Poecilomyrma myrmecodiae

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Poecilomyrma myrmecodiae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Poecilomyrma
Species: P. myrmecodiae
Binomial name
Poecilomyrma myrmecodiae
Mann, 1921

Poecilomyrma senirewae myrmecodiae casent0171043 profile 1.jpg

Poecilomyrma senirewae myrmecodiae casent0171043 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

The type collection was "a small series of workers found in a Myrmecodia bulb."

Identification

Sarnat and Economo (2012) - Poecilomyrma myrmecodiae is a large species with a black head infuscated posteriorly, a red mesosoma and petiole, an infuscated postpetiole, a black gaster and dark appendages. The species is similar in size to Poecilomyrma senirewae, with which it is sympatric, but can be differentiated by the dark head. The larger size, relatively longer limbs and more deeply furrowed sculpture sets it apart from Poecilomyrma sp. FJ05, with which it is also sympatric. Characters in the key separate it from other similarly colored taxa. An ergatoid queen (CASENT0194604) was collected in a small nest from a Hydnophytum (Rubiaceae) ant plant, and is characterized by similar long flexous pilosity and more margined carinae and rugae as described for the putative ergatoid P. senirewae as discussed under that species. The type series consists of 21 workers collected from a Hydnophytum bulb by Mann. The species, as defined here, appears restricted to the central and southeastern mountain ranges of Viti Levu.

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -17.66666667° to -17.8°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Fiji (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.

  • myrmecodiae. Poecilomyrma senirewae subsp. myrmecodiae Mann, 1921: 448 (w.) FIJI IS. Raised to species: Sarnat & Economo, 2012: 112.

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

Description

Worker major. Length 5 mm.

A small series of workers found in a Myrmecodia bulb differ from typical senirewae in color, the head, postpetiole, and legs being black and the petiole infuscated at apical balf, resembling the worker minor of senirewae, but differing in being as large as the worker major of that form and with a shorter head, more convex at sides.

Type Material

Sarnat and Economo (2012) - FIJI, Viti Levu, Mt. Victoria [Mt. Tomanivi] (W. M. Mann). Syntypes: 24 workers (National Museum of Natural History, examined); 6 workers (Museum of Comparative Zoology type no. 2100, examined).

References

  • Mann, W. M. 1921. The ants of the Fiji Islands. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 64: 401-499 (page 448, worker described)
  • Sarnat, E.M. & Economo, E.P. 2012. The ants of Fiji: 384 pp. UC Publications in Entomology, University of California Press.