Monomorium mediocre

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Monomorium mediocre
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Solenopsidini
Genus: Monomorium
Species: M. mediocre
Binomial name
Monomorium mediocre
Santschi, 1920

Monomorium mediocre casent0902213 p 1 high.jpg

Monomorium mediocre casent0902213 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Nothing is known about the biology of Monomorium mediocre.

Identification

Bolton (1987) - A member of the M. mediocre complex in the M. salomonis species group. This small yellowish species with very reduced sculpture and pilosity appears to be closely related to the Namibian Monomorium esharre and Monomorium nirvanum. The last named is easiest distinguished by its retention of a pair of hairs on the petiole node, which is absent in the other two. M. mediocre and esharre are separated by their differences in cephalic index, eye size, and relative position of eyes which in esharre are slightly in front of the midlength of the sides.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -19.51667° to -32.29483°.

   
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Namibia, South Africa (type locality), Zimbabwe.

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.

  • mediocre. Monomorium mediocre Santschi, 1920d: 376, fig. 13 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.
    • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
    • Type-locality: South Africa: Kimberley (G. Arnold).
    • Type-depositories: BMNH, NHMB (probably also in SAMC).
    • [Note: Santschi says that the material came from the South African Museum.]
    • Status as species: Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 863; Arnold, 1944: 11; Bolton, 1987: 349 (redescription); Bolton, 1995b: 264.
    • Distribution: South Africa, 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 1.9-2.0, HL 0.50-0.54, HW 0.41-0.43, CI 80-84, SL 0.37-0.39, SI 90-93, PW 0.26-0.27, AL 0.54-0.56 (7 measured).

Median portion of clypeus with the anterior margin transverse to shallowly convex. With the head in full-face view the sides more or less evenly shallowly convex and the occipital margin shallowly concave medially. Eyes at midlength of sides, the maximum diameter of the eye 0.21-0.24 x HW and with 6-8 ommatidia in the longest row. Promesonotal dorsal outline convex in profile, sloping posteriorly to the metanotal groove which is feebly or not impressed. Dorsum of head without standing hairs behind level of the frontal lobes. Dorsal alitrunk without standing hairs. Petiole node lacking hairs but postpetiole with a single backward directed pair. First gastral tergite hairless except for the apical transverse row. Dorsum of head with extremely faint superficial reticular patterning, which is almost effaced. Pronotum with superficial reticular patterning, which is almost effaced. Pronotum with superficial reticular patterning, the mesonotum posteriorly somewhat more strongly reticulate and the propodeum very finely granulate to weakly punctulate-shagreenate. First gastral tergite only superficially marked with faint reticular patterning. Colour uniformly yellow to very light brown, frequently the gastral tergites behind the first darker in shade than the first.

Type Material

Bolton (1987) - Syntype workers, South Africa: Kimberley (G. Arnold) (The Natural History Museum) [examined].

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection