Paraponera clavata

Taxobox
name = Bullet Ant

---

image_caption =
image_width = 250px
status =
status_system = iunc3.1
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Insecta
ordo = Hymenoptera
familia = Formicidae
subfamilia = Paraponerinae
genus = "Paraponera"
genus_authority = F.Smith, 1858
species = "P. clavata"
binomial = "Paraponera clavata"
binomial_authority = (Fabricius, 1775)

"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 the 24 hours of pain that follow a stinging."Sting pain index"; New Scientist No2617, pp44; 18 August 2007] The bullet ant inhabits humid lowland rainforests from Nicaragua south to Paraguay. Workers are 18-25 mm long and look like stout, reddish-black, wingless wasps. [ [http://www.sasionline.org/antsfiles/pages/bullet/bulletbio.html The Natural History of Bullet Ants ] ]

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". In some indigenous communities, to enter manhood a boy has to endure being stung by the ant 5 times without screaming. A paralyzing neurotoxic peptide isolated from the venom is poneratoxin.

"Paraponera" is predaceous and, like all primitive poneromorphs, does not display polymorphism in the worker caste. Colonies consist of several hundred 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.

Initiation rites

The Satere-Mawe people of Brazil use intentional bullet ant stings as part of their initiation rites to become a warrior. [ [http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/travel/destinations/latin_america/article3131030.ece Bitten by the Amazon | Latin America - Times Online ] ] The ants are first rendered unconscious by submerging them in a natural chloroform, and then hundreds of them are woven into a glove made out of leaves (which resembles a large oven mitt), stinger facing inward. When the ants regain consciousness, a boy slips the glove onto his hand. The goal of this initiation rite is to keep the glove on for a full ten minutes. When finished, the boy's hand and part of his arm are temporarily paralyzed because of the ant venom, and he 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. [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WQ6rFKhyn0 YouTube - Incredible Ritual With Hundreds of Poisonous Bullet Ants ] ]

See also

* List of ant genera (alphabetical)

References

Bibliography

*
* Weber, N. A. (1939). The sting of the ant, "Paraponera clavata". "Science, 89", 127-128.
* Lattke, JE (2003) - Subfamilia Ponerinae in Introducción a las Hormigas de la Région Neotropical - Von Humboldt Institute, Bogota, Colombia.

External links

* [http://www.antblog.co.uk/species/bulletants.htm Brief article about Paraponera clavata]
* [http://us.expasy.org/spotlight/back_issues/sptlt014.shtml Short article on the bullet ant and poneratoxin]
* [http://www.sasionline.org/antsfiles/pages/bullet/bulletbio.html Giant tropical bullet ant, "Paraponera clavata", natural history and captive management] , article with images
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGIZ-zUvotM&feature=related YouTube video of initiation ritual]

Images

* [http://www.richard-seaman.com/Wallpaper/Nature/Ants/BulletAnt.jpgWorker]
* [http://jrscience.wcp.muohio.edu/costarica03digimages/Caribbean/Donna_Day_1/images/IMG_2461.jpgWorker]
* [http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/sasha/photogallery/guadeloupe/LS%20dead%20paraponera.jpgWorker]
* [http://media-cyber.law.harvard.edu/blogs/static/crofoot/Paraponera001.jpgWorker]
* [http://krungkuene.org/imgant/pic/antfun.jpgThree workers fight against another kind of ant]