Aenictus mariae

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Aenictus mariae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Dorylinae
Genus: Aenictus
Species group: rotundatus
Species complex: mariae
Species: A. mariae
Binomial name
Aenictus mariae
Emery, 1895

Aenictus mariae casent0235824 p 1 high.jpg

Aenictus mariae casent0235824 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Synonyms

Identification

This species can be separated from the rest of the mariae complex species as the dorsopropeum is mainly smooth (reticulated in Aenictus hitai) and does not present the lateropropodeal pubescence characteristic to Aenictus steindachneri. Separation of minors from Aenictus boltoni can be difficult at first sight, but the petiole is clearly lower (PPI: 138 [130-150], PPI: 113 [107-127] in A. boltoni) and hemispherical while it’s subquadrate with straight parallel anterior and posterior sides in A. boltoni. The metapropodeal suture is almost non-existent in A. mariae minors but clearly visible in A. boltoni, both laterally and dorsally.

Separation from A. boltoni minors as in the following table.

Postpetiolar shape PPI Metapropodeal suture
A. boltoni Low, semispherical 113 [107–127] Visible, both laterally and dorsally
A. mariae High, subquadrate with straight parallel anterior and posterior sides 138 [130–150] Faint and not discernible in minors

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -20.16667° to -27.72698°.

   
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: 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

Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

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

  • mariae. Aenictus mariae Emery, 1895h: 18, pl. 2, figs. 5-7 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.
    • Type-material: holotype worker.
    • Type-locality: South Africa: Makapan, i.-iv.1893 (E. Simon).
    • Type-depository: MSNG.
    • Status as species: Emery, 1895j: 747; Emery, 1910b: 31; Forel, 1913j: 212; Arnold, 1915: 140 (redescription); Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 753; Bolton, 1995b: 60.
    • Distribution: South Africa, Zimbabwe.
  • natalensis. Aenictus mariae var. natalensis Forel, in Emery, 1901d: 49 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.
    • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
    • Type-locality: South Africa: Natal (Haviland).
    • Type-depositories: MHNG, NHMB.
    • Subspecies of mariae: Emery, 1910b: 31; Santschi, 1914e: 14; Arnold, 1915: 141; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 753; Bolton, 1995b: 60.
    • Junior synonym of mariae: Gomez, 2022: 54.
    • Distribution: South Africa.

Type Material

  • Aenictus mariae
    • Syntype worker, SOUTH AFRICA: Transvaal, Makapan (Limpopo) (E. Simon) (1w). [CASENT0903760, seen on web by Gomez, 2022] MSNG, Genoa, Italy.
  • Aenictus mariae natalensis
    • Syntype workers, SOUTH AFRICA: Natal (Haviland) 3 pins with 2w, 2w, and 1w MNHB [Examined by Gomez, 2022]; Syntypes, same data (3 pins, 2w each) MHNG [Examined by Gomez, 2022]; same data (17 pins, 3w each) MHNG [CASENT0907029, Examined by Gomez, 2022].

Description

Emery 1895, page 17.
Emery 1895, page 18.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Arnold G. 1915. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Part I. Ponerinae, Dorylinae. Annals of the South African Museum 14: 1-159.
  • Borowiec M. L. 2016. Generic revision of the ant subfamily Dorylinae (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys 608: 1–280.
  • Emery C. 1910. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Dorylinae. Genera Insectorum 102: 1-34.
  • IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection
  • Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VIII. A synonymic list of the ants of the Ethiopian region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 711-1004