.R. 1951a: 832; Weber, 1958a: 8; Bolton, 1994: 105.
• EPIATTA [junior synonym of Atta]
  • Epiatta Borgmeier, 1950d: 246 [as subgenus of Atta]. Type-species: Oecodoma laevigata, by original designation.
  • Epiatta junior synonym of Atta: Weber, 1958a: 8.
  • Epiatta junior synonym of Neoatta: Borgmeier, 1959b: 358.
  • Epiatta junior synonym of Atta: Bolton, 1994: 105.
• MYRMEGIS [Nomen nudum]
  • Myrmegis Rafinesque, 1815: 124. Nomen nudum. [Brown, 1973b: 182, placed Myrmegis as a junior synonym of Atta, because the entry in Rafinesque reads, "6. Myrmegis R. Atta Latr."]
• NEOATTA [junior synonym of Atta]
  • Neoatta Gonçalves, 1942: 346 [as subgenus of Atta]. Type-species: Formica sexdens, by original designation.
  • Neoatta subgenus of Atta: Borgmeier, 1959b: 358; Kempf, 1972a: 27.
  • Neoatta senior synonym of Epiatta: Borgmeier, 1959b: 358.
  • Neoatta junior synonym of Atta: Weber, 1958a: 8; Bolton, 1994: 105.
• OECODOMA [junior synonym of Atta]
  • Oecodoma Latreille, 1818: 222. Type-species: Formica cephalotes, by subsequent designation of Shuckard, in Swainson & Shuckard, 1840: 174.
  • Oecodoma junior synonym of Atta: Roger, 1863b: 35. [Atta and Oecodoma share the same type-species, synonymy is therefore absolute.]
• PALAEATTA [junior synonym of Atta]
  • Palaeatta Borgmeier, 1950d: 244 [as subgenus of Atta]. Type-species: Atta bisphaerica, by original designation.
  • Palaeatta subgenus of Atta: Borgmeier, 1959b: 377; Kempf, 1972a: 28.
  • Palaeatta junior synonym of Atta: Weber, 1958a: 8; Bolton, 1994: 105.

References

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