Aphaenogaster wangtian

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Aphaenogaster wangtian
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Stenammini
Genus: Aphaenogaster
Species: A. wangtian
Binomial name
Aphaenogaster wangtian
Terayama, 2009

Aphaenogaster wangtian side (www.niaes.affrc.go.jp).jpg

Aphaenogaster wangtian top (www.niaes.affrc.go.jp).jpg

Specimen labels

Nothing is known about the biology of Aphaenogaster wangtian.

Identification

Terayama (2009) - This species has an elongate head and prothorax. The species resembles Aphaenogaster takahashii by the elongate head with a remarkable neck at posterior portion. However, it is separated from the latter by the convex anterior margin of clypeus (anterior margin of clypeus with a median notch in takahashii), the large postpetiole (postpetiole as high as petiole in takahashii), and posterior directed propodeal spines (propodeal spines directed upward in takahashii).

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: Taiwan (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

Aphaenogaster wangtian mesosoma (www.niaes.affrc.go.jp).jpg
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Nomenclature

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

  • wangtian. Aphaenogaster wangtian Terayama, 2009: 167, fig. 206 (w.) TAIWAN.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

HL 1.45, HW 0.95, HW-II 0.90, SL 1.98, WL 1.90, PL 0.55, PH 0.30, DPW 0.20, PPL 0.46, PPH 0.51, PPW 0.30, TL 5.3.

Head smooth and shining, with long erect hairs; posterior portion of head behind eyes elongated and occipit form a distinct neck; 1.53 times as long as wide; CI = 66, CI-II = 62. Clypeus smooth, with several transverse rugae; anterior margin convex. Antenna long; scape longer than head length; SI = 208, SI-II = 219, scape with long suberect hairs. Eye 0.25 mm in maximum diameter.

Pronotum smooth and shining, with long erect hairs, and elongated anteriorly in profile; mesonotum smooth and shining, upper half of mesopleuron with longitudinal rugae, under half smooth and shining; propodeal spine short and triangular, 0.8 times as long as its basal width; tip directed to posterior portion.

Petiole with a long peduncle; node convex dorsal margin in profile. Postpetiole large, higher than petiole, with convex dorsal margin in profile.

Color. Yellowish brown.

Type Material

Holo1ype. Worker, Nanshanxi, Nanfen-Cun, Nantou Pref., 5.viii.1985, M. Terayama leg. Paratypes. 44w, same data as the holotype; 1w, Riyuetan, Nantou Pref., 28.vii.-2.viii.1988; 1w, Pinlin, Taipei Pref., 28.vii.-2.viii.1988; 3w, Liukuei, Kaohsiung Pref., 17.viii.1987, H. Sakai leg. Holotype in NIAES, paratypes in NIAES, National Science Museum (Natural History) and Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute.

Etymology

The specific epithet is the Chinese noun Wangtian, which is the name of a Taiwanese god.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
  • Terayama M. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta: Hymenoptera). Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University. Liberal Arts 17:81-266.
  • Terayama Mamoru. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta, Hymenoptera). The Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University 17: 81-266.
  • Terayama, M. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta; Hymenoptera). The Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University 17: 81-266.