SE U.S. to Paraguay and Bolivia, W. Indies (brunneus in the sense of Brown 1976, which includes ruginodis).
Taxonomic history
Deyrup et al., 1985 PDF: 191 (m.); MacGown et al., 2014 PDF: 529 (q.).Combination in Odontomachus: Emery, 1895d PDF: 268.Junior synonym of Odontomachus insularis: Emery, 1895d PDF: 268; Emery, 1911e PDF: 115; Wheeler, 1919e: 303; Borgmeier, 1923: 78.Status as species: Brown, 1976c PDF: 103, 139; Deyrup et al., 1985 PDF: 191; Deyrup & Trager, 1986 PDF: 214; Deyrup et al., 1989 PDF: 94; Brandão, 1991 PDF: 363; Bolton, 1995b: 295; Deyrup, 2003 PDF: 45; Deyrup & Cover, 2004b PDF: 141 (in key); MacGown & Forster, 2005 PDF: 67; Rodriguez, 2008 PDF: 159; Branstetter & Sáenz, 2012 PDF: 262; MacGown et al., 2014 PDF: 526 (redescription); Feitosa, 2015c: 99; Guénard & Economo, 2015 10.11646/zootaxa.4040.2.8: 228; Deyrup, 2017: 27; Fernández & Guerrero, 2019 PDF: 538.Senior synonym of Odontomachus haematodus fuscus Stitz, 1925: Brown, 1976c PDF: 103; Brandão, 1991 PDF: 363; Bolton, 1995b: 295; MacGown et al., 2014 PDF: 526.Unavailable replacement name Odontomachus haematodus repetita referred here by Brown, 1976a: 103; Brandão, 1991: 363.Literature records: “Paraguay” (s. loc.) (Brown 1976).
Odontomachus brunneus is a North American species unlikely to be conspecific with South American forms. Name almost certainly refers to Odontomachus sp. alw-01.
Odontomachus brunneus is a species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae, found in the southeastern United States, parts of Central America, and the West Indies.
Ants of the genus Odontomachus are commonly called trap-jaw ants, due to the large, straight mandibles, which can be opened to 180 degrees and snapped shut on prey. They tend to be pretty timid for the most part, only accepting prey it can 100% take down, while other ants such as Solenopsis will attack anything that moves. When sensory hairs on the inside of the mandibles are touched, the trap jaw is triggered. The mandibles also permit slow and fine movements for other tasks such as nest building and care of larvae.[2] Odontomachus brunneus ants have a particular seasonal breeding cycle, where offspring are produced during the first six months of the year and none are created in the later six months. Foraging is often slow during the breeding period due to the amount of Odontomachus brunneus ants reproducing, but is doubled by the time the breeding period comes to an end.[3]
Trap-jaw ants of this species have the fastest moving predatory appendages within the animal kingdom.[2] One study recorded peak speeds of between 126 and 230 km/h (78 - 143 mph), with the jaws closing within just 130 microseconds on average. The peak force exerted was in the order of 300 times the body weight of the ant. The ants were also observed to use their jaws as a catapult to eject intruders or fling themselves backwards to escape a threat.[2]
Odontomachus brunneus is a species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae, found in the southeastern United States, parts of Central America, and the West Indies.
