Echinopla

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online

Zettel and Laciny (2015) - The species of Echinopla typically inhabit the canopy of tropical forests. For this reason records are scarce and often based on single or few individuals caught by chance. Recently, some material was successfully obtained by tree fogging. Echinopla is among the small genera of camponotine ants. Described species are distinguished by bizarre body structures and distributed from eastern India to Australia. Half of them (twelve species) live exclusively east of Weber’s Line (Moluccas, New Guinea, Australia) and eleven species are restricted to the area west of Weber’s Line (south-eastern Asia including north-eastern India and southern China, Nicobar Islands, Greater Sunda Islands, Philippines, and Sulawesi). A single polymorphic species, Echinopla striata is recorded from both sides in several subspecies, but it is possibly an assemblage of several similar species. Most species were described in the 19th and the first half of the 20th century by short verbal notes. One species was recently described by Bharti and Gul (2012) and eight described by Zettel and Laciny (2015).


Photo Gallery

  • Echinopla Shattuck 52814 Danum Valley Sabah-web.jpg
  • Echinopla Shattuck 52961 Danum Valley Sabah-web.jpg

Identification

Many structural characteristics are very variable among species of Echinopla, making identification simple compared to the related genera Camponotus and Polyrhachis, each containing many sibling or cryptic species. Echinopla species have been organized into five species groups, which are based on morphological characteristics (Echinopla species groups).

AntWeb icon 02.png See images of species within this genus

Keys including this Genus

 

Keys to Species in this Genus

Distribution

Distribution and Richness based on AntMaps

Species by Region

Number of species within biogeographic regions, along with the total number of species for each region.

Afrotropical Region Australasian Region Indo-Australian Region Malagasy Region Nearctic Region Neotropical Region Oriental Region Palaearctic Region
Species 0 2 35 0 0 0 10 2
Total Species 2840 1735 3042 932 835 4378 1740 2862

Biology

Association with Other Organisms

Explore-icon.png Explore: Show all Associate data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.

Species Uncertain

  • An unknown species is a host for the fungus Ophiocordyceps unilateralis (a parasitoid) (Quevillon, 2018) (encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest).

All Associate Records for Genus

Click here to show/hide associate data.
Taxon Relationship Associate Type Associate Taxon Associate Relationship Locality Source Notes
Echinopla host fungus Ophiocordyceps unilateralis parasitoid Quevillon, 2018 encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Echinopla lineata host fungus Ophiocordyceps formicarum parasitoid Quevillon, 2018 encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Echinopla melanarctos host fungus Ophiocordyceps unilateralis parasitoid Quevillon, 2018 encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest
Echinopla melanarctos host fungus Ophiocordyceps unilateralis pathogen Shrestha et al., 2017

Life History Traits

  • Mean colony size: ~100 (Greer et al., 2021)
  • Compound colony type: not parasitic (Greer et al., 2021)
  • Nest site: arboreal (Greer et al., 2021)
  • Diet class: herbivore; omnivore (Greer et al., 2021)
  • Foraging stratum: arboreal (Greer et al., 2021)
  • Foraging behaviour: cooperative (Greer et al., 2021)

Castes

Morphology

Worker Morphology

Explore-icon.png Explore: Show all Worker Morphology data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.

• Antennal segment count: 12 • Antennal club: absent-gradual • Palp formula: 6,4 • Spur formula: 1 simple-pectinate, 1 simple-pectinate • Eyes: >100 ommatidia • Scrobes: absent • Pronotal Spines: absent • Mesonotal Spines: absent • Propodeal Spines: absent • Petiolar Spines: absent • Caste: none or weak • Sting: absent • Metaplural Gland: present • Cocoon: present

Karyotype

Species Uncertain

  • Echinopla sp.1: n = 12, 2n = 24 (Malaysia) (Imai et al., 1983).

All Karyotype Records for Genus

Explore-icon.png Explore: Show all Karyotype data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.
Click here to show/hide karyotype data.
Taxon Haploid Diploid Karyotype Locality Source Notes
Echinopla 12 24 Malaysia Imai et al., 1983

Phylogeny

Formicinae
Myrmelachistini
Lasiini
Melophorini
Formicini
Gesomyrmecini

Gesomyrmex  (7 species, 12 fossil species)

Oecophyllini

Oecophylla  (15 species, 16 fossil species)

Plagiolepidini
Gigantiopini

Gigantiops  (1 species, 0 fossil species)

Santschiellini

Santschiella  (1 species, 0 fossil species)

Myrmoteratini

Myrmoteras  (41 species, 0 fossil species)

Camponotini

See Phylogeny of Formicinae for details.

Nomenclature

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

  • ECHINOPLA [Formicinae: Camponotini]
    • Echinopla Smith, F. 1857a: 79. Type-species: Echinopla melanarctos, by subsequent designation of Wheeler, W.M. 1911f: 162.
    • Echinopla senior synonym of Mesoxena: Bolton, 1994: 50.
  • MESOXENA [junior synonym of Echinopla]
    • Mesoxena Smith, F. 1860b: 106. Type-species: Mesoxena mistura, by monotypy.
    • Mesoxena junior synonym of Echinopla: Bolton, 1994: 50.

References