Paraponera Explained

Paraponera is a genus of ants and the only genus in the subfamily Paraponerinae. The name means "near-Ponera".[1]

It consists of two species: the extant Paraponera clavata, also known as a bullet ant, found in the Neotropics, and the very small fossil species Paraponera dieteri known from Dominican amber (Early Miocene; 16-19 million years ago). Bullet ants are so named for the pain caused by their venomous stings. The intensely painful sting is toxic to invertebrates as well as vertebrates and a major component is the neurotoxic peptide poneratoxin.[2]

Species

Notes and References

  1. Book: Wheeler, George C. . George C. Wheeler. Myrmecological Orthoepy and Onomatology . 1956. University of North Dakota Press. 4, 17.
  2. 10.1021/acs.jproteome.6b00948. Combined Peptidomic and Proteomic Analysis of Electrically Stimulated and Manually Dissected Venom from the South American Bullet Ant Paraponera clavata. 2017. Aili. Samira R.. Touchard. Axel. Petitclerc. Frédéric. Dejean. Alain. Orivel. Jérôme. Padula. Matthew P.. Escoubas. Pierre. Nicholson. Graham M.. Journal of Proteome Research. 16. 3. 1339–1351. 28118015. 10453/123916. free.

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