Aretidris buenaventei

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Aretidris buenaventei
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Aretidris
Species: A. buenaventei
Binomial name
Aretidris buenaventei
General, 2015

Aretidris buenaventei HT lateral.jpg

Aretidris buenaventei HT dorsal.jpg

Specimen labels

This species was found when a rotten log on the forest floor containing its nest was disturbed in the dying light of late afternoon. Some foragers were collected by hand from nearby after the nest series of workers and brood were collected. (General 2015)

Identification

  • Head and mesosoma heavily sculptured; erect hairs moderately abundant on head and mesosoma; 1st gastral tergite slightly less than half the length of gaster; body larger (HW > 0.88) . . . . . Aretidris buenaventei
  • Head and mesosoma mostly smooth; erect hairs sparsely distributed on head and mesosoma; 1st gastral tergite extremely large, accounting for most of the length of gaster; body smaller (HW < 0.84) . . . . . Aretidris clousei

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Philippines (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
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Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
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Biology

Castes

Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • buenaventei. Aretidris buenaventei General, 2015: 134, figs. 1-6 (w.) PHILIPPINES (Luzon I.).

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Holotype. CI 88, EI 18, EL 0.16, HFL 1.3, HL 1.03, HW 0.90, ML 1.40, MtL 1.85, PW 0.73, SI 108, SL 0.98, TL 5.43. Paratypes: CI 84 - 95, EI 16 - 19, EL 0.15 - 0.18, HFL 1.15 - 1.35, HL 0.98 - 1.08, HW 0.88 - 0.95, ML 1.38 - 1.50, MtL 1.75 - 1.93, PW 0.73 - 0.78, SL 0.88 - 1.03, TL 5.28 - 5.74 (17 measured). With all the character states of the genus. Body, except gaster and appendages, heavily sculptured. Head alveolate, each cavity bearing an erect or suberect hair. Mesosoma, petiole, and postpetiole alveolate with superimposed rugae. Mandible, median clypeus, and gaster smooth. First gastral tergite slightly less than half the length of gaster.

Type Material

Holotype worker, Philippines: Luzon Island, Nueva Vizcaya Province, Municipality of Quezon, Mt. Palali, Maddianggat Village, 1436 m a.s.l., 16° 27' 24.1" N, 121° 13' 17" E, 5.I. 2010, primary upper montane forest, ex log nest, leg. P.A.C. Buenavente (National Museum of the Philippines 8980) (deposited in PNM). Paratypes: 22 workers with same data as holotype (PNM 8981 - 9002) (one pin each to: Australian National Insect Collection, The Natural History Museum, California Academy of Sciences, DMGC, Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna, PACB, University of the Philippines Los Baños; two pins to Museum of Comparative Zoology; the rest to PNM).

Etymology

This species is dedicated to my friend and colleague, Perry Archival C. Buenavente, researcher of the National Museum of the Philippines, who tirelessly surveys ant diversity in the Philippines and collected the type nest series.

References

  • General, D.E.M. 2015. Aretidris, a new genus of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) from the mountains of Luzon Island, Philippines. Myrmecological News, 21, 131-136.