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.).

Generic Revision of the Ant Subfamily Dorylinae: Hymenoptera, Formicidae

The ph araoh ant, Monomorium pharaonis (LINNAEUS, 1758), has long been considered the most ubiquitous house ant in the world. Monomorium pharaonis is particularly notorious as a pest in hospitals, where it is known as a vector for disease. I compiled and mapped specimen records of M. pharaonis from > 1200 sites to document its known worldwide distribution and evaluate hypotheses concerning its geographic origin. I documented the earliest known M. pharaonis records for 225 geographic areas (countries, island groups, major islands, US states, Canadian provinces, and Russian federal districts), including many for which I found no previously published records: Austral Islands, Central African Republic, Delaware, Dominican Republic, Gabon, Guatemala, Hainan Island, Haiti, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Maine, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Pakistan, Palmyra Atoll, Rhode Island, Tunisia, and West Virginia. In tropical areas, M. pharaonis occurs both indoors and out, but in temperate areas, it is found almost exclusively indoors. It is by far the most common tropical ant found in heated buildings of Europe and North America. Monomorium pharaonis appears to have originated in tropical Asia, where widespread outdoor records have been reported. Also, Monomorium longi FOREL, 1902 and Monomorium wroughtoni FOREL, 1902, the two species thought to be most closely related to M. pharaonis, are endemic to tropical Asia. Although M. pharaonis was first described from Egypt, I found no evidence supporting the popular, but apparently mistaken, idea that M. pharaonis is native to Africa. Numerous authors contend that M. pharaonis populations are rapidly expanding. My analyses, however, suggest that M. pharaonis had already spread over much of the world > 100 years ago. Much of the purportedly recent population increases of M. pharaonis may be an artifact of greater sampling and dissemination of information.

Worldwide spread of the pharaoh ant, Monomorium pharaonis (Hymenoptera: For- micidae)

Originally from Africa, Pheidole megacephala (FABRICIUS, 1793) has become a widespread household and agricultural pest in many tropical and subtropical areas. To evaluate the worldwide spread of P. megacephala, I compiled published and unpublished specimen records from > 1600 sites. I documented the earliest known P. megacephala records for 141 geographic areas (countries, island groups, major islands, and US states), including many locales for which I found no previously published records: Anguilla, Antigua, Aruba, Barbados, Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, California, Central African Republic, Curacao, Dominica, Galapagos Islands, Gambia, Guyana, Mali, Maryland, Montserrat, Nevis, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Peru, Rwanda, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Trinidad, and the Turks & Caicos Islands. Many old published records of P. megacephala from the Mediterranean region are misidentifications of a local native species, Pheidole pallidula (NYLANDER, 1849). All higher latitude records from Europe are probably either indoor records or misidentifications of P. pallidula. Invasive ant species with powerful stings, such as Solenopsis invicta BUREN, 1974, have received much media attention. Because Pheidole megacephala does not injure humans, this species is often not recognized as a substantial threat. In fact, in areas where it occurs at high density, few native invertebrates persist and P. megacephala may be responsible for driving many terrestrial invertebrate species extinct.

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Worldwide spread of the African big-headed ant, Pheidole megacephala (Hymeno- ptera: Formicidae)

Background
Army ants are the prime arthropod predators in tropical forests, with huge colonies and an evolutionary derived nomadic life style. Five of the six recognized subgenera of Old World Dorylus army ants forage in the soil, whereas some species of the sixth subgenus (Anomma) forage in the leaf-litter and some as conspicuous swarm raiders on the forest floor and in the lower vegetation (the infamous driver ants). Here we use a combination of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences to reconstruct the phylogeny of the Dorylus s.l. army ants and to infer the evolutionary transitions in foraging niche and associated morphological adaptations.

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186%2F1471-2148-7-56.pdf

A molecular phylogeny of Dorylus army ants provides evidence for multiple evolutionary transitions in foraging niche

The ponerine ant genus Centromyrmex Mayr is redefined and its Afrotropical species are fully revised. Ten Afrotropical species are recognised of which six are described as new (decessor, ereptor, fugator, praedator, raptor, secutor). Two former infraspecific names are elevated to species rank (angolensis, longiventris) and four new junior synonyms of sellaris (= arnoldi, = congolensis, = constanciae, = guineensis) are established. The monotypic genus Promyopias Santschi is revived from synonymy and a new monotypic genus, Feroponera, type-species F. ferox sp. n., is introduced. The possibility of a Centromyrmex genus group is discussed and a revised key to Afrotropical genera of Ponerinae is presented.

/pdf/afrotropical-ants-of-the-ponerine-genera-centromyrmex-mayr-dlw8q6kzz0.pdf

Afrotropical ants of the ponerine genera Centromyrmex Mayr, Promyopias Santschi gen. rev. and Feroponera gen. n., with a revised key to genera of African Ponerinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Gustav L. Mayr

Papers

Beiträge zur Kenntniss der Insektenfauna von Kamerun. 5. Formiciden gesammelt von Herrn Yngve Sjöstedt.