Myrmedonota
Cameron, 1920
Species Guides
2Myrmedonota is a of rove beetles (Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) first described by Cameron in 1920. The genus was first recorded from Mexico in 2013 with the description of two new , M. shimmerale and M. xipe. Members of this genus exhibit myrmecophilous associations, aggregating toward agitated ants and potentially preying on them. The genus is suggested to be more diverse in the New World than previously recognized, though its remains in a state of confusion.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Myrmedonota: //mɜːrmɛdoʊˈnoʊtə//
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Distribution
Mexico; suggested to be diverse throughout the New World
Host Associations
Behavior
Aggregates toward agitated ants, possibly to prey on them. Forms mating swarms either with no apparent landmark or in the vicinity of ants.
Sources and further reading
- BugGuide
- GBIF taxonomy match
- iNaturalist taxon
- NCBI Taxonomy
- Catalogue of Life
- Myrmedonota xipe Archives - Entomology Today
- From Garden Peonies to a Career Studying Ant-Plant Interactions
- Descriptions of two new species of Myrmedonota Cameron (Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) from Mexico with comments on the genus taxonomy and behavior