Myrmicaria natalensis

Myrmicaria natalensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Solenopsidini
Genus:	Myrmicaria
Species:	M. natalensis
Binomial name
Myrmicaria natalensis (Smith, F., 1858) Specimen Labels
Subspecies
Myrmicaria natalensis eumenoides Gerstäcker, 1859 Myrmicaria natalensis navicula Santschi, 1925 Myrmicaria natalensis nigriventris Santschi, 1930 Myrmicaria natalensis obscuriceps Santschi, 1937 Myrmicaria natalensis taeniata Santschi, 1930 Myrmicaria natalensis verticalis Santschi, 1920
Synonyms
Heptacondylus sulcatus Mayr, 1862

A wide ranging Afrotropical species that is known in southern Africa as the Natal droptail ant.

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 25.45° to -30.8711339°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Guinea, Ivory Coast, Namibia, South Africa (type locality), Uganda.

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

Flight Period

X
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

Source: antkeeping.info.

• Check details at Worldwide Ant Nuptial Flights Data, AntNupTracker and AntKeeping.
• Explore: Show all Flight Month data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.

Castes

Images from AntWeb

Worker. Specimen code casent0235940. Photographer Shannon Hartman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by AFRC, Pretoria, South Africa.

Syntype of Myrmicaria natalensis. Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0900501. Photographer Ryan Perry, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by NHMUK, London, UK.

Nomenclature

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

• natalensis. Physatta natalensis Smith, F. 1858b: 172 (q.) SOUTH AFRICA. Santschi, 1925c: 143 (q.m.). Combination in Myrmicaria: Mayr, 1866b: 905. Junior synonym of eumenoides: Mayr, 1866b: 905 (note that natalensis has priority). Revived from synonymy and senior synonym of sulcatus: Emery, 1922e: 123. Current subspecies: nominal plus eumenoides, navicula, nigriventris, obscuriceps, taeniata, verticalis. [M. natalensis referred by error to Myrmica by Santschi, 1925c: 143.]
• sulcatus. Heptacondylus sulcatus Mayr, 1862: 756 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA (not Cuba as stated; see Mayr, 1893: 195). Junior synonym of eumenoides: Dalla Torre, 1893: 155; of natalensis: Emery, 1922e: 123.

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).
• Emery, C. 1922c. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Myrmicinae. [part]. Genera Insectorum 174B: 95-206 (page 123, Revived from synonymy, and senior synonym of sulcatus)
• Gomez, K., Hawkes, P.G., Fisher, B.L. 2023. Ant endemicity in the highlands and escarpments of Angola and Namibia (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Monograph on Endemism in the Highlands and Escarpments of Angola and Namibia. Namibian Journal of Environment 8, 197-203.
• Mayr, G. 1866b. Diagnosen neuer und wenig gekannter Formiciden. Verh. K-K. Zool.-Bot. Ges. Wien 16: 885-908 (page 905, Combination in Myrmicaria)
• Mayr, G. 1866b. Diagnosen neuer und wenig gekannter Formiciden. Verh. K-K. Zool.-Bot. Ges. Wien 16: 885-908 (page 905, Junior synonym of eumenoides)
• Pekár, S., Haddad, C. 2011. Trophic strategy of ant-eating Mexcala elegans (Araneae: Salticidae): looking for evidence of evolution of prey-specialization. Journal of Arachnology 39, 133–138 (doi:10.1636/hi10-56.1).
• Santschi, F. 1925c [1924]. Révision des Myrmicaria d'Afrique. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 64: 133-176 (page 143, queen, male described)
• Smith, F. 1858b. Catalogue of hymenopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum. Part VI. Formicidae. London: British Museum, 216 pp. (page 172, queen described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Bernard F. 1953. La réserve naturelle intégrale du Mt Nimba. XI. Hyménoptères Formicidae. Mémoires de l'Institut Français d'Afrique Noire 19: 165-270.
• Braet Y., and B. Taylor. 2008. Mission entomologique au Parc National de Pongara (Gabon). Bilan des Formicidae (Hymenoptera) recoltes. Bulletin S. R. B. E./K.B.V.E. 144: 157-169.
• IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection
• Samways M. J. 1990. Species temporal variability: epigaeic ant assemblages and management for abundance and scarcity. Oecologia 84: 482-490.
• Santschi F. 1925. Révision des Myrmicaria d'Afrique. Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique. 64: 133-176.
• Santschi F. 1933. Contribution à l'étude des fourmis de l'Afrique tropicale. Bulletin et Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique. 73: 95-108.
• Santschi F. 1937. Résultats de la Mission scientifique suisse en Angola (2me voyage) 1932-1933. Fourmis angolaises. Revue Suisse de Zoologie. 44: 211-250.
• Santschi, F. "Résultats de la Mission scientifique suisse en Angola, 1928-1929. Formicides de l'Angola." Revue Suisse de Zoologie 37 (1930): 53-81.