Simopone nonnihil

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Simopone nonnihil
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Dorylinae
Genus: Simopone
Species group: emeryi
Species: S. nonnihil
Binomial name
Simopone nonnihil
Bolton & Fisher, 2012

Simopone nonnihil casent0066745 p 1 high.jpg

Simopone nonnihil casent0066745 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Collected as ground foragers, in a dead stick above the ground and on low vegetation in rainforest.

Identification

A member of the emeryi species group.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -16.82944444° to -16.82944444°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Malagasy Region: Madagascar (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

Explore-icon.png Explore Overview of Simopone biology 
Little is known about the biology of most species of Simopone. Specimens are rarely collected, and the number of species known only from workers is telling in regards to a lack of nest samples. Species are almost entirely arboreal but on occasion foraging workers are found on the ground or in rotten logs. Prey records are extremely sparse. They consist only of Crematogaster brood by Simopone vepres, and the brood of Terataner by Simopone sicaria. Nevertheless, these two records support the general supposition by Brown (1975) that most or all members of tribe Cerapachyini prey on other ants, or more probably the brood of other ants, but actual records are extremely rare. (Bolton and Fisher 2012)

Castes

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Simopone nonnihil casent0066850 h 1 high.jpgSimopone nonnihil casent0066850 p 1 high.jpgSimopone nonnihil casent0066850 d 1 high.jpgSimopone nonnihil casent0066850 l 1 high.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0066850. Photographer Erin Prado, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Simopone nonnihil casent0488927 h 1 high.jpgSimopone nonnihil casent0488927 p 1 high.jpgSimopone nonnihil casent0488927 d 1 high.jpgSimopone nonnihil casent0488927 l 1 high.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0488927. Photographer Erin Prado, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Nomenclature

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

  • nonnihil. Simopone nonnihil Bolton & Fisher, 2012: 58, figs. 61-63 (w.m.) MADAGASCAR.
    • Type-material: holotype worker, 2 paratype workers, 1 paratype male.
    • Type-locality: holotype Madagascar: Toamasina, Ambohidena, 20 m., 16°49.46’S, 49°57.85’E, 21-24.xi.2005, BLF12984, CASENT0066745-RES, littoral forest (B.L. Fisher); paratypes with same data.
    • Type-depository: CASC.
    • Distribution: Madagascar.

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

Description

Worker

(holotype in parentheses). HL 1.22–1.68 (1.54), HW 0.74–1.16 (0.99), SL 0.34–0.52 (0.45), EL 0.34–0.48 (0.42), PW 0.60–0.92 (0.78), AIIW 0.59–0.88 (0.78), AIIL 0.64–0.90 (0.80), AIIIW 0.68–1.04 (0.92), AIIIL 0.73–1.10 (0.93), WL 1.32–1.86 (1.70), MFL 0.60–1.00 (0.88), CI 61–72 (64), SI 42–46 (45), EL/HW 0.39–0.46 (0.42), EP 0.87–1.12 (1.12), AIIW/AIIL 0.92–1.01 (0.98), AIIIW/AIIIL 0.93–1.01 (0.99) (9 measured).

In full-face view anteriormost points of frontal lobes distinctly project forward as a pair of lobes that extend beyond the level of the anterior clypeal margin. Midpoint of anterior clypeal margin without a convex tumulus, so that the margin is evenly transverse or shallowly convex across. Eyes located close to the cephalic midlength (EP 0.87–1.12). Leading edge of scape with 1–2 projecting setae that are inclined toward the scape apex. In full-face view sides of head without projecting setae. Cephalic dorsum in profile with one, rarely two, short standing setae above the eye; these setae easily lost by abrasion. Ventral surface of head with distinct setae. Cephalic dorsum between eyes with longitudinally directed dense striolate-punctulate ground sculpture between punctures. In dorsal view the pronotum with a transverse carina anteriorly. Propodeal dorsum separated from declivity by a weak, low carina that is interrupted medially. Promesonotal suture weakly impressed and shallowly, evenly curved across the dorsum, not V-shaped medially. Metanotal groove vestigial to absent. Mesosoma in dorsal view narrower across mesonotum than propodeum. Density of punctate sculpture on pronotal and mesonotal dorsa about the same, without a very obvious reduction in density on the mesonotum. Pronotum with a single pair of setae close to the humeri, but these easily lost by abrasion; mesonotum and propodeum without setae. Dorsal (outer) surfaces of mesotibiae and metatibiae without projecting setae, except sometimes for one, close to the apex. Dorsal surface of AII (petiole) meets anterior surface through an angle, but there is no transverse carina. Posteriorly the dorsum of AII lacks a sharp carina, but usually a weak impression is present immediately above the foramen. In dorsal view the posterior corners of AII are bluntly angulate, but without posteriorly or laterally projecting sharp angles or teeth. In dorsal view AII and AIII as long as broad to slightly longer than broad. Abdominal tergites from AII to AIV without setae, but setae sparsely present at least posteriorly on sternite of AIII, and obvious on sternite of AIV. Abdominal tergites AII to AIV sculptured only with small punctures. Full adult colour black, appendages and clypeus somewhat lighter; often with a dull reddish spot on sides of pronotum, AIII and AIV.

Holotype Specimen Labels

Type Material

Holotype worker (upper specimen of two on pin), Madagascar: Toamasina, Ambohidena, 20 m., 16°49.46’S, 49°57.85’E, 21-24.xi.2005, BLF12984, CASENT0066745-RES, littoral forest (B.L. Fisher) (California Academy of Sciences). Paratypes. 1 worker mounted below holotype (crudely dissected); 1 worker and 1 male (abdominal segments behind AII missing) with same data as holotype (California Academy of Sciences).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Bolton B., and B. L. Fisher. 2012. Taxonomy of the cerapachyine ant genera Simopone Forel, Vicinopone gen. n. and Tanipone gen. n. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 3283: 1-101.