Rhopalothrix orbis
Rhopalothrix orbis | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Formicidae |
Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
Tribe: | Attini |
Genus: | Rhopalothrix |
Species: | R. orbis |
Binomial name | |
Rhopalothrix orbis Taylor, 1968 |
The holotype was collected from rainforest leaf litter.
Identification
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -26.78333° to -31.24666°.
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. |
Elevation Range
Species | Elevation (m asl) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
200 | 400 | 600 | 800 | 1000 | 1200 | |
Rhopalothrix orbis | 0-10 | |||||
Shading indicates the bands of elevation where species was recorded. Numbers are the percentage of total samples containing this species. |
Biology
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Castes
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- orbis. Rhopalothrix orbis Taylor, 1968b: 336, figs. 1-3 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Taylor, 1970a: 49 (q.).
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Holotype - Dimensions are as follows: TL, c.2•6; HL, 0.61; HW, 0.66; CI, 108; ML, 0.20, MI, 33; WL, 0.66.
Ttransverse frontal sulcus lacking. Eyes minute, situated as in R. diadema. Mandibles narrow; distal half of inner border with 3 crowded, subequal, apically directed, minute denticles; proximal half of inner border edentate; teeth of apical complex as in R. diadema. Labrum lacking a mediobasal tumulus.
Mesosoma compact; summit at posterior edge of mesonotum, metanotal groove impressed, propodeal dorsum strongly convex, propodeal teeth distinct (compare R. diadema). Humeri rounded in dorsal view. Pronotum broader than long, its maximum width 0.41 mm (0.62 times HW, and twice width of propodeal dorsum). Promesonotal sulcus vestigial on mesosomal dorsum. Metanotal groove with several weak transverse ribs. Propodeal dorsum inflated, forming a transverse elliptical welt, which descends abruptly behind towards the bases of the propodeal teeth; the latter parallel in dorsal view, and the propodeal declivity slightly concave. Petiole and postpetiole generally as in R. diadema. Postpetiole almost exactly twice the width of petiole and 0.7 times as wide as first gastric tergite. The latter 0.59 mm wide; almost precisely as broad as long. Entire body densely and finely granulose-punctate and opaque. Ground pilosity of white, orbicular, subappressed, squamiform hairs, distributed as in R. diadema, but more abundant, especially on postpetiole and gaster, and less variable in size, especially on head and its appendages. Larger specialized hairs similar in structure and distribution to those of R. diadema, except only 8 in anterior arc on head, and 6 on first gastric tergite. Those on the latter form a posterior marginal row across the sclerite, which otherwise bears hairs of a single size class, unlike R. diadema. Colour almost uniformly medium reddish brown, darker than in R. diadema.
Paratype - Except for its larger size, this specimen agrees with the holotype in all apparently significant features. It has the following dimensions: TL, c.2.8; HL, 0.62; HW, 0.69; CI, 111; ML, 0.22; MI, 35; WL, 0.70; PW, 0.44; width of first gastric segment, 0.66. The enlarged hairs of the first gastric tergite are proportionately smaller than in the holotype.
Type Material
Holotype worker Australia: Queensland: Tamborine Mountain, north side near Curtis Falls (Berlese funnel sample, leafmould, rain forest), 8.v.l953, T. E. Woodward. Deposited in Australian National Insect Collection (Type No. 7503).
Paratype worker Queenslands: Rathdowney, Philp's Farm, Lever's Plateau (Berlese funnel sample, leaf litter, rain forest), 13.iii.1966, J. B. Williams. Deposited in QM.
- Holotype, worker, Tamborine Mt., north side near Curtis Falls, Queensland, Australia, 8 May 1953, Woodward,T.E., ANIC32-017702, Australian National Insect Collection; berlese funnel sample, leafmould, rainforest.
- Paratype, 1 worker, Rathdowney, Philps Farm, Lever Plateau, Rathdowney, Queensland, Australia, Williams,J.B., ANIC32-017703, Australian National Insect Collection.
References
- Burwell, C.J., Nakamura, A. 2020. Rainforest ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) along an elevational gradient at Eungella in the Clarke Range, Central Queensland coast, Australia. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 125: 43-63.
- Taylor, R. W. 1968c. Notes on the Indo-Australian basicerotine ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Aust. J. Zool. 16: 333-348 (page 336, figs. 1-3 worker described)
- Taylor, R. W. 1970a. Notes on some Australian and Melanesian basicerotine ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J. Aust. Entomol. Soc. 9: 49-52 (page 49, queen described)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Burwell C.J., and A. Nakamura. 2011. Distribution of ant speces along an altitudinal transect in continuous rainforest in subtropical Queensland, Australia. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum -Nature 55(2): 391-411.
- Taylor R. W. 1968. Notes on the Indo-Australian basicerotine ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Australian Journal of Zoology 16: 333-348.
- Taylor R. W. 1970. Notes on some Australian and Melanesian basicerotine ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 9: 49-52.