Kingdom Animalia Order Hymenoptera Subfamily Myrmicinae Scientific name Oxyepoecus Rank Genus | Phylum Arthropoda Family Formicidae Tribe Solenopsidini Higher classification Solenopsidini | |
 | ||
Lower classifications Oxyepoecus inquilinus, Oxyepoecus bruchi, Oxyepoecus daguerrei | ||
Oxyepoecus is a Neotropical genus of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae. The genus is a member of the tribe Solenopsidini and currently includes 20 species.
Contents
Distribution
The genus of is known from the Neotropics, from Colombia to Chile, where it is collected infrequently.
Identification
Oxyepoecus is differentiated from other Solenopsidini by the 11-segmented antennae with a three-segmented apical club, the clypeus with four teeth, and the dentate propodeum. In addition, the petiole and postpetiole nodes are high and often anteroposteriorly compressed.
Biology
The biology of the genus is poorly known, but three species (O. inquilinus, O. daguerrei, and O. bruchi) are suspected to be inquilines of Pheidole or Solenopsis, although the exact nature of the relationship is unclear. These three species are considered as "Vulnerable D2" by IUCN, meaning they are suspected to be "facing a high risk of extinction in the wild in the medium-term future" because "their populations are characterized by an acute restriction in their area of occupancy (typically less than 100 km2) or in the number of locations (typically fewer than five)."