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Metapone tricolor
| Metapone tricolor | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Crematogastrini |
| Genus: | Metapone |
| Species: | M. tricolor |
| Binomial name | |
| Metapone tricolor McAreavey, 1949
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A south-eastern Australian species that is found in Eucalyptus woodland.
Identification
Taylor and Alpert (2016) - Distinguished from most other known Australian Metapone species by medium size, (HW 0.84–0.89), narrow, elongate head (CI 66–68), relatively light sculpturation, and the clypeal and subpetiolar structure.
Gynes of the larger Australian Metapone species have the collective HW range of 0.99–1.45. The Metapone mathinnae worker holotype has HW 0.84, CI 78, and the type series Metapone tecklini gynes HW 0.83–0.92, CI 75–77.
All specimens examined for this study, including an individual from Rokeby, have similar sculpturation with only slight variation in its intensity of expression: frons largely smooth and shining with irregularly-spaced very fine striae anteriorly from about the anterior level of the eyes, and a stronger incised median line reaching to the anterior ocellus. Antennal fossae and cephalic cheeks with more intense, close-spaced and regular striation. Mesosomal dorsum and sides very finely and somewhat thinly striate, much like the anterior frons, apart from the sparsely point-punctate propodeal dorsum. Sides of petiole similarly but less-strongly striate.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Taylor and Alpert (2016) - Evidently widespread in south-eastern (or eastern) Australia.
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. |
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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
Taylor and Alpert (2016) - Possible termite associations: Acceptance of conspecificity among the above specimens presumes M. tricolor to be very widespread in dry Eucalyptus woodland. If it is an obligate associate of a single termite species that species must be present across that tricolor range. Possibilities are the subterranean species Coptotermes acinaciformis (Froggatt) or C. frenchi Hill (both Rhinotermitidae) or the probably less-likely Ephalotermes argutus (Hill) (Termitidae) (Watson & Abbey, 1993).
Castes
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Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- tricolor. Metapone tricolor McAreavey, 1949: 4, figs. 17-19 (q.) AUSTRALIA (New South Wales).
- Type-material: holotype queen.
- Type-locality: Australia: New South Wales, Nyngan, 9.ix.1947 (J. Armstrong).
- Type-depository: ANIC.
- Status as species: Gregg, R.E. 1958: 120; Kusnezov, 1960a: 125; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 70; Taylor, 1987a: 40; Taylor, 1991b: 604; Bolton, 1995b: 258; Taylor & Alpert, 2016: 539 (redescription).
- Distribution: Australia.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Queen
Taylor and Alpert (2016) - (holotype, Strathalbyn specimen, Kangaroo Island specimen): TL: ca 7.8, 6.7, 7.4; HL: 1.31, 1.27, 1.29; HW: 0.89, 0.84, 0.88; CI: 68, 66, 68; CpL: 0.41, 0.42, 0.43; CpI: 31, 33, 33; MSL: 2.33, 2.16, 2.29; ScW: 0.79, 0.75, 0.74; PetL: 0.63, 0.55, 0.58; PetW: 0.45, 0.47, 0.49; PetH: 0.82, 0.73, 0.78; PpetL: 0.56, 0.45, 048; PpetW: 0.63, 0.56, 0.61; PpetH: 0.71, 0.63, 0.66; GW: 0.97, 0.92, 96. Measurements of the Strathalbyn specimen apart from TL are separately all within 87–97% of those of the holotype (mean 92%), for the Kangaroo Island specimen 88–99% (mean 96%). The least consistent dimensions are those of the petiole and postpetiole, indicating differences in relative proportions.
General features as described by McAreavey (1949) and in the key and figures. Clypeus narrowed anteriorly, with slight anterolateral extensions, barely denticles. Subpetiolar process, relatively simple; subpetiolar lamella translucent, almost semicircular and nearly as long as the ventral edge; posterior subpetiolar surface approximately equilaterally-triangular, its outer edges minutely carinate.
Type Material
- Holotype, queen, Nyngan, New South Wales, Australia, Australian National Insect Collection.
References
- 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).
- McAreavey, J. 1949. Australian Formicidae. New genera and species. Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. 74: 1-25 (page 4, figs. 17-19 queen described)
- Taylor, R. W. and G. D. Alpert, G. D. 2016. The myrmicine ant genus Metapone Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): a global taxonomic review with descriptions of twelve new species. Zootaxa. 4105(6):501-545. [2016-04-27]
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- 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.