Cataulacus striativentris
Cataulacus striativentris | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Formicidae |
Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
Tribe: | Crematogastrini |
Genus: | Cataulacus |
Species: | C. striativentris |
Binomial name | |
Cataulacus striativentris Santschi, 1924 | |
Synonyms | |
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Besides a few specimens have been collected from canopy fogging samples, establishing this species as an arboreal foraging and/or nesting species , little is known about the biology of Cataulacus striativentris.
Identification
A member of the tenuis group. This small, large-eyed species is separable from similarly sculptured forms by the presence of hairs upon the dorsal surfaces of the head and body which although numerous cannot be termed abundant and are not very elongate nor sinuate. The disorganized sculpturation of the posterior half of the head capsule contrasts strongly with the regular sulcate-rugulation of the alitrunk. The form described as Cataulacus donisthorpei is, on the whole rather less coarsely sculptured than is the type of Cataulacus striativentris, and the pronotum less regularly sculptured, but otherwise the two are alike. (Bolton 1974)
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -0.317° to -0.317°.
North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Democratic Republic of Congo (type locality), Kenya, Uganda.
Distribution based on AntMaps
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. |
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. |
Biology
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Castes
Images from AntWeb
Worker. Specimen code casent0178291. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by LACM, Los Angeles, CA, USA. |
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- striativentris. Cataulacus wissmanni var. striativentris Santschi, 1924b: 219 (w.) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO.
- Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated)..
- Type-localities: Democratic Republic of Congo (“Congo belge”): Ubanghi, Banzyville (R.P. Augustin); Haut Uele, Moto, 1920 (L. Burgeon).
- Type-depositories: MRAC, NHMB.
- Status as species: Bolton, 1974a: 36 (redescription); Bolton, 1982: 356 (in key); Bolton, 1995b: 139; Hita Garcia, et al. 2013: 209.
- Senior synonym of donisthorpei: Bolton, 1974a: 36; Bolton, 1995b: 139.
- Distribution: Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya.
- donisthorpei. Cataulacus donisthorpei Santschi, 1937a: 61 (w.) KENYA.
- Type-material: 2 syntype workers.
- Type-locality: Kenya (“Kenya colony”): nos 17 and 42 (no further data) (received from Donisthorpe).
- Type-depository: BMNH.
- Junior synonym of striativentris: Bolton, 1974a: 36; Bolton, 1995b: 138.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Bolton (1974) - TL 3.6 – 3.7, HL 0.90 – 0.94, HW 0.86 – 0.88, CI 93 - 95, EL 0.44 – 0.45, OI 50 - 51, IOD 0.62 – 0.64, SL 0.48, SI 54 - 56, PW 0.70, AL 0.94 – 0.96, MTL 0.50 (2 measured).
Occipital crest absent, the two surfaces meeting in a continuous curve. Occipital corners with a single tooth and with a second, smaller tooth beside them on the occipital border. Sides of head behind eyes finely denticulate. Sides of pronotum denticulate, the posteriormost denticle being the largest in the series. Sides of mesonotum and propodeum each with one or two denticulae; the dorsal alitrunk without trace of sutures. Propodeum bispinose, the spines rather short, broad and divergent. The pronotum is quite strongly expanded laterally and is noticeably broader than the remainder of the alitrunk. Node of petiole virtually pointed above when viewed in profile, the anterior and posterior faces sloping steeply away. Subpetiolar process with a developed posteroventral tooth, heel or spur. Subpostpetiolar process simple, long. First gastral tergite not marginate laterally.
Dorsal surface of head coarsely reticulate-rugose in the space between the eyes, and behind the eyes. In front of the anterior margin of the eyes the cross-meshes of the rugoreticulum tend to be lost, leaving this area and the clypeus longitudinally rugose. The interspaces of the occipital sculpturation are very finely and densely reticulate-punctate, and dully shining. Dorsum of alitrunk longitudinally sulcate-rugose, the sculpturation tending to be less well organized and regular on the anterior pronotum than elsewhere. Petiole and postpetiole longitudinally rugose dorsally; the first gastral tergite very closely and densely longitudinally rugose or sulcate-rugose throughout its length.
Simple, erect, blunt hairs numerous on all dorsal surfaces of the head, body and appendages. Margins of head and alitrunk with hairs projecting laterally from the marginal denticles.
Type Material
Bolton (1974):
Syntype workers, ZAIRE: Ubanghi, Banzyville (R. P. Augustin), and Haut Uele, Moto, 1920 (L. Burgeon) (NM, Basle; MRAC, Tervuren) [examined].
Cataulacus donisthorpei Syntype workers, KENYA: nos. 17 and 42 (H. Donisthorpe coIl.) (BMNH) [examined].
References
- Bolton, B. 1974a. A revision of the Palaeotropical arboreal ant genus Cataulacus F. Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bull. Br. Mus. (Nat. Hist.) Entomol. 30: 1-105.
- Santschi, F. 1924b. Descriptions de nouveaux Formicides africains et notes diverses. II. Rev. Zool. Afr. (Bruss.) 12: 195-224 (page 219, worker described)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Bolton B. 1982. Afrotropical species of the myrmicine ant genera Cardiocondyla, Leptothorax, Melissotarsus, Messor and Cataulacus (Formicidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology 45: 307-370.