Chelaner burcherae

Chelaner burcherae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Solenopsidini
Genus:	Chelaner
Species group:	rubriceps
Species:	C. burcherae
Binomial name
	Chelaner burcherae; (Heterick, 2001) Specimen Labels

Mebbin State Forest, near Murwillumbah, is the only known locality for this striking species. The sting apparatus is strongly developed in C. burcherae, suggesting that the bright colouration may have an aposematic function. (Heterick 2001)

Identification

Heterick (2001) - A member of the rubriceps group. Chelaner burcherae has a similar colour pattern to some Chelaner rubriceps populations, but the features of the alitrunk and nodes indicate that this ant belongs to the Chelaner edentatus-Chelaner gilberti complex.

Keys including this Species

Key to Australian Monomorium Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -28.43333054° to -28.43333054°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: Australia (type locality).

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

Castes

Nomenclature

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

burcherae. Monomorium burchera Heterick, 2001: 421, figs. 45, 97, 104 (w.) AUSTRALIA.
- Combination in Chelaner: Sparks et al., 2019: 232.

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

Description

Worker

Holotype. HML 2.74; HL 0.97; HW 0.76; Cei 79; SL 0.56; SI 74; PW 0.53. Others. HML 2.55-2.96; HL 0.89-0.97; HW 0.72-0.77; CeI 76-82; SL 0.52-0.58; SI 72-76; PW 0.46-0.57 (8 measured).

As for the worker of Chelaner rubriceps, but with the following apomorphies.

Head. Head square or rectangular; vertex slightly concave; frons smooth and shining with combination of appressed setulae and erect and suberect setae. (Viewed laterally) compound eyes set posterior of midline of head capsule; Anteromedial clypeal margin convex, straight or slightly emarginate, median clypeal carinae indistinct. Palp formula unknown. Mandibles (viewed from front) triangular and striate, with piliferous punctures.

Alitrunk. Metanotal groove present as distinct and deeply impressed trough between promesonotum and propodeum. Propodeal sculpture present as uniform rugosity, with well defined costulae on declivitous face of propodeum; dorsal propodeal face sloping posteriad, with wedge-shaped flattening or shallow depression that is widest between propodeal angles; processes absent (propodeum smoothly rounded in profile or with slight hump at propodeal angle). Propodeal angle absent; declivitous face of propodeum smoothly convex. Erect and suberect propodeal setae >5. Petiole and postpetiole. Petiolar node cuboidal; sculpture absent, petiolar node smooth and shining. Ratio of greatest node breadth (viewed from front) to greatest node width (viewed in profile) near 1: 1. Anteroventral process always present as pronounced spur. Height ratio of petiole to postpetiole near 1: 1 to near 4:3; height-length ratio of postpetiole near 4:3 to near 1: 1.

General characters. Colour of head reddish orange, alitrunk, petiole and post-petiole piceous, gaster orange with a broad, transverse brown band or bands, appendages brown. Worker caste monomorphic.

Type Material

Holotype. Worker (top point), New South Wales, Mebbin SF, 15 miles SW of Murwillumbah, 5.ix.1967, B. B. Lowery, med. sclerophyll, 600 ft (Australian National Insect Collection). Paratypes. New South Wales: 2 workers, data as for the holotype; 4 workers, collection data as for the holotype (except locality given as: “15 miles W of Murwillumbah”), additional data: “on dead stump, A352” (Museum of Comparative Zoology); 3 workers, data as for the 4 paratype workers (The Natural History Museum).

Holotype, worker, Mebbin State Forest, 15mi. SW Murwillumbah, New South Wales, Australia, Lowery,B.B., ANIC32-015722, Australian National Insect Collection.
Paratype, 2 workers, Mebbin State Forest, 15mi. SW Murwillumbah, New South Wales, Australia, Australian National Insect Collection.
Paratype, 3 workers, 15mi. W Murwillumbah, New South Wales, Australia, The Natural History Museum.
Paratype, 4 workers, 15mi. W Murwillumbah, New South Wales, Australia, Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Etymology

Named in honour of Ms Jennifer Manthey (nee Burcher), late of CSIRO, Indooroopilly, Brisbane.

References