Monomorium mantazenum

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Monomorium mantazenum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Solenopsidini
Genus: Monomorium
Species: M. mantazenum
Binomial name
Monomorium mantazenum
Bolton, 1987

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Specimen Labels

Nothing is known about the biology of Monomorium mantazenum.

Identification

Bolton (1987) - A member of the M. viator complex in the M. salomonis species group. Within the complex mantazenum is differentiated by its relatively small eyes, uniformly dark colour and lack of hairs on the alitrunk. One sample of this species matches the type-series in all respects except for its colour, it being dark brown rather than blackish brown to black.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -22.98333333° to -23.26666667°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Namibia (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.

  • mantazenum. Monomorium mantazenum Bolton, 1987: 348 (w.) NAMIBIA.
    • Type-material: holotype worker, 9 paratype workers.
    • Type-locality: holotype Namibia: Namib Desert, 23°01’S, 14°51’E, 1984, sample P 12, pitfall (A.C. Marsh); paratypes: 2 workers with same data, 3 workers with same data but 22°59’S, 14°39’E, sample P 13, 4 workers Namib Desert, Swartbank, 23°16’S, 14°50’E, 1.x.1981, sample 174, sandy plain (A.C. Marsh).
    • Type-depositories: BMNH (holotype); BMNH, MCZC (paratypes).
    • Status as species: Bolton, 1995b: 264.
    • Distribution: Namibia.

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 2.7, HL 0.70, HW 0.53, CI 76, SL 0.62, SI 117, PW 0.34, AL 0.82.

Anterior margin of median portion of clypeus with a very small median indentation. Head in full-face view with sides roughly parallel to slightly anteriorly divergent in front of the eyes, distinctly convergent posteriorly behind the eyes. Occipital margin concave medially. Eyes of moderate size, the maximum diameter 0.26 x HW and with 9 ommatidia in the longest row. Antennal scapes relatively long, SI > 115. Pronotal dorsum in profile convex anteriorly, the posterior portion of the pronotum and the mesonotum forming a single almost flat surface which slopes posteriorly. Metanotal groove not impressed, the propodeal dorsum on a lower level than the mesonotum. Propodeal dorsum flattened, the margins separating dorsum and sides very feebly delimited. Petiole node in profile small and low, bluntly cuneate in shape. Cephalic dorsum in holotype with only a single pair of standing hairs behind the level of the frontal lobes, this pair situated close to the occipital margin (the holotype is most probably slightly abraded, see under paratypes below). Dorsal alitrunk without standing hairs. Petiole and postpetiole each with one pair of backward directed hairs. First gastral tergite with hairs scattered but more or less evenly distributed over the sclerite in front of the apical transverse row. Dorsum of head roughly reticulate to reticulate-granulate everywhere. Pronotal dorsum reticulate, the edges of the reticulations becoming raised and more sharply defined posteriorly on the mesonotum; propodeum weakly reticulate-punctate dorsally. Sides of pronotum with superficial reticular patterning, remainder of sides of alitrunk reticulate to shallowly reticulate-punctate. First gastral tergite glossy, with superficial reticular patterning only. Colour black to blackish brown, the mandibles dull yellow.

Paratypes. TL 2.8-3.0, HL 0.74-0.80, HW 0.55-0.60, CI 74-77, SL 0.66-0.72, SI 117-122, PW 0.34-0.39, AL 0.85-0.92 (9 measured). Maximum diameter of eye 0.26-0.28 x HW, with 9-10 ommatidia in the longest row. As holotype but dorsum of head with 2-3 pairs of hairs straddling the midline behind the level of the frontal lobes. Colour of mandibles varying from dull yellow to light brown. Petiole node dorsally more broadly rounded in some paratypes than in holotype. Body colour may be uniformly black or blackish brown, or the gaster may be a different shade to the head and alitrunk. The median indentation of the clypeus, feeble in the holotype, is absent in some paratypes.

Type Material

Holotype worker, Namibia: Namib Desert, 14° 5 1 ' E, 23° 01' S, pitfall, sample P 12, 1984 (A. C. Marsh) (The Natural History Museum). Paratypes. 2 workers with same data as holotype; 3 workers with same data but 14° 39' E, 22° 59' S, sample P 13; 4 workers, Namib Desert, Swart-bank, 14° 50' E , 23° 16' S , sandy plain, l.x.1981, sample 174 (A. C. Marsh) (BMNH; Museum of Comparative Zoology).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Bolton B. 1987. A review of the Solenopsis genus-group and revision of Afrotropical Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology 54: 263-452.