Holcoponera pilosa

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Holcoponera pilosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Ectatomminae
Tribe: Ectatommini
Genus: Holcoponera
Species: H. pilosa
Binomial name
Holcoponera pilosa
(Lattke, 1995)

Gnamptogenys pilosa P casent0900555.jpg

Gnamptogenys pilosa D casent0900555.jpg

Specimen Label

Nothing is known about the biology of Holcoponera pilosa.

Identification

A member of the porcata subgroup (in the striatula species group). This is the hairiest of all Holcoponera species. On account of size, slender habitus, posteriorly inclined petiolar node, fine costulation, and abundant pilosity its nearest relatives appear to be Holcoponera gracilis and Holcoponera ejuncida. The sculpture of H. ejuncida is coarser, the pilosity is not as dense and the presence of erect hairs is considerably less. The break between the dorsal and declivitous propodeal faces is sharper in H. pilosa, giving it a more robust aspect. H. gracilis is an endemic from the Guiana Shield area, and has the postpetiolar sternal disc smooth and shining. (Lattke 1995)

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 4.358333333° to 4.358333333°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Colombia (type locality).

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.

  • pilosa. Gnamptogenys pilosa Lattke, 1995: 178, figs. 51-53 (w.) COLOMBIA.
    • Type-material: holotype worker, 3 paratype workers.
    • Type-locality: holotype Colombia: Valle, Calima, Cañón El Pital (F. Castaño); paratypes with same data.
    • Type-depositories: MIZA (holotype); BMNH, LACM, MCZC (paratypes).
    • Combination in Holcoponera: Camacho, Franco, Branstetter, et al. 2022: 11.
    • Status as species: Lattke, et al. 2004: 347; Feitosa & Prada-Achiardi, 2019: 672; Camacho, et al. 2020: 455 (in key); Camacho, Franco, Branstetter, et al. 2022: 11.
    • Distribution: Colombia.

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

Description

Worker

Holotype (paratypes) measurements: HL 1.44 (1.40-1.48); HW 1.20 (1.20-1.22); ML 0.54 (0.46-0.54); ED 0.28 (0.28-0.30); SL 1.46 (1.50-1.57); WL 2.00 (2.00-2.06) mm; CI 0.83 (0.81-0.86); SI 1.21 (1.25-1.28); OI 0.23 (0.23-0.25) n =4.

With head in frontal view, vertexal margin fairly straight, sides broadly convex; anterior clypeal margin convex, lamella well developed; eyes prominent on posterior one half of head; mandibles triangular, apical margin denticulate, dorsum striate; cephalic dorsum with longitudinal parallel striae, diverging posterad at vertex; 1-2 transverse striae parallel to occipital carina; anterior prontal face transversely striate; dorsal mesosomal surface, including all of propodeum, longitudinally striate; striae curve around propodeal spiracles with no transverse striae between spiracles; lateral pronotal surface obliquely to transversely striate, striation on pleura and lateral propodeal face parallel with dorsal striae; inner procoxal faces punctate, anterolaterally transversely striae; lateral faces of meso- and metacoxae weakly striate; metacoxa with well-developed tooth.

Petiolar node transversely striate, low; viewed laterally with convex anterior margin and concave posterior margin, apex overhanging; subpetiolar process with a projecting anterior lobe and subquadrate posteriorly; transverse striae anteriorly on gastric tergum, up to three-fourths length of tergum, rest of gaster longitudinally striate; anteroventral postpetiolar process prominent; sternite with longitudinal striation, diverging caudad; abundant erect to suberect hairs on body and extremities; abundant pilosity on coxae, propodeum, petiole, antennae and legs.

Type Material

Holotype worker. Colombia, Valle: Calima, Canon El Pital, F. Castano, leg. Deposited in Instituto de Zoologia Agricola. Paratypes: Three workers with same locality data as holotype. One deposited in each of the following: Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, The Natural History Museum, Museum of Comparative Zoology.

The late Mr. F. Castano kindly provided additional information about the type locality. The site is by a stream called Quebrada El Pital (tributary of Rio Calima) in a gorge 900-1300 m above sea level. Approximate coordinates: 3°08'N 76°40'W. The site will soon be flooded due to construction of a dam. The specimens were found on leaf litter in a cloud forest.

Etymology

The species name is derived from the Greek word for hair: pilos.

References