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Hypoponera aitkenii
| Hypoponera aitkenii | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Ponerinae |
| Tribe: | Ponerini |
| Genus: | Hypoponera |
| Species: | H. aitkenii |
| Binomial name | |
| Hypoponera aitkenii (Forel, 1900)
| |
This is a widespread and dominant species of Hypoponera restricted to South India. This species is allopatric to the related, more northerly Hypoponera wroughtonii.
Identification
Bharti et al. (2015) - H. aitkenii can be easily distinguished from Hypoponera confinis by the absence of cross-ribs at the base of the cinctus of the second gastral tergite.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India (type locality), Sri Lanka.
Distribution based on AntMaps
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
Queen
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- aitkenii. Ponera confinis var. aitkenii Forel, 1900d: 325 (diagnosis in key) (w.) INDIA. Forel, 1900d: 327 (q.). Combination in Hypoponera: Bolton, 1995b: 213. Raised to species: Bharti et al., 2015: 38.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Bharti et al. (2015) - HL 0.52-0.55, HW 0.41-0.43, HS 0.46-0.49, SL 0.37-0.41, PrW 0.31-0.33, WL 0.62-0.68, HFL 0.37-0.40, PeNL 0.09-0.11, PeH 0.31-0.35, PeNW 0.23-0.26, PeS 0.21-0.24, CI 76-81, SI 90-96, PeNI 73-81, LPeI 27-30, DPeI 259-275 (21 measured).
Eyes present, small but distinct with 2-4 small ommatidia. The individual ommatidia are sometimes poorly defined or even partially fused. Impression that extends back along midline of head from the frontal lobes fails to reach the midlength of the vertex. Apex of scape, when laid straight back from its insertion in full-face view, fails to reach the midpoint of the posterior margin; SI 90-96. Reticulate-punctate sculpture on cephalic dorsum very fine and denser than on the dorsal pronotum, which is almost smooth with only very widely spaced minute superficial punctulae present. Mesonotal-mesopleural suture distinct on side of mesosoma. Metanotal groove distinctly incised across dorsum of mesosoma; mesonotum with a defined posterior margin. Mesopleuron mostly to entirely smooth and shining, unsculptured except for a few scattered minute pits. Propodeum weakly marginate between declivity and side. Petiole squamiform; node in profile tall and narrow, with the anterior and posterior faces converging dorsally to a short and narrowly rounded dorsum. Subpetiolar process in profile a rounded lobe, without angles anteriorly or posteriorly. In dorsal view the petiole node much broader than long, the dorsal surface very short from front to back. Maximum width of first gastral tergite in dorsal view equal or slightly greater than width of the second tergite at its midlength. Base of cinctus of second gastral tergite smooth and shining in dorsal view, without cross-ribs. Post-tergite of second gastral segment, from posterior margin of cinctus to apex, slightly broader than long. Full adult colour varies from dull yellow to dark brown.
Queen
Bharti et al. (2015) - HL 0.57-0.60, HW 0.47-0.48, HS 0.52-0.54, SL 0.42-0.44, PrW 0.38-0.43, WL 0.78-0.83, HFL 0.45-0.46, PeNL 0.10-0.11, PeH 0.37-0.42, PeNW 0.28-0.31, PeS 0.26-0.28,CI 78-82, SI 89-93, PeNI 71-75, LPeI 26-27, DPeI 259-304 (7 measured).
Characters as in worker, with modifications expected for caste and the following differences: Sculpture feebler and antennae slender than in workers. Eyes with short setae present between the ommatidia.
References
- Bharti, H., Akbar, S.A., Wachkoo, A.A. and Singh, J. 2015. Taxonomic studies on ant genus Hypoponera (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae) from India. Asian Myrmecology. 7:37-51.
- Bolton, B. 1995b. A new general catalogue of the ants of the world. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 504 pp. (page 213, Combination in Hypoponera)
- Forel, A. 1900f. Les Formicides de l'Empire des Indes et de Ceylan. Part VII. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 13: 303-332 (page 325, (diagnosis in key) worker described, page 327, queen described)