Paraponera (F. Smith, 1858) is a genus of paraponerine ants famous for its sole species, the so-called bullet ant P. clavata, named on account of its most powerful and potent sting, the sensation of which has often been likened with that of being shot with a bullet by those who have had the misfortune to be at its receiving end. The pain caused by this insect's sting is the highest among all insect bites and is ranked as the most painful according to Schmidt Sting Pain Index. It is said that it takes a full 24 hours for the pain to recede. 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 - the ancestors of ants - and hence are often most severe, being intended as multi-purpose defensive tools rather than the more specialized weapons of more advanced ants.

Paraponera is predaceous and, like all primitive ponerines, 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.

Bullet ants are used by some indigenous people in their initiation rites to manhood (Bequaert, 1926). They are first knocked out, and then hundreds of them are woven into sleeves made out of leaves, stinger down. When the ants come to, boys slip the sleeve down their arm. The goal of this initiation rite is to keep the sleeve for a full ten minutes without showing any signs of pain. When finished, the boys' (now men's) arms are temporarily paralyzed because of the venom, and may shake uncontrollably for days.

Species

• Paraponera clavata (Fabricius, 1775) - the "bullet ant".

See also

• List of ant genera (alphabetical)

External links

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

Images

• Worker
• Worker
• Worker
• Worker
• Three workers fight against another kind of ant
• Worker on a human face to see a relationship of size

References

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

Ants

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