Myrmecina

Shattuck (2009) - The myrmicine ant genus Myrmecina contains valid species. These are uncommon ants that are most often encountered in leaf litter samples, generally in forested areas. Colonies are small and occur in soil with or without coverings, between rocks, in twigs on the ground or in rotten wood. While little is known about their biology, some are thought to be predacious on oribatid mites, and it has been suggested that the exceptionally small heads of larval Myrmecina are an adaptation to feeding on the partially opened bodies of these mites (Masuko, 2008). A rare, social parasitic species occurs in nests of Myrmecina americana in North America (S. Cover, pers. comm.).

Identification
Shattuck (2009) - The sides of the head behind the eyes with an elongate ridge or groove on each side which starts at the mandibles, runs the length of the head and ends near the upper corners. In side view, the petiole is low, rounded and barrel-shaped and lacks a distinct node. The propodeum is armed with long spines near the angle as well as short spines or angles near the metanotal groove. The distinctive ridge on the sides of the head behind the eyes combined with the low, rounded petiole will separate these ants from all others in Australia.

Distribution
Ants in this genus are found from southern Canada south to southern Mexico, in Europe and northern Africa, and from India east to Korea and Japan and south into Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Australia. It is apparently absent from Central and South America, sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East (Guenard, 2009). While relatively common and well represented in Papua New Guinea, this fauna is distinct from that of Australia.

Species richness
Species richness by country based on regional taxon lists (countries with darker colours are more species-rich). View Data



Nomenclature

 *  MYRMECINA [Myrmicinae: Myrmecinini]
 * Myrmecina Curtis, 1829: 265. Type-species: Myrmecina latreillii (junior synonym of Formica graminicola), by monotypy.
 * Myrmecina senior synonym of Archaeomyrmex: Brown, 1971a: 1.
 * ARCHAEOMYRMEX [junior synonym of Myrmecina]
 * Archaeomyrmex Mann, 1921: 448. Type-species: Archaeomyrmex cacabau, by original designation.
 * Archaeomyrmex junior synonym of Myrmecina: Brown, 1971a: 1.