Monomorium disertum

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Monomorium disertum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Solenopsidini
Genus: Monomorium
Species: M. disertum
Binomial name
Monomorium disertum
Forel, 1913

Monomorium disertum casent0902216 p 1 high.jpg

Monomorium disertum casent0902216 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Specimen records show this species has been found in savanna, bushveld and other non-forest habitats.

Identification

Bolton (1987) - A member of the M. australe complex in the M. salomonis species group. A small yellowish species which seems related to Monomorium australe and its immediate allies, disertum differs from them by having relatively shorter scapes and lacking backward directed hairs on the petiole node. Apart from this disertum appears to have only a single pair of standing hairs on the first gastral tergite in front of the apical transverse row, whereas australe and allies have 2-3 pairs.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -2.75° to -30.5°.

   
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Zimbabwe (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

Nomenclature

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

  • disertum. Monomorium salomonis var. diserta Forel, 1913j: 216 (w.) ZIMBABWE.
    • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
    • Type-locality: Zimbabwe (“Southern Rhodesia”): Shiloh, 10.v.1913, no. 172 (G. Arnold).
    • Type-depositories: BMNH, MHNG.
    • Combination in M. (Xeromyrmex): Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 872.
    • As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Forel, 1916: 417 (in text); Emery, 1922e: 178; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 872.
    • Subspecies of salomonis: Arnold, 1916: 221; Ettershank, 1966: 88.
    • Subspecies of termitarium: Santschi, 1928f: 194; Santschi, 1936a: 39.
    • Status as species: Bolton, 1987: 342 (redescription); Bolton, 1995b: 261.
    • Material of the unavailable name petulans referred here by Bolton, 1987: 342.
    • Distribution: Zimbabwe.

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

Description

Worker

Bolton (1987) - TL 2.0-2.2, HL 0.52-0·60, HW 0.41-0.48, CI 77-81, SL 0.38-0.43, SI 89-93, PW 0.28-0.31, AL 0.58-0.64 (9 measured).

Anterior margin of median portion of clypeus transverse to shallowly concave. Sides of head extremely weakly convex in full-face view, the occipital margin very shallowly concave. Antennal scapes relatively short, SI < 95. Maximum diameter of eye 0.25-0.27 x HW, with 7-9 ommatidia in the longest row. Metanotal groove feebly impressed. Dorsum of head apparently with a single pair of standing hairs behind the level of the frontal lobes, situated just behind the level of the eyes. The available material is abraded and a second pair may be present close to the occipital margin. Dorsal alitrunk without hairs. Petiole node without hairs, the postpetiole with one backward directed pair. First gastral tergite with a single pair of standing hairs in front of the apical transverse row, situated approximately at the midlength of the sclerite. Head very finely shagreenate to reticulate-shagreenate, mid-dorsally usually with extremely fine longitudinal striolate markings. Pronotal dorsum finely shagreenate to reticulate-shagreenate, the sculpture becoming more obviously reticulate to reticulate-punctate on the propodeum. First gastral tergite with superficial reticular patterning only. Colour pale brownish yellow, the gaster sometimes slightly darker than the alitrunk.

Type Material

Bolton (1987) - Syntype workers, Zimbabwe: Shiloh, 10.v.1913, no. 172 (G. Arnold) (The Natural History Museum; Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève) [examined].

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection