Typhlomyrmex rogenhoferi

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Typhlomyrmex rogenhoferi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Ectatomminae
Tribe: Ectatommini
Genus: Typhlomyrmex
Species: T. rogenhoferi
Binomial name
Typhlomyrmex rogenhoferi
Mayr, 1862

Typhlomyrmex rogenhoferi casent0010872 profile 1.jpg

Typhlomyrmex rogenhoferi casent0010872 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

Synonyms

Unlike congeneric species with subterranean nests, T. rogenhoferi nests exclusively inside stumps of dead wood (Lacau et al. 2008). They occur throughout Central and South America between 30°S et 20°N, a much broader distribution than other congeneric species (Brown, 1964; Lacau et al., 2004).

Identification

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 21.497183° to -24.032°.

   
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil (type locality), Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela.

Distribution based on AntMaps

AntMapLegend.png

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

Sébastien Lacau studied many colonies over 11 years in French Guyana and Brazil (Para and Bahia States). Workers of T. rogenhoferi are the largest in this genus and show striking variation (2X) in body size. Colonies frequently exceed 2000 workers, which is atypical for Ectatomminae. This species is a highly opportunistic hunter inside dead stumps, and there is no cooperation during foraging. Larvae of Lampyridae (Coleoptera) live peacefully inside the nests of T. rogenhoferi, and there is no predation of ant brood or adults (Lacau et al. 2008). Workers were observed to lick the lampyrid larvae, possibly due to an attractive secretion.

Lacau et al. (2008) provided a detailed description of the sting apparatus

De la Mora et al. (2016) found this species nesting in logs found in coffee farms in the Soconusco region of Chiapas, Mexico.

Association with Other Organisms

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  • This species is a host for the eucharitid wasp Kapala sp. (a parasitoid) (Quevillon, 2018) (multiple encounter modes; direct transmission; transmission outside nest).

Flight Period

X X X X X X
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Source: Kaspari et al., 2001.

Castes

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Typhlomyrmex rogenhoferi casent0004700 head 1.jpgTyphlomyrmex rogenhoferi casent0004700 profile 1.jpgTyphlomyrmex rogenhoferi casent0004700 dorsal 1.jpgTyphlomyrmex rogenhoferi casent0004700 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0004700. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Typhlomyrmex rogenhoferi casent0173390 head 1.jpgTyphlomyrmex rogenhoferi casent0173390 profile 1.jpgTyphlomyrmex rogenhoferi casent0173390 dorsal 1.jpgTyphlomyrmex rogenhoferi casent0173390 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0173390. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by ALWC, Alex L. Wild Collection.

Queen

Images from AntWeb

Typhlomyrmex rogenhoferi casent0000005 head 1.jpgTyphlomyrmex rogenhoferi casent0000005 profile 1.jpgTyphlomyrmex rogenhoferi casent0000005 dorsal 1.jpgTyphlomyrmex rogenhoferi casent0000005 label 1.jpg
Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0000005. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Male

Images from AntWeb

Typhlomyrmex rogenhoferi casent0006787 head 1.jpgTyphlomyrmex rogenhoferi casent0006787 profile 1.jpgTyphlomyrmex rogenhoferi casent0006787 profile 2.jpgTyphlomyrmex rogenhoferi casent0006787 profile 3.jpgTyphlomyrmex rogenhoferi casent0006787 dorsal 1.jpgTyphlomyrmex rogenhoferi casent0006787 label 1.jpg
Male (alate). Specimen code casent0006787. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • rogenhoferi. Typhlomyrmex rogenhoferi Mayr, 1862: 737 (w.) BRAZIL (no state data).
    • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
    • Type-locality: Brazil: (no further data, “from the area of the river Amazon”) (no collector’s name).
    • Type-depository: NHMW.
    • [Misspelled as rongenhoferi by Menozzi, 1927c: 267.]
    • Mayr, 1887: 538 (q.m.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1976a: 42 (l.).
    • Status as species: Roger, 1863b: 21; Mayr, 1863: 457; Mayr, 1887: 538; Dalla Torre, 1893: 16; Forel, 1895b: 111; Emery, 1896g: 33; Forel, 1899c: 2; Emery, 1906c: 111; Emery, 1911d: 34; Forel, 1912b: 81; Bruch, 1914: 212; Mann, 1916: 403; Gallardo, 1918b: 14; Borgmeier, 1923: 54; Wheeler, W.M. 1925a: 2; Menozzi, 1927c: 267; Menozzi, 1931b: 261; Brown, 1957e: 229; Kempf, 1961b: 493; Brown, 1965c: 74; Kempf, 1970b: 325; Kempf, 1972a: 256; Brandão, 1991: 383; Bolton, 1995b: 422; Wild, 2007b: 27; Arias-Penna, 2008b: 102; Lacau, et al. 2008: 256 (redescription); Branstetter & Sáenz, 2012: 255; Bezděčková, et al. 2015: 111; Feitosa, 2015c: 98; Feitosa & Prada-Achiardi, 2019: 678; Camacho, Franco, Branstetter, et al. 2022: 12.
    • Senior synonym of manco: Brown, 1957e: 229; Brown, 1965c: 74; Kempf, 1972a: 256; Bolton, 1995b: 422.
    • Senior synonym of robustus: Brown, 1957e: 229; Brown, 1965c: 74; Kempf, 1972a: 256; Bolton, 1995b: 422.
    • Senior synonym of sculpturatus: Brown, 1965c: 74; Kempf, 1972a: 256; Bolton, 1995b: 422.
    • Distribution: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela.
  • manco. Typhlomyrmex robustus subsp. manco Wheeler, W.M. 1925a: 2 (w.m.) PERU, BOLIVIA.
    • Type-material: syntype workers, syntype males (numbers not stated, “several”).
    • Type-locality: Peru: Pablobamba (N. Holmgren).
    • [Note: other type-material localities include Bolivia: Charubamba (N. Holmgren), and Peru: Chaquimayo (N. Holmgren).]
    • Type-depositories: MCZC, ZMUC.
    • Junior synonym of rogenhoferi: Brown, 1957e: 229; Brown, 1965c: 74; Kempf, 1972a: 256; Bolton, 1995b: 422.
  • robustus. Typhlomyrmex rogenhoferi r. robustus Emery, 1890b: 40 (w.) COSTA RICA.
    • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
    • Type-locality: Costa Rica: Alajuela, 1889 (A. Alfaro).
    • Type-depositories: MCZC, MSNG.
    • [Also described as new by Emery, 1894k: 46.]
    • Forel, 1899c: 3 (q.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1952a: 121 (l.).
    • Subspecies of rogenhoferi: Emery, in Dalla Torre, 1893: 16 (footnote); Forel, 1899c: 3.
    • Status as species: Dalla Torre, 1893: 16; Emery, 1911d: 34; Mann, 1922: 2; Wheeler, W.M. 1925a: 2.
    • Junior synonym of rogenhoferi: Brown, 1957e: 229; Brown, 1965c: 74; Kempf, 1972a: 256; Bolton, 1995b: 422.
  • sculpturatus. Centromyrmex sculpturatus Santschi, 1931c: 266 (q.) PANAMA.
    • Type-material: holotype queen.
    • Type-locality: Panama: Canal Zone (A. Bierig).
    • Type-depository: NHMB.
    • Combination in Typhlomyrmex: Brown, 1965c: 74.
    • Junior synonym of rogenhoferi: Brown, 1965c: 74; Kempf, 1972a: 256; Bolton, 1995b: 422.

Description

Karyotype

  • n = 17, 2n = 34, karyotype = 2M + 32A (Brazil) (Mariano et al., 2006b; Mariano et al., 2015).
  • n = 19, 2n = 38, karyotype = 6M + 32A (Brazil) (Mariano et al., 2006b; Mariano et al., 2015).
  • n = 18, 2n = 36, karyotype = 2M + 34A (French Guiana) (Mariano et al., 2006b; Mariano et al., 2015).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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