| Dolichoderinae | |
|---|---|
| Iridomyrmex purpureus feeding on honey | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Dolichoderinae |
| Diversity | |
| 24 genera, hundreds of species. | |
Dolichoderinae is a subfamily of ants, which includes species such as the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile), the erratic ant, the odorous house ant, and the cone ant. This subfamily is distinguished by having a single petiole (no post-petiole) and a slit-like orifice, rather than the round acidopore encircled by hairs that typifies the subfamily Formicinae. Dolichoderine ants do not possess a sting, unlike ants in some other subfamilies, such as Ponerinae and Myrmicinae.
This subfamily is not currently divided into tribes, but there are 24 genera.