Chelaner majeri

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

One of the two type collections of this species was made in mallee.

Photo Gallery

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  Chelaner majeri major worker from Mount Magnet, Western Australia. Photo by Farhan Bokhari.

Identification

Heterick (2001) - A member of the bicorne group. Chelaner majeri appears to have a very localized distribution in the Murchison area, where it occurs sympatrically with the rather similar Chelaner striatifrons. When compared with the latter species, C. majeri can readily be distinguished by its larger eye, and the characters of the alitrunk, nodes and gaster listed above.

Heterick (2009) - A large, for Chelaner, reddish species.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Australian Monomorium Species

Distribution

This species is known to have a very limited distribution east of Geraldton, Western Australia (Heterick, 2009).

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -27.61667° to -28.86667061°.

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.

Nomenclature

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

• majeri. Monomorium majeri Heterick, 2001: 372, figs. 23, 54 (w.) AUSTRALIA.
  • Combination in Chelaner: Sparks et al., 2019: 233.

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 4.86; HL 1.87; HW 1.78; Cei 95; SL 1.09; SI 61; PW 0.95. Other. HML4.67-5.00; HL 1.75-1.99; HW 1.75-1.92; Cel 93-104; SL 1.06-1.17; SI 57-63; PW 0.69-0.90 (14 measured).

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

Head. Head cordate; vertex strongly concave; frons microreticulate and striolate with erect and suberect setae. Compound eyes ovoid; eye large, eye width greater than 1.5 x greatest width of antennal scape. Median clypeal carinae produced apically as pair of pronounced teeth. Basal mandibular tooth not enlarged.

Alitrunk. Promesonotal sculpture present in form of uniform microreticulation with few mesopleural striolae. Propodeal sculpture present as uniform microreticulation, with few or no striae or costulae; propodeal processes absent (propodeum angulate in profile), or present on posterior propodeal angles as small denticles or sharp flanges. Propodeal angle absent, or present; declivitous face of propodeum flat. Erect and suberect propodeal setae >5.

Petiole. Petiolar node tumular and inclined posteriad; sculpture present in form ofmicroreticulation. Anteroventral process always present as pronounced spur. Height ratio of petiole to postpetiole near 4:3; height-length ratio of postpetiole near 3:4.

Gaster. Pilosity of first gastral tergite consisting of combination of appressed setulae and longer, erect and suberect setae.

General characters. Colour of alitrunk, petiole and postpetiole reddish-orange to crimson, head darker (frons anteriorly infuscated in some individuals), gaster, antennae, and legs dark red-brown. Worker caste monomorphic.

Type Material

Holotype. Worker (top point), Western Australia, Tardun, 90 miles E Geraldton, 22.v.1963, C. T. Mercovich, mallee 400ft, ANIC vial66-54 (Australian National Insect Collection). Paratypes. Western Australia: 2 workers, same data as holotype (ANIC); 3 workers, “Woongowdy” [ = Wongoondy], 19.v.l963, C. T. Mercovich, ANIC vial no. 66-55 (MCZ).

• Holotype, worker, Tardun, 90mi. E Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia, Australian National Insect Collection.
• Paratype, 2 workers, Tardun, 90mi. E Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia, Australian National Insect Collection.
• Paratype, 3 workers, Wongoondy, Western Australia, Australia, Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Etymology

Named in honour of Dr Jonathan Majer, of the School of Environmental Science, Curtin University of Technology, Western Australia.

References

• Heterick, B. E. 2001. Revision of the Australian ants of the genus Monomorium (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Invertebrate Taxonomy. 15:353-459. (page 372, figs. 23, 54 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).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• CSIRO Collection