Technomyrmex parviflavus

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Technomyrmex parviflavus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Dolichoderinae
Genus: Technomyrmex
Species: T. parviflavus
Binomial name
Technomyrmex parviflavus
Bolton, 2007

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Specimen Labels

A small but widely distributed species that inhabits the leaf litter layer but also ascends low vegetation.

Identification

Bolton (2007) - A member of the Technomyrmex textor group. T. parviflavus is superficially similar to the Malagasy Technomyrmex docens but the latter has a much longer propodeum where the straight-line length of the dorsum is distinctly greater than the depth of the declivity to the spiracle; docens also has smaller eyes (OI 23 - 25) and shorter scapes (SI 104 - 109). Most closely related to Technomyrmex sycorax. Differences that separate the two are noted in the key and under the latter species.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 9.066667° to -2.050343°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Cameroun, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana (type locality), Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Uganda.

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.

  • parviflavus. Technomyrmex parviflavus Bolton, 2007a: 31, fig. 15 (w.q.) GHANA.

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 2.3, HL 0.55, HW 0.46, SL 0.54, PW 0.34, WL 0.70. Indices: CI 84, SI 117,0135, EPI 70, DTI 135.

Dorsum of head behind clypeus entirely lacks setae. Anterior clypeal margin with a shallow but distinct median impression that is broader than long; less than semicircular. Posterior margin of head in full-face view shallowly emarginate, the indentation deepest medially. Eyes relatively large and located in front of the midlength; in full-face view their outer margins almost touch the outline of the sides. Dorsum of head with weak, and in places superficial, microreticulate sculpture. Dorsal surfaces of mesosoma, and declivity of propodeum, entirely lack setae. In profile the mesonotal dorsal outline with a horizontally flat, or nearly flat, anterior section and a much shorter, much more steeply sloped declivitous surface posteriorly, the two separated by a distinct angle or step in the outline. Propodeal dorsum extremely shallowly convex in profile and meeting the straight declivity through a blunted angle; straight-fine length of dorsum distinctly less than depth of declivity to the spiracle. Gastral tergites 1 - 3 without setae, gastral tergite 4 with 2 - 3 pairs of setae present. Head, mesosoma, petiole and legs dull yellow, the head slightly darker than the mesosoma. Gaster slightly darker, a light yellowish brown.

Other workers. TL 1.9 - 2.9, HL 0.49 - 0.62, HW 0.41 - 0.52, SL 0.48 - 0.66, PW 0.29 - 0.40, WL 0.66 - 0.88 (20 measured). Indices: CI 81 - 89, SI 110 - 126, 0] 33 37, EPI 64 - 77, DT] 130 - 145.

Frequently as holotype but some workers a uniformly dull yellow, the gaster exactly the same colour as the mesosoma. The eyes may break the outline of the sides in full-face view; variation in eye position relative to sides may be seen in single series. Sculpture of the dorsal head may appear smeared, or in places structure less or almost effaced. The propodeal dorsum may be flat in profile; very rarely the straight-line length of the dorsum is only slightly less than the depth of the declivity to the spiracle. There is considerable variation In relative length of the scape but no taxonomic significance can currently be attached to this character.

Type Material

Holotype worker, Ghana: Bunso, ii.1992, leaf litter (R. Belshaw) (The Natural History Museum). Paratypes. 7 workers and I queen, with the same data as the holotype (BMNH, California Academy of Sciences).

References

  • Bolton, B. 2007b. Taxonomy of the dolichoderine ant genus Technomyrmex Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) based on the worker caste. Contributions of the American Entomological Institute. 35(1): 1-149.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Bolton B. 2007. Taxonomy of the dolichoderine ant genus Technomyrmex Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) based on the worker caste. Contributions of the American Entomological Institute 35(1): 1-150.
  • Bolton, B. "Taxonomy of the dolichoderine ant genus Technomyrmex Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) based on the worker caste." Contributions of the American Entomological Institute 35, no. 1 (2007): 1-149.