Linepithema anathema

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Linepithema anathema
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Dolichoderinae
Tribe: Leptomyrmecini
Genus: Linepithema
Species: L. anathema
Binomial name
Linepithema anathema
Wild, 2007

Linepithema anathema casent0104904 profile 1.jpg

Linepithema anathema casent0104904 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

The type series was collected under a stone in shrubland at 1900 meters elevation. Little is known about this species.

Identification

Wild (2007) - Worker Head narrow in full face view (CI 80–85); antennal scapes relatively long (SI 119–126); mesopleura, metapleura, and all gastric tergites with dense pubescence; gastric tergite 2 bearing suberect to erect setae; mesosoma bicolored with dorsum brown and mesopleura and metapleura light reddish brown.

Workers of the commonly encountered cosmopolitan species Linepithema humile usually lack standing hairs on gastric tergites 1–2 and tend to have a somewhat broader head (CI 84–93). Linepithema oblongum, found in the high Andes of Bolivia and northern Argentina, is a very similarly proportioned ant to L. anathema but normally has at least some members of each series with dilute pubescence on gastric tergites 2–4. Linepithema anathema differs from both L. humile and L. oblongum in having a more upright, less anteriorly inclined propodeum.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Southern Brazil.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -18.379093° to -31.38333333°.

   
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Brazil (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

DaRocha et al. (2015) studied the diversity of ants found in bromeliads of a single large tree of Erythrina, a common cocoa shade tree, at an agricultural research center in Ilhéus, Brazil. Forty-seven species of ants were found in 36 of 52 the bromeliads examined. Bromeliads with suspended soil and those that were larger had higher ant diversity. Linepithema anathema was found in 2 different bromeliads and was associated with the suspended soil and litter of the plants.

Castes

Images from AntWeb

Linepithema anathema casent0106966 label 1.jpg
Specimen code casent0106966. .

Nomenclature

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

  • anathema. Linepithema anathema Wild, 2007a: 27, figs. 33, 34, 106 (w.) BRAZIL.

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

Description

Worker

Holotype: HL 0.64, HW 0.51, MFC 0.14, SL 0.64, FL 0.54, LHT 0.62, PW 0.36, ES 1.94, SI 125, CI 80, CDI 28, OI 30.

Worker: (n = 5) HL 0.62–0.68, HW 0.51–0.56, MFC 0.14–0.15, SL 0.63–0.66, FL 0.54–0.58, LHT 0.59–0.66, PW 0.36–0.40, ES 1.94–2.25, SI 119–126, CI 80–85, CDI 25–28, OI 30–36.

Head in full face view ovoid and relatively narrow (CI 80–85).

Lateral margins broadly convex, grading smoothly into posterior margin. Posterior margin convex. Compound eyes large (OI 30–36), comprising 75–90 ommatidia. Antennal scapes long (SI 119–126), approximately as long as HL. In full face view, scapes in repose exceeding posterior margin of head by a length greater than length of first funicular segment. Frontal carinae moderately to narrowly separated (CDI 25–28). Maxillary palps of moderate length, approximately ½ HL, ultimate segment (segment six) longer than segment 2.

Pronotum and mesonotum forming a continuous convexity in lateral view, mesonotal dorsum slightly convex, not angular or strongly impressed. Metanotal groove only slightly impressed. Propodeum in lateral view with dorsal and posterior faces subequal in length, posterior face only slight broken at level of spiracle.

Petiolar scale sharp and inclined anteriorly, in lateral view falling short of the propodeal spiracle.

Cephalic dorsum (excluding clypeus) without standing setae. Pronotum without standing setae. Mesonotum without standing setae. Gastric tergite 1 (= abdominal tergite 3) bearing 0–2 very short subdecumbent setae, tergite 2 with 2–3 suberect to erect setae, tergite 3 with 3–4 suberect to erect setae. Venter of metasoma with scattered erect setae.

Integument shagreened and only lightly shining. Body and appendages including gula, entire mesopleura, metapleura, and abdominal tergites covered in dense pubescence. Normally somewhat bicolored. Head, mesosomal dorsum, gaster, legs, and antennae dark brown. Mandibles, mesopleura, and metapleura a light reddish brown.

Type Material

Holotype worker. BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: 2 km S Monte Verde, 22º54’S 46º03’W, 1900m, 26.viii.1996, under stone in shrubland, P.S. Ward acc. no. PSW13155 Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo.

Paratypes. Same data as holotype, 9 workers Alex L. Wild Collection, The Natural History Museum, California Academy of Sciences, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève, University of California, Davis, National Museum of Natural History.

Etymology

From Latin, meaning “accursed thing.” The long scapes, large eyes, and relatively sparse pilosity of this ant complicate the diagnosis of the morphologically similar pest species L. humile.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Costa-Milanez C. B., G. Lourenco-Silva, P. T. A. Castro, J. D. Majer, and S. P. Ribeiro. 2014. Are ant assemblages of Brazilian veredas characterised by location or habitat type? Braz. J. Biol. 74(1): 89-99.
  • Osorio Rosado J. L, M. G. de Goncalves, W. Drose, E. J. Ely e Silva, R. F. Kruger, and A. Enimar Loeck. 2013. Effect of climatic variables and vine crops on the epigeic ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Campanha region, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. J Insect Conserv 17: 1113-1123.
  • Wild A. L. 2007. Taxonomic revision of the ant genus Linepithema (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). University of California Publications in Entomology 126: 1-151
  • Wild A. L. 2009. Evolution of the Neotropical ant genus Linepithema. Systematic Entomology 34: 49-62