Meranoplus

Meranoplus is a genus of slow moving mid and small ants. These are typified by a hard and often spiny exoskeleton and long fine hairs. These hairs act a defense mechanism particularly against other ants. I call them the heart-butt ant from their heart shaped gaster similar to those of Crematogaster.

They are ground dwelling ants and are mainly scavengers feeding on dead arthropods and other small dead animals. They also frequent plants such as herbs and shrubs for nectar and honeydew.

This species had their nuptial flights in the early morning after dawn on a windless morning. They typically fly around 4 feet above ground level and the female will hover at a particular spot until she is mated.

Another special feature of this species is that they have a recess on each side of their head where they can withdraw their antennae. One or two sets of spine are on the back of the thorax on either side with a stubby spine on either side of the first thoracic segment (pronotum). When attack they will curl up their bodies. 

 Meranoplus sp. worker.

 

 

The female alate attended to by her sterile sisters.

The female and male alate.

Meranoplus mucronatus

Taxonomy

(no rank) Root 1

(Top Node) Cellular organism 131567
Superkingdom: Eukaryota 2759 [Domain]
(no rank) Opisthokonta 33154
Kingdom: Metazoa 33208
(no rank) Eumetazoa 6072
(no rank) Bilateria 33213
(no rank) Coelomata 33316
(no rank) Protosomia 33317
(no rank) Panarthropoda 88770
Phylum: Arthropoda 6656
(no rank) Mandibulata 197563
(no rank) Pancrustacea 197562
Superclass: Hexapoda 6960
Class: Insecta 50557
(no rank) Dicondylia 85512
(no rank) Pterygota 7496
Subclass: Neoptera 33340
Infraclass: Endopterygota 33392
Order: Hymenoptera 7399
(no rank) Apocrita 7400
Suborder: Aculeata 7434
Superfamily: Vespoidea 34725
Family: Formicidae 36668

Subfamily: Myrmicinae 34695

Tribe: Meranoplini 144008

Genus: Meranoplus 369165

Last Updated: 2013 10 20
First Published 2010 06 26

© 2009 - 2013 Quah. All rights reserved.