Aphaenogaster annandalei

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Aphaenogaster annandalei
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Aphaenogaster
Species: A. annandalei
Binomial name
Aphaenogaster annandalei
Mukerjee, 1930

Identification

Mukerjee (1930): The species is allied to A. cristata Forel, but is sharply marked off from the latter in having transverse striations on the metanotum and in the absence of a transverse medial impression in the mesonotum. Further, the head in this species is not constricted behind the eyes as in A. cristata. It differs from A. smythiesii in the outline of the head.

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: India (type locality).

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.

  • annandalei. Aphaenogaster (Attomyrma) annandalei Mukerjee, 1930: 151, fig. 1 (w.) INDIA (Himachal Pradesh).
    • Status as species: Bolton, 1995b: 68; Bharti, Guénard, et al. 2016: 33.

Description

Worker

Mukerjee (1930): Head oval, longer than broad, convex at the occiput, sides anteriorly straight, gradually narrowing posteriorly but not forming a neck; eyes small, round, placed a little in front of the middle of the sides of the head; mandibles triangular, with two apical teeth and masticatory border dentate; antennal carina convergent posteriorly; antennal and clypeal hollows deep and confluent; frontal area small, depressed; clypeus posteriorly produced between the bases of the antennae, convex in the middle, its anterior border rounded; antennae slender, the scape passing beyond the top of the head by about one-fourth of its length, joints of the flagellum longer than broad. Pronotum rounded on sides, convex above, anteriorly produced into a very short neck; pro-mesonotal suture distinct; mesonotum long, narrow, its anterior portion raised into an oval area as in A. Smythiesii Forel, the posterior portion sloping back; meso-metanotal suture well marked; thorax emarginate at the latter suture; basal portion of the metanotum elongate anteriorly con- vex from side to side, the portion between the metanotal spines and just in front of them longitudinally excavated, apical portion slightly concave; metanotal spines short, acute and directed upwards; the first node petiolate, rounded above; the second node sub-conical and higher than the first; abdomen oval.

Mandibles punctate and longitudinally striate; the head feebly reticulate- rugose, anteriorly longitudinally striate; anterior basal portion of the metanotum distinctly striate transversely; nodes and abdomen smooth and shining. A few erect hairs scattered on head and thorax; hairs more abundant on abdomen and nodes; pubescence absent. Head and thorax dark reddish brown, mandibles yellowish brows, antennae brownish yellow, legs pale yellow.

Length: 8 mm

References

  • Bolton, B. 1995b. A new general catalogue of the ants of the world. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 504 pp. (page 68, catalogue)
  • Mukerjee, D. 1930. Report on a collection of ants in the Indian Museum, Calcutta. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 34: 149-163 (page 151, fig. 1 worker described)