Cardiocondyla excavata

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Cardiocondyla excavata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Cardiocondyla
Species: C. excavata
Binomial name
Cardiocondyla excavata
Seifert, 2022

Seifert, B. 2022. The ant genus Cardiocondyla (10.3390@d15010025), Fig. 19B.jpg

Seifert, B. 2022. The ant genus Cardiocondyla (10.3390@d15010025), Fig. 19C.jpg

The only known collection of this species is from a nest found in a log at the margin of a mixed oak forest in Papua New Guinea.

Identification

Worker (Figure 19, Table 4): Medium-sized, CS 491 µm. Head distinctly shorter than in Cardiocondyla wheeleri, CL/CW 1.107; with head adjusted in measuring position for CL, its posterior margin straight to slightly concave and median third of anterior clypeal margin in contrast to C. wheeleri deeply concave; in caudodorsal view, the maximum depth of clypeal concavity is 2.9–3.3% CL. Postocular distance large, PoOc/CL 0.445. Scape rather long, SL/CS 0.866. Eye larger than in C. wheeleri, EYE/CS 0.238. Frons narrow (FRS/CS 0.277), frontal carinae immediately caudal of the FRS level parallel or slightly converging. Metanotal depression shallower than in C. wheeleri (MGr/CS 1.75%), dorsal profile of promesonotum and propodeum more linear than in C. wheeleri. Pronotal corners in dorsal view prominent, but blunt and forming an angle of about 90°. Dorsal plane of mesosoma rather continuously narrowing from pronotal corners caudal to metanotal groove; there is no or only a weak convexity at the mesonotal level. Propodeal spines strong but shorter than in C. wheeleri and their bases more approached (SP/CS 0.380, SPBA/CS 0.346), in lateral view downcurved with their mean orientation deviating by about 15° from longitudinal mesosomal axis. Petiole rather high (PeH/CS 0.336); in lateral view with a very short peduncle, a weakly concave frontal and broadly convex dorsal profile, in dorsal view narrower than in C. wheeleri, PeW/CS 0.257, the node longer than wide. Postpetiole less broad than in C. wheeleri, PpW/CS 0.536; in dorsal view, when both margins are adjusted to same focal level, with semicircularly rounded sides and strongly concave anterior and straight posterior margin; in lateral view much lower than petiole (PpH/CS 0.256), its sternite shallowly convex and without any prominent structures. Whole vertex with bicoronate foveolae of 16–18 µm diameter, the interspaces as large or smaller than foveolar diameter and with rather prominent reticulate microsculpture. Dorsal mesosoma reticulate, with scattered bicoronate foveolae, lateral mesosoma reticulate. Petiole matt, microreticulate. Postpetiole in dorsal view shiny and very delicately microreticulate. First gaster tergite shiny, on whole surface very delicately microreticulate. Tergite pubescence short and dilute (PLG/CS 4.68%, sqPDG 5.80). Whole body with exception of the dark brown gaster yellowish.

The strongly concave clypeus, the shorter head, the larger eye and the narrower waist segments allow to hypothesize Cardiocondyla excavata as heterospecific from Cardiocondyla wheeleri. There is probably some geographic isolation as the type localities are mountain regions separated by a deep river valley.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -6.3° to -6.3°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate
  • Source: Seifert, 2022

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: New Guinea.

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.

  • excavata. Cardiocondyla excavata Seifert, 2022: 49, fig. 19 (w.) PAPUA NEW GUINEA.

Type Material

Holotype and two paratype worker on separate pins, both labelled “PNG: 6.33° S, 145.86° E, 1670 m, Kainantu-4.8 km S, edge of mixed oak forest, in log, A.G.E. Emerson 1963.01.04”; depository SMN Görlitz.

Description

References