| Brachymyrmex | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Brachymyrmex aphidicola worker | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Formicinae |
| Tribe: | Myrmelachistini |
| Genus: | Brachymyrmex Mayr, 1868 |
| Type species | |
| Brachymyrmex patagonicus Mayr, 1868 | |
| Diversity[1] | |
| 44 species | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Brachymyrmex is agenus in theantssubfamilyFormicinae.[2] The genus can be recognized by the combination of having nine antennal segments (fewer than most ants) and the petiole concealed by the gaster in dorsal view. They are sometimes called "rover ants".[3][4]
The genus has a mainlyNeotropical distribution, ranging from theUnited States toArgentina andChile, including theCaribbean islands, but some species have been introduced toJapan, andMadagascar.[5]
Brachymyrmex is a genus of minute ants that at first glance exhibit little morphological variation. Currently only the 9-segmented antennae and lack of antennal club have been proposed to diagnose workers of the genus. The combination of small size, softmetasoma, and the simple morphology makes observations and interpretation of morphological characters difficult. These difficulties impede taxonomic revisions and even led Creighton (1950) to callBrachymyrmex a "miserable little genus".[5] Nevertheless, 44 species and 17 subspecies are currently assigned toBrachymyrmex.[1]
The first completetaxonomic revision ofBrachymyrmex was published by Santschi (1923) and included 27 species and 15 subspecies and varieties. In this revision, Santschi (1923) recognized twosubgenera: 1)Brachymyrmexsensu stricto (including most of the species) and 2)Bryscha (four species).[5]
Brachymyrmex sensu stricto contains species that have hairy legs, antennae without erect hairs and the second segment of the antennal funiculus much shorter that the first (= third antennal segment much shorter than the second).Bryscha species have legs and antennae with erect hairs and the second segment of the antennal funiculus is as long as or longer than the first. Unlike other species in the genus, two of the species of the subgenusBryscha,Brachymyrmex pilipes andBrachymyrmex micromegas, havedimorphic workers. Ambiguity remains regarding the status ofBryscha. Brown (1973) provisionally synonymized it underBrachymyrmex and Bolton (1995, 2014) accepted this synonymy in his catalogues without substantiating the decision.[5]
A study towards a revision of the genus was published in 2019 by Ortiz-Sepuvelda et al., taking morphological and molecular factors into account to reorganize many species and subspecies into new boundaries.[6]
This article incorporates text from a scholarly publication published under a copyright license that allows anyone to reuse, revise, remix and redistribute the materials in any form for any purpose:Ortiz, C.; Fernandez, F. (2014)."Brachymyrmex species with tumuliform metathoracic spiracles: Description of three new species and discussion of dimorphism in the genus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)".ZooKeys (371):13–33.Bibcode:2014ZooK..371...13O.doi:10.3897/zookeys.371.6568.PMC 3909797.PMID 24493952. Please check the source for the exact licensing terms.
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