Paraponera is a genus of ant consisting of a single species, the so-called bullet ant (P. clavata), named on account of its powerful and potent sting, which is said to be as painful as being shot with a bullet. It is called by the locals, "Hormiga Veinticuatro," or "24-hour ant", from 24 hours of pain that follow a stinging.^[1] The bullet ant inhabits Atlantic coastal lowland rainforests from Nicaragua southward to the Amazon basin. Workers are 18-25 mm long and look like stout, reddish-black, wingless wasps.^[2] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive either in the present day or the future. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... Subphyla and Classes Subphylum Trilobitomorpha Trilobita - trilobites (extinct) Subphylum Chelicerata Arachnida - spiders,scorpions, etc. ... Orders Subclass Apterygota Archaeognatha (bristletails) Thysanura (silverfish) Subclass Pterygota Infraclass Paleoptera (Probably paraphyletic) Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) Infraclass Neoptera Superorder Exopterygota Grylloblattodea (ice-crawlers) Mantophasmatodea (gladiators) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Embioptera (webspinners) Zoraptera (angel insects) Dermaptera (earwigs) Orthoptera (grasshoppers, etc) Phasmatodea (stick insects) Blattodea (cockroaches) Isoptera (termites) Mantodea (mantids) Psocoptera... Suborders Apocrita Symphyta Hymenoptera is one of the larger orders of insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants. ... For other uses, see Ant (disambiguation). ... Genera Paraponera Paraponerinae is a subfamily of ants in the Poneromorph subfamilies group. ... Frederick Smith (1805 - 1879) was a British entomologist. ... Year 1858 (MDCCCLVIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Johann Christian Fabricius. ... Year 1775 (MDCCLXXV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... For other uses, see Genus (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Ant (disambiguation). ... A bullet is a solid projectile propelled by a firearm or air gun and is normally made from metal (usually lead). ...

General facts

The pain caused by this insect's sting is purported to be greater than that of any other Hymenopteran, and is ranked as the most painful according to the Schmidt Sting Pain Index. It is described as causing "waves of burning, throbbing, all-consuming pain that continues unabated for up to 24 hours".^[1] A paralyzing neurotoxic peptide isolated from the venom is poneratoxin. The Paraponerinae is a primitive subfamily and their stings are morphologically similar to those of some solitary wasps and hence are often most severe, being intended as multi-purpose defensive tools rather than the more specialized weapons of more advanced ants. Suborders Apocrita Symphyta Hymenoptera is one of the larger orders of insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants. ... Schmidt Sting Pain Index or The Justin O. Schmidt Pain Index was created by Justin O. Schmidt, an entomologist. ... A neurotoxin is a toxin that acts specifically on nerve cells – neurons – usually by interacting with membrane proteins such as ion channels. ... Peptides (from the Greek πεπτος, digestible), are the family of short molecules formed from the linking, in a defined order, of various α-amino acids. ... Wasp sting, with droplet of venom Venom (literally, poison of animal origin) is any of a variety of toxins used by animals, for the purpose of defense and hunting. ... Poneratoxin is a neurotoxic peptide best known as the component in the venom of the Bullet Ant that makes it one of the most painful insect bites known; it scores a +4. ... Genera Paraponera Paraponerinae is a subfamily of ants in the Poneromorph subfamilies group. ... ... For other uses, see Wasp (disambiguation). ...

Paraponera is predaceous and, like all primitive poneromorphs, does not display a great deal of polymorphism. Colonies consist of several thousand individuals, and are usually situated at the bases of trees, workers foraging arboreally in the area directly above the nest for insect prey and nectaries, often as far as the upper canopy. The genus is found along the Atlantic coast of South and Central America, including Costa Rica, and coincides with the range of the closely related Dinoponera. In biology, polymorphism can be defined as the occurrence in the same habitat of two or more forms of a trait in such frequencies that the rarer cannot be maintained by recurrent mutation alone. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... For other uses, see Central America (disambiguation). ...

Bullet ants are used by some indigenous people in their initiation rites to manhood (Bequaert, 1926). The ants are first knocked out by drowning them in a natural chloroform, and then hundreds of them are woven into sleeves made out of leaves, stinger facing inward. When the ants come to, boys slip the sleeve down onto their arm. The goal of this initiation rite is to keep the sleeve on for a full ten minutes. When finished, the boys' arms are temporarily paralyzed because of the venom, and they may shake uncontrollably for days. The only "protection" provided is a coating of charcoal on the hands, supposedly to confuse the ants and inhibit their stinging. To fully complete the initiation, however, the boys must go through the ordeal a total of 20 times over the course of several months or even years. The term indigenous people has no universal, standard or fixed definition, but can be used about any ethnic group who inhabit the geographic region with which they have the earliest historical connection. ... Initiation rites are formalized, ceremonial rites of passage as an individual moves from stage to stage within a social career or formally acquires such status. ... R-phrases , , , S-phrases , Flash point Non-flammable U.S. Permissible exposure limit (PEL) 50 ppm (240 mg/m3) (OSHA) Supplementary data page Structure and properties n, εr, etc. ... It has been suggested that sting (biology) be merged into this article or section. ... Paralysis is the complete loss of muscle function for one or more muscle groups. ...

See also

• List of ant genera (alphabetical)

The following is a thusfar incomplete list of worldwide ant genera. ...

External links

• Short article on the bullet ant and poneratoxin
• Giant tropical bullet ant, Paraponera clavata, natural history and captive management, article with images
• YouTube video of initiation ritual

Images

• Worker
• Worker
• Worker
• Worker
• Three workers fight against another kind of ant
• Worker on man's arm

References

• Bequaert, J.C. (1926): Medical Report of the Hamilton Rice 7th. Expedition to the Amazon. Harvard Univ. Press, pp. 250-253

1. ^ ^{a b} "Sting pain index"; New Scientist No2617, pp44; 18 August 2007
2. ^ http://www.sasionline.org/antsfiles/pages/bullet/bulletbio.html