Chelaner durokoppinensis

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

Nothing is known about the biology of Chelaner durokoppinensis.

Identification

Heterick (2001) - A member of the rubriceps group. The alitrunk and nodes of the two known specimens are similar in appearance to those of Chelaner centralis, but the colour pattern and form of the clypeus place this species close to Chelaner macarthuri and Chelaner xantheklemma.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Australian Monomorium Species

Distribution

Heterick (2009) - Known from a small area north of Kellerberrin in the WA wheatbelt

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.

Nomenclature

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

• durokoppinensis. Monomorium durokoppinense Heterick, 2001: 424, fig. 48 (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 1.87; HL 0.66; HW 0.54; CeI 82; SL 0.46; SI 85; PW 0.39. Paratypes. HML 1.84; HL 0.64; HW 0.53; Cei 82; SL 0.46; SI 87; PW 0.39.

As for the worker of Monomorium leae, but with the following apomorphies.

Head. Head square or rectangular; vertex planar. Compound eyes elliptical; (viewed from front) compound eyes set in posterior half of head capsule; eye large, eye width greater than 1.5x greatest width of antennal scape. Anteromedial clypeal margin emarginate, median clypeal carinae produced as pair of bluntly rounded denticles. Longest lateral anterior clypeal setae moderate, reaching dorsal margin of closed mandibles. Posteromedial clypeal margin situated between anterior and posterior surfaces of antennal fossae. Frontal lobes parallel, sinuate. Maximum number of mandibular teeth and denticles: four; apical and basal mandibular margins meeting in curve.

Alitrunk. Promesonotal sculpture present in form of microreticulation on lateral promesonotal surfaces and mesopleuron, otherwise smooth and shining; erect and suberect promesonotal setae >5; dorsal promesonotal face convex anteriad, otherwise flattened. Mesonotal suture visible externally as faint ridge. Metanotal groove absent. Propodeal sculpture present as uniform microreticulation, with few or no striae or costulae; processes absent (propodeum angulate in profile. Propodeal angle present; length ratio of dorsal face to declivitous face near 2:1; declivitous face of propodeum longitudinally concave between its lateral margins. Propodeal setulae decumbent and subdecumbent.

Petiole and postpetiole. Petiolar node cuboidal; sculpture present in form of microreticulation. Ratio of greatest node breadth (viewed from front) to greatest node width (viewed in profile) near 1: 1. Anteroventral process a small spur. Ventral lobe always absent. Height ratio of petiole to postpetiole near 1: 1; height-length ratio of postpetiole near 3: 1. Sculpture present in form of microreticulation.

General characters. Colour of alitrunk and nodes brick-red, head and appendages orange, gaster light brown.

Type Material

Holotype. Worker (top point), Western Australia, Durokoppin Reserve, 27 km N ofKellerberrin, iii/vii/xi.1987, L.A. Lobry de Bruyn (Western Australian Museum). Paratype. Western Australia: 1 worker, with same data as the holotype (WAM).

• Holotype, worker, Durokoppin Reserve, 27km N Kellerberrin, Western Australia, Australia, Western Australian Museum.
• Paratype, 1 worker, Durokoppin Reserve, 27km N Kellerberrin, Western Australia, Australia, Western Australian Museum.

Etymology

Named after the locality where the ants were collected.

References

• Heterick, B. E. 2001. Revision of the Australian ants of the genus Monomorium (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Invertebrate Taxonomy. 15:353-459. (page 424, fig. 48 worker described)
• Heterick, B. E. 2009. A guide to the ants of South-western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 76:1-206.
• Heterick, B.E. 2021. A guide to the ants of Western Australia. Part I: Systematics. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 86, 1-245 (doi:10.18195/issn.0313-122x.86.2021.001-245).
• Heterick, B.E. 2022. A guide to the ants of Western Australia. Part II: Distribution and biology. Records of the Western Australian Museum, supplement 86: 247-510 (doi:10.18195/issn.0313-122x.86.2022.247-510).
• Sparks, K.S., Andersen, A.N., Austin, A.D. 2019. A multi-gene phylogeny of Australian Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera : Formicidae) results in reinterpretation of the genus and resurrection of Chelaner Emery. Invertebrate Systematics 33: 225–236 (doi:10.1071/IS16080).