Peronomyrmex

Peronomyrmex
Peronomyrmex overbecki
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Crematogastrini
Genus:	Peronomyrmex Viehmeyer, 1922
Type species
Peronomyrmex overbecki
Diversity
3 species (Species Checklist, Species by Country) Peronomyrmex overbecki Specimen Label

Peronomyrmex is known from three species which are widely distributed along the east coast of Australia. The little biological information available suggests they are nocturnal and arboreal. These habits at least partially explain their infrequent collection. With three taxa known from only four collecting events it is clear that we are a long way from understanding these curious ants. We know nothing of their nesting habits and little about other aspects of their biology. It is unclear whether their infrequent encounter is caused by true rarity or by cryptic habits, or (more likely) a combination of these factors. (Shattuck 2006)

Identification

Shattuck (2006) - Myrmicine ant with antennae 11-segmented; in side view, petiole and postpetiole with high, conical, pointed nodes, the shape of which is unique among the ants (Bolton 1994, Shattuck 1999). For additional characters see Taylor (1970) - as given below.

See images of species within this genus

Keys including this Genus

• Key to Australian Genera of Myrmicinae

 

Keys to Species in this Genus

• Key to Peronomyrmex Species

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	3	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total Species	2840	1735	3042	932	835	4378	1740	2862

Morphology

Worker Morphology

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• Antennal segment count: 11
• Antennal club: gradual
• Palp formula: 5,3
• Total dental count: 5-6
• Spur formula: 0,0
• Caste: monomorphic
• Sting: present

Male Morphology

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 • Caste unknown

Nomenclature

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

• PERONOMYRMEX [Myrmicinae: Formicoxenini]
  • Peronomyrmex Viehmeyer, 1922: 212. Type-species: Peronomyrmex overbecki, by monotypy.

Taylor (1970) - Medium-sized myrmicine ants. Head a little longer than broad, slightly inflated posteriorly; occipital border strongly concave. Median area of clypeus inflated, lacking carinae, teeth or other ornamentation; lateral areas broad and raised, but not forming trenchant ridges. Frontal carinae extending back almost to corners of cranium and defining the upper edges of shallow antennal scrobes, which lie above the eyes and are not clearly delimited behind and below. Eyes large, situated just behind the midpoint of the head. Mandibles short, triangular, dental formula 2 + 3 or 4. Palpal formula 5: 3. Antennae 11-segmented, without a segmentally differentiated club, apical segment as long as the three preceding together.

Pronotal humeri tumose in dorsal view; promesonotal suture lacking on dorsum; metanotal groove distinct, without an associated incised suture; propodeal spines well developed; metapleural spines lacking; inferior pro po deal plates small, unspecialised; propodeal spiracles circular. Legs, especially femora, strongly inflated; middle and hind tibiae lacking apical spurs; pretarsal claws simple. Petiole and postpetiole inflated and extended dorsally as high turreted cones which are somewhat compressed laterally and inclined posterodorsally at their apices. Gaster broader than deep; tergites extending laterally almost to ventral surface; anterior border in dorsal view broadly emarginate at midline; sting weakly developed.

References

• Blaimer, B.B., Ward, P.S., Schultz, T.R., Fisher, B.L., Brady, S.G. 2018. Paleotropical diversification dominates the evolution of the hyperdiverse ant tribe Crematogastrini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Insect Systematics and Diversity 2(5): 3; 1-14 (doi:10.1093/isd/ixy013).
• Bolton, B. 1994. Identification guide to the ant genera of the world. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 222 pp. (page 105, Peronomyrmex in Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini)
• Bolton, B. 2003. Synopsis and Classification of Formicidae. Mem. Am. Entomol. Inst. 71: 370pp (page 250, Peronomyrmex in Myrmicinae, Formicoxenini)
• Brown, W. L., Jr. 1948e. A preliminary generic revision of the higher Dacetini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Trans. Am. Entomol. Soc. 74: 101-129 (page 102, Peronomyrmex in Myrmicinae, Dacetini)
• Brown, W. L., Jr. 1949h. Revision of the ant tribe Dacetini: IV. Some genera properly excluded from the Dacetini, with the establishment of the Basicerotini new tribe. Trans. Am. Entomol. Soc. 75: 83-96 (page 84, Peronomyrmex in Myrmicinae, Meranoplini)
• Cantone S. 2018. Winged Ants, The queen. Dichotomous key to genera of winged female ants in the World. The Wings of Ants: morphological and systematic relationships (self-published).
• Dlussky, G. M.; Fedoseeva, E. B. 1988. Origin and early stages of evolution in ants. Pp. 70-144 in: Ponomarenko, A. G. (ed.) Cretaceous biocenotic crisis and insect evolution. Moskva: Nauka, 232 pp. (page 81, Peronomyrmex incertae sedis in Myrmicinae)
• Donisthorpe, H. 1943g. A list of the type-species of the genera and subgenera of the Formicidae. [part]. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(10): 617-688 (page 682, Peronomyrmex in Myrmicinae, Dacetini)
• Shattuck, S.O. 2006. A third species in the rare Australian ant genus Peronomyrmex Viehmeyer. Zootaxa 1194: 49-55.
• Taylor, R. W. 1970b. Characterization of the Australian endemic ant genus Peronomyrmex Viehmeyer (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J. Aust. Entomol. Soc. 9: 209-211 (page 209, Review of genus)
• Viehmeyer, H. 1922. Neue Ameisen. Arch. Naturgesch. (A)88(7 7: 203-220 (page 212, Peronomyrmex as genus)