Meranoplus snellingi
Meranoplus snellingi | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Formicidae |
Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
Tribe: | Crematogastrini |
Genus: | Meranoplus |
Species: | M. snellingi |
Binomial name | |
Meranoplus snellingi Schödl, 2007 |
Restricted to Top End, Northern Territory.
Identification
M. snellingi is a medium sized to large brown to blackish-brown species which apart from differences in size shows only very little variation within its range. It is obviously most closely related to the two preceding taxa but easily separable by the unique clypeal structure.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -12.42° to -12.42°.
North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia (type locality).
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. |
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. |
Biology
Castes
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- snellingi. Meranoplus snellingi Schödl, 2007: 380, figs. 6, 7, 55, 87, pl. 1,A (w.) AUSTRALIA (Northern Territory).
- Type-material: holotype worker, 95 paratype workers.
- Type-locality: holotype Australia: Northern Territory, CSIRO-TERC, Berrimah, 12.42°S, 130.92°E, 14-16.xii.2000, #00-145, secondary tropical savannah (R.R. Snelling); paratypes: 23 workers with same data, 72 workers with same data but 21.xii.2000, #00-190, 19.vi.2003, #03-143, 22.vi.2003, #03-162, 28-29.vi.2003.
- Type-depositories: ANIC (holotype); ANIC, LACM, MHNG (paratypes).
- [M. snellingi Andersen, 2006: 164 (diagnosis in key). Unavailable name (published without designation of type-material).]
- Distribution: Australia.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Holotype. TL 8.35, HL 2.13, HW 2.38, FC 1.75, CS 2.25, SL 1.04, SI1 44, SI2 46, PML 1.40, PW 1.83, PMD 1.80, PMI2 99, ML 1.95, PTLL 0.60, PTLH 0.80, PTDW 0.78, PPLL 0.58, PPLH 0.75, PPI 77, PPDW 0.85, PT/PP 91.
Mandible with three teeth. Clypeal projection distinctly exceeding anterolateral frontal corners, with weak median carina and additional lateral carinulae, the anterior clypeal margin concave with upward flexion, the lateral corners rounded, denticulate. Head wider than long (CI 112), preoccipital margin deeply concave. Frontal carinae distinctly sinuately narrowing towards clypeus, markedly narrower than width of head (FI 136). Antennal scrobe in lateral view scarcely surpassing middle of length of head, merging into lateral sides of head distinctly anteriorly to rear corners; distinctly transversely carinulate at rear with additional shagreening. Genae and ventrolateral sides of head carinate to rugose, preoccipital lobes reticulate. Eyes relatively small (EL 0.35, REL 0.16, with 18 ommatidia in the longest row), situated well in front of middle of lateral sides of head, the dorsal ocular margin far from the ventral scrobal margin. Surface of head between ridges of rugo-reticulation with microreticulum.
Promesonotal shield distinctly wider than long (PMI 130), only very narrowly translucently margined. Mesonotum with posterolateral projections triangular, the posterior medial projections rounded. Propodeal declivity visible from above. Propodeal spines of medium length (PSL 0.73) situated above middle of length of declivity, acute and slightly arcuate when seen from above.
Petiole in lateral view box shaped, distinctly higher than long (PTI 75), with the anterior face straight, meeting oblique dorsum in a more or less right angle, the latter merging roundly into posterior face. Postpetiole nodiform with small anterio-basal tooth.
Gaster entirely and roughly striate (elongately carinulate, with microsculpture between carinulae). Dorsal surface covered with scattered regular pilosity consisting of short and longer more or less erect stiff hairs, in general pilosity on head dorsum shorter than on mesosoma and gaster.
(n = 8). TL 7.20-8.75, HL 1.88-2.19, HW 2.0-2.43, FC 1.48-1.75, FI 134-142, CI 103-112, CS 1.94-2.31, SL 1.0-1.15, SI1 44-51, SI2 46-53, PML 1.23-1.45, PW 1.50-1.83, PMI 120-130, PMD 1.45-1.83, PMI2 94-103, ML 1.70-2.0, PSL 0.65-0.73, PTLL 0.58-0.68, PTLH 0.73-0.84, PTI 74-81, PTDW 0.66-0.90, PPLL 0.45-0.60, PPLH 0.63-0.83, PPI 70-77, PPDW 0.71-0.95, PT/PP 91-102, EL 30-0.37, REL 0.15-0.19, with 16-18 ommatidia in the longest row.
Type Material
Holotype worker, Northern Territory: 'AUSTRALIA. N.Terr.: CSIRO-TERC. Berrimah 12.42°S 130.92°E 14-16 Dec. 2000 #00-145 \ #00-145. Secondary tropical savannah. Ex nest in soil coll. R. R. Snelling' (Australian National Insect Collection). Paratypes. 23 workers, same data as holotype; 72 workers with same locality data but '21 Dec 2000, #00-190', '19 June 2003 #03-143', '22 June 2003 #03-162', '28-29 June 2003' (Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna, ANIC).
Etymology
Named for Roy R. Snelling, myrmecologist at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. He provided me with numerous important specimens for this study.
References
- Heterick, B.E. 2021. A guide to the ants of Western Australia. Part I: Systematics. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 86, 1-245 (doi:10.18195/issn.0313-122x.86.2021.001-245).
- Heterick, B.E. 2022. A guide to the ants of Western Australia. Part II: Distribution and biology. Records of the Western Australian Museum, supplement 86: 247-510 (doi:10.18195/issn.0313-122x.86.2022.247-510).
- Schödl, S. 2007. Revision of Australian Meranoplus: the Meranoplus diversus group. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute. 80:370-424.
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Schödl S. 2007. Revision of Australian Meranoplus: the Meranoplus diversus group. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 80: 370-424.