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Amblyoponinae is a subfamily of ants in the poneromorph subfamilies group containing 13 extant genera and one extinct genus. The ants in this subfamily are mostly specialized subterranean predators.[2] Adult workers pierce the integument of their larvae to imbibe haemolymph, earning them the common name Dracula ant.[3]

Temporal range: Lutetian - Recent
Apomyrma stygia casent0000077 profile 1.jpg
Apomyrma stygia
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Amblyoponinae
Forel, 1893
Tribe: Amblyoponini
Forel, 1893
Type genus
Erichson, 1842

13 extant genera; 1 fossil genus[1]


Amblyoponinae is characterized by these worker characters: eyes small or absent, situated behind midlength of side of head; anterior margin of clypeus with specialized dentiform setae; promesonotal suture flexible; petiole very broadly attached to abdominal segment 3 and without a distinct posterior face; postpetiole absent; sting present and well developed.[2]


The subfamily was formerly considered a tribe within Ponerinae, but was elevated to its own subfamily in 2003 when Barry Bolton divided Ponerinae into six subfamilies.[4]


  1. ^ Bolton, B. (2013), "An online catalog of the ants of the world.", AntCat, retrieved 22 September 2013
  2. ^ a b "Subfamily: Amblyoponinae". AntWeb. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  3. ^ "Systematic Entomology". Tales of dracula ants: the evolutionary history of the ant subfamily Amblyoponinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).
  4. ^ Fisher, Brian L.; Cover, Stefan P. (2007). Ants of North America: A Guide to the Genera. University of California Press. pp. 57–58. ISBN 978-0-520-93455-9.
  •   This article incorporates text from a scholarly publication published under a copyright license that allows anyone to reuse, revise, remix and redistribute the materials in any form for any purpose: Bolton, B. (2013), "An online catalog of the ants of the world.", AntCat, retrieved 22 September 2013 Please check the source for the exact licensing terms.

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