.jpg){kind=logo}
Monomorium merepah
| Monomorium merepah | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Solenopsidini |
| Genus: | Monomorium |
| Species: | M. merepah |
| Binomial name | |
| Monomorium merepah Sparks, 2015 | |
Little is known about the biology of Monomorium merepah.
Identification
Sparks et al. (2015) - A member of the M. rothsteini species group.
A very large, robust, dark orange species with deeply concave clypeus, strigate frons and sculptured mesonotum. The petiole node is very broad with reticulate sculpture over the entire surface.
This is the largest member of the M. rothsteini species group and is distinguished from other group members by a petiole node that is entirely sculptured.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
This species is known from two localities on the Cape York Peninsular, Queensland.
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -13.585° to -15.2586°.
| 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
Genetics
COI sequences. Genbank accession numbers for this species are KC572902 and KC573006.
Castes
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- merepah. Monomorium merepah Sparks, in Sparks et al. 2014: 513, figs. 6g-i, 11e (w.) AUSTRALIA (Queensland).
- Type-material: holotype worker, 15 paratype workers.
- Type-locality: holotype Australia: Queensland, Merepah Station, Cape York Peninsula, -13.585, 141.8748, 21.ix.2011, ANA11-38 (A.N. Andersen); paratypes: 5 workers with same data, 10 workers Queensland, Lakefield NP, Welcome Waterhole, -15.2586, 144.6128, 10.viii.2007, TERC1 (A.L. Hertog).
- Type-depositories: QMBA (holotype); NHMG, NHMB, QMBA, SAMA (paratypes).
- 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
(n=9). HW 0.82–1.05, HL 1.01–1.03, EL 0.16–0.18, PMH 0.41–0.47, PH 0.33–0.34, PNH 0.23–0.25, LHW 0.6–0.62, EW 0.11–0.12, PML 0.66–0.68, ML 1.09–1.15, PL 0.49–0.53, PNWdv 0.27–0.30.
Very large species, with a large, square head; posterior cephalic margin depressed medially. Anterodorsal margin of the clypeus deeply concave, frontolateral carinae forming raised, angular ridges that are produced forward and beyond clypeal anteroventral margin, often with a slightly wavy margin or minute preapical nodules; anteroventral margin without a small median projection, margin appears straight. Frons strigate, strigae extending well above antennal lobes; coarse lateral cephalic strigae reach anterior eye margin. Eyes small, EW <0.2 x LHW, 12 ommatidia in longest vertical axis, 10 in longest horizontal axis.
Mesonotum rugose-strigulate over most of area posteriad of promesonotal suture or sculpture maybe restricted to promesonotal suture, posterior mesonotum and lateral curvature. Most specimens with metanotal area appearing raised with a faint horseshoe shaped margin. Mesopleuron alveolate with a few strigae extending from metanotal groove to promesonotal suture; metanotal groove broad and deep. Propodeum in lateral view with dorsolateral angles almost forming a right angle; laterally alveolate with strigae extending over metapleural gland bulla and radiating dorsally and posteriorly; dorsal surface with transverse anterodorsal carina prominent, longitudinal paired carinae forming irregular convergent lines, transverse strigae present. Petiole node broad, width when viewed from above more than 2.5x eye width; shape in posterior view tapering from widest point to broadly rounded apex; in lateral view anterior and posterior faces sub parallel, apex broadly rounded from higher anterior face to lower posterior face. Petiole node and postpetiole finely reticulate over entire surface.T1 finely reticulate on at least anterior half.
Head, mesosoma and legs, dark amber orange to orange brown, legs and antennal scapes brown, petiole and postpetiole dorsally infuscated, metasomal tergites dark brown, sternites amber.
Type Material
Holotype worker. Queensland, Merepah Station, Cape York Peninsular, -13.585, 141.8748, 21 Sep 2011, A. Andersen, ANA11–38 (deposited in Queensland Museum). Paratypes. Queensland, 5 workers, same data as holotype; 10 workers, Lakefield NP, Welcome Waterhole, 15.2586, 144.6128, 10 Aug 2007, A.L. Hertog, TERC1 (deposited in Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève, Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel, QM, South Australian Museum).
Etymology
The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality.
References
- Sparks, K. 2015. Australian Monomorium: Systematics and species delimitation with a focus of the M. rothsteini complex. Ph.D. thesis, University of Adelaide.
- Sparks, K.S., Andersen, A.N. and Austin, A.D. 2015. Systematics of the Monomorium rothsteini Forel species complex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), a problematic ant group in Australia. Zootaxa. 3893:489–529. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3893.4.2