.jpg){kind=logo}
Mesostruma browni
| Mesostruma browni | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Mesostruma |
| Species: | M. browni |
| Binomial name | |
| Mesostruma browni Taylor, 1962
| |
|
Identification
Mesostruma browni is similar to Mesostruma bella and is broadly sympatric with it. It differences as follows.
- The posterior margin of the head is shallowly concave and the lateral corners are broadly rounded while in M. bella this region is more deeply concave and its lateral corners are more sharply angular.
- The sculpturing on the metapleural gland bulb consists of large fovae and irregular rugae while in M. browni the sculpturing on the bulb consists of small, closely spaced punctures, sometimes with up to several weak rugae.
- The upper margins of the propodeal lamellae, in lateral view, are sinuate (convex basally, concave near the angle) and the posterior margin have a distinct concavity just below the dorsal angles. In M. bella they are convex and the posterior margins have a very weak concavity just below the dorsal angles.
- Mesostruma browni averages smaller (HW 0.62 mm to 0.75 mm) than M. browni (HW 0.72 mm to 0.84 mm).
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -24.71666667° to -35.58333333°.
| 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
Worker
Images from AntWeb
   
| |
| Holotype of Mesostruma browni. Worker. Specimen code casent0172467. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by ANIC, Canberra, Australia. |
Queen
Images from AntWeb
   
| |
| Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0010925. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by UCDC, Davis, CA, USA. |
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- browni. Mesostruma browni Taylor, 1962: 1, figs. 1-5 (w.q.m.) AUSTRALIA. Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1973c: 212 (l.). See also: Shattuck, in Bolton, 2000: 49.
Type Material
- Holotype, worker, 2mi. E Berry, New South Wales, Australia, 28.xii.1959, Lowery,B.B., ANIC32-010246, Australian National Insect Collection.
- Paratype, 2 workers, 2mi. E Berry, New South Wales, Australia, 28.xii.1959, Lowery,B.B., The Natural History Museum.
- Paratype, 3 workers, 1 male, 2mi. E Berry, New South Wales, Australia, 28.xii.1959, Lowery,B.B., Museum of Comparative Zoology.
- Paratype, 1 queen, Burns Bay, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, B. B. Lowery, Museum of Comparative Zoology.
- Paratype, 3 workers, Riverview, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Museum of Comparative Zoology.
- Paratype, 6 workers, 2mi. E Berry, New South Wales, Australia, 28.xii.1959, Lowery,B.B., Queensland Museum.
- Paratype, 2 workers, Riverview, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Queensland Museum.
- Paratype, worker(s), Barrington Tops, Australia, T. E. Woodward.
- Paratype, worker(s), Pymble, Australia, 18.iii.1956, C. Mercovich.
Description
Worker
Shattuck (2000) - TL 3.1 - 3.9, HL 0.69 - 0.83, HW 0.62 - 0.74, CI 89 - 91, ML 0.32 - 0.38, MI 42 - 49, SL 0.42 - 0.45, SI 61 - 66, PW 0.45 - 0.50, AL 0.74 - 0.92. Head relatively broad (CI > 88), its posterior margin relatively shallowly concave; eyes relatively small (maximum eye diameter/head length <= 0.20). Pronotum relatively wide (about 0.66-0.69 times mesosomal length), in dorsal view its anterolateral corners rounded. Dorsum of mesosoma with scattered, shallow foveolate punctures which are spaced more than their width apart, the area between the punctures smooth and lacking sculpturing. Propodeal lamellae with the dorsal margins sinuate (convex basally, concave near angle), the posterior margins weakly concave, the angles between these margins acute, less than 90 degrees. Sculpturing on the metaplerual gland bulb consisting of large fovae and irregular rugae. Postpetiole expanded laterally and wing-like. First gastral segment immediately posterior of the postpetiole essentially smooth, sometimes with very slight irregularities. Body relatively small (maximum head width < 0.73mm), colour dark honey yellow.
References
- Bolton, B. 2000. The ant tribe Dacetini. Mem. Am. Entomol. Inst. 65: 1-1028 (page 49, see also)
- Cantone S. 2018. Winged Ants, The queen. Dichotomous key to genera of winged female ants in the World. The Wings of Ants: morphological and systematic relationships (self-published).
- Shattuck, S. O. 2000. Genus Colobostruma. Genus Mesostruma. Genus Epopostruma. Pp. 31-67 in: Bolton, B. The ant tribe Dacetini. Mem. Am. Entomol. Inst. 65: 1-1028 (page 63, worker, queen described)
- Taylor, R. W. 1962a. New Australian dacetine ants of the genera Mesostruma Brown and Codiomyrmex Wheeler (Hymenoptera-Formicidae). Breviora 152: 1-10 (page 1, fgis. 1-5 worker, queen, male described)
- Wheeler, G. C.; Wheeler, J. 1973c. The ant larvae of the tribes Basicerotini and Dacetini: second supplement (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Pan-Pac. Entomol. 49: 207-214 (page 212, larva described)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Bolton, B. 2000. The Ant Tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65
- Taylor R. W. 1962. New Australian dacetine ants of the genera Mesostruma Brown and Codiomyrmex Wheeler (Hymenoptera-Formicidae). Breviora 152: 1-10.
- Taylor R. W. 1987. A checklist of the ants of Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization) Division of Entomology Report 41: 1-92.
- Taylor R. W. 1991. Nomenclature and distribution of some Australasian ants of the Myrmicinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 30: 599-614.