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Myopopone castanea
Myopopone castanea ants are typically found in rotten wood or under bark, where they establish their nests. A single colony may be composed of several small nests scattered over a small area. These ants feed primarily on large, soft-bodied insect larvae and may bring their larvae to food sources rather than moving especially large prey back to their nest.
The mandibles of Myopopone castanea are long and slender, with more than five teeth of varying sizes scattered along the inner margins, ending with a sharp, pointed tooth at the tip. The frontal lobes are large and extend well forward of the insertion point of the scapes, covering the underlying clypeus and often forming part of the front margin of the head. The antennae have distinctly flattened segments near the tips. The petiole has distinct front and upper faces but lacks a rear face, with its attachment to the gaster being broad and approximately the same height as the petiole, resulting in a shallow impression between the upper surfaces of the petiole and gaster.
Although similar in appearance to some Amblyopone species, Myopopone castanea can be distinguished by their expanded and projecting frontal lobes and the flattened tips of their antennae. In the wild, these ants are known to prey on Oryctes rhinoceros larvae, making them effective for pest control.
