Phasmomyrmex

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Phasmomyrmex
Camponotus wolfi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Camponotini
Genus: Camponotus
Subgenus: Phasmomyrmex
Stitz, 1910
Type species
Phasmomyrmex sericeus (junior synonym of Camponotus buchneri)
Synonyms

Phasmomyrmex wolfi casent0178250 profile 1.jpg

Camponotus wolfi

Phasmomyrmex wolfi casent0178250 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen Label

Phantom Carpenter Ants

Overview of Genus. Hita Garcia, Wiesel and Fischer (2013) - "Phasmomyrmex is a very species-poor subgenus with only four species. All are found in the Afrotropical region (Bolton, 2012). The species were described independently from each other in different genera. Their respective generic affiliations remained unstable until they were finally considered to be congeneric (Bolton, 1995, 2003). Despite the small number of species and known specimens a modern taxonomic treatment is still lacking. Biological details of Phasmomyrmex is very limited but they do appear to be arboreal."

Diagnosis. Emery (1925). - "Worker. - Without caste dimorphism; size variable. Head rectangular or trapezoidal; eyes placed at midlength of lateral head margins. Clypeus flat, without median carina, and without anterior lobe, anterior clypeal margin entire or notched in medially. Mesosoma with more-or-less shouldered pronotum; metanotum occupying considerable space dorsally, bounded by sutures anteriorly and posteriorly, metanotal spriacles placed below border which delimits dorsal metanotal surface; propodeum truncate or concave posteriorly. Petiolar scale thick, angular or spiny dorsolaterally. Gaster as in Camponotus. Queen. - Head as in worker. Mesosoma depressed; mesoscutum only slightly produced over pronotum, and mesoscutellum produced over metanotum and propodeum. Wings as in Camponotus. Male. - Unknown.

Geographical Distribution of Species. - Tropical West Africa."

(Translation and editing by B. E. Boudinot, 19 February 2017.)


Phasmomyrmex is currently a subgenus of Camponotus.

Identification

AntWeb icon 02.png See images of species within this genus

 

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 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total Species 2840 1735 3042 932 835 4378 1740 2862

Biology

Castes

Nomenclature

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

  • PHASMOMYRMEX [Formicinae: Camponotini]
    • Phasmomyrmex Stitz, 1910: 146. Type-species: Phasmomyrmex sericeus (junior synonym of Camponotus buchneri), by monotypy.
    • Phasmomyrmex subgenus of Camponotus: Forel, 1912i: 90.
    • Phasmomyrmex revived status as genus: Emery, 1920b: 252; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 701.
    • Current subgenera of Phasmomyrmex: nominal plus Myrmacantha, Myrmorhachis.

References