Syllophopsis cryptobia

Syllophopsis cryptobia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Solenopsidini
Genus:	Syllophopsis
Species:	S. cryptobia
Binomial name
	Syllophopsis cryptobia; Santschi, 1921 Specimen labels

Syllophopsis cryptobia is widespread throughout forest habitats, nesting in leaf litter (Sharaf and Aldawood 2013). In Yemen workers were found on a mountainside near former drainage of the mountain crest (Sharaf et al., 2017). The area has a high plant diversity dominated by Adiantum capillus-veneris L. (Pteridaceae). This species was collected from leaf litter using a sifting tray where the soils were moist. This ant was found coexisting with Brachyponera sennaarensis. In Africa, this species has been report to be abundant in layers of topsoil and leaf litter (Bolton 1987).

At a Glance

• Limited invasive

Identification

Heterick (2006) - Syllophopsis cryptobium is one of three Malagasy members of this group in which the compound eye of the worker is reduced to one or two ommatidia. Workers can be separated from those of Syllophopsis sechellensis by their unsculptured mesopleuron, and from Syllophopsis modesta by the distinctly angulate nature of the propodeum when seen in profile and by their generally smaller size (HW 0.33–0.36mm compared with 0.36–0.41mm).

Sharaf et al. (2017) - Worker. Eyes minute and consisting of a single ommatidium, located in front of midlength of head; promesonotum in profile with its dorsal outline evenly convex, not strongly dome-shaped; metanotal groove deeply and distinctly impressed in a U-shape; highest point of propodeum immediately behind the metanotal groove, without a sharp central peak or narrow transverse crest; propodeal dorsum meeting declivity with a small dent; body smooth and shining except for cross-ribbing at mesopleural–propodeal junction; all body surfaces covered with sparse, fine hairs, cephalic and gastral pilosity denser than mesosomal pilosity; uniform clear yellow, first gastral tergite light brown, some specimens pale brown-yellow.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 6.417222222° to -28.66667°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Cameroun, Central African Republic, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo (type locality), Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Socotra Archipelago, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Yemen.

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

Heterick (2006) - Syllophopsis cryptobium is widespread throughout all the forest habitats sampled by the B. Fisher team. Most specimens have been taken from sifted litter. Along with Syllophopsis hildebrandti, this species is the most abundant of the S. hildebrandti group Syllophopsis in Madagascar. Syllophopsis cryptobium is one of the few west and central African species to be found in Madagascar, whose Monomorium fauna is much more representative of eastern and southern Africa. As well as the holotype, I have inspected samples of S. cryptobium from these tropical African regions and they are identical with the Malagasy material. Despite its abundance and the presence of many of the small S. cryptobium queens among the CAS material, the male is unknown, and does not appear to have been collected by CAS teams (nearly all of the unassigned males in the CAS Collection clearly belong to members of the Monomorium monomorium group). In fact, males of all the S. hildebrandti group species are very rare in the CAS collection. Possibly this is because they are not only cryptic, but their release during nuptial flights (assuming these occur) is very infrequent and of short duration.

Castes

Worker


.

Queen

Images from AntWeb


Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0103339. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.


Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0149045. Photographer Erin Prado, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.


Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0173583. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Male

Images from AntWeb


Male (alate). Specimen code casent0103340. Photographer April Nobile, 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.

cryptobia. Syllophopsis cryptobia Santschi, 1921c: 119, fig. 2a-c (w.) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO.
- Type-material: holotype worker.
- Type-locality: Democratic Republic of Congo (“Congo”): (no further data) (Le Moult).
- Type-depository: NHMB.
- Heterick, 2006: 162 (q.).
- Combination in Monomorium: Bolton, 1987: 421;
- combination in Syllophopsis: Ward, et al. 2015: 73.
- Status as species: Ettershank, 1966: 101; Bolton, 1987: 421 (redescription); Bolton, 1995b: 260; Heterick, 2006: 161 (redescription); Hita Garcia, et al. 2013: 212; Sharaf & Aldawood, 2013a: 81 (in key); Borowiec, L. 2014: 117; Sharaf, Fisher, et al. 2017: 36.
- Distribution: Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Yemen.

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

Description

Worker

Heterick (2006) - Holotype. HML 0.99 HL 0.38 HW 0.32 CeI 84 SL 0.30 SI 92 PW 0.21.

HML 0.91–1.04 HL 0.34–0.39 HW 0.27–0.30 CeI 76–85 SL 0.27–0.30 SI 92–100 PW 0.19–0.22 (n=20).

HEAD: Head rectangular; vertex planar or weakly concave; frons shining and smooth except for piliferous pits; pilosity of frons a mixture of incurved, semi-erect setae and slightly shorter decumbent setae. Eye minute, eyes consisting of one or two ommatidia only; (in full-face view) eyes set at about midpoint of head capsule; (viewed in profile) eyes set posteriad of midline of head capsule. Antennal segments 12; Antennal club three-segmented. Clypeal carinae weakly to strongly defined; anteromedian clypeal margin straight; paraclypeal setae moderately long and fine, curved; posteromedian clypeal margin not distinct in specimens seen. Anterior tentorial pits situated nearer mandibular insertions than antennal fossae. Frontal lobes sinuate, divergent posteriad. Psammophore absent. Palp formula 2,2. Mandibular teeth four; mandibles linear-triangular and smooth (except for piliferous pits); masticatory margin of mandibles strongly oblique; basal tooth approximately same size as t3 (four teeth present), or, a small to minute denticle or angle, much smaller than t3 (four teeth present).

MESOSOMA: Promesonotum shining and mainly smooth, vestigial striolae, if present, confined to lower anterior mesopleuron; (viewed in profile) anterior promesonotum smoothly rounded, thereafter more-or-less flattened, promesonotum on same plane as propodeum; promesonotal setae greater than twelve; standing promesonotal setae consisting of a mixture of incurved, semi-erect setae and slightly shorter decumbent setae; appressed promesonotal setulae few, mainly on sides of promesonotum. Metanotal groove strongly impressed, with distinct transverse costulae. Propodeum shining and smooth, with a few weak striolae on metapleuron; propodeal dorsum sloping posteriad, and depressed between raised propodeal angles; propodeum distinctly angulate, propodeal angle sharp; length ratio of propodeal dorsum to its declivity about 1:1; standing propodeal setae consisting of one prominent pair anteriad, with a few to many erect to decumbent setae on/around dorsal and declivitous faces of propodeum; appressed propodeal setulae very sparse or absent; propodeal spiracle nearer metanotal groove than declivitous face of propodeum. Vestibule of propodeal spiracle absent or not visible. Propodeal lobes present as rounded flanges.

PETIOLE AND POSTPETIOLE: Petiolar spiracle lateral and situated within anterior sector of petiolar node; node (viewed in profile) conical, vertex tapered, or, conical, vertex rounded; appearance of node shining and smooth throughout; ratio of greatest node breadth (viewed from front) to greatest node width (viewed in profile) about 1:1; anteroventral petiolar process absent or vestigial; ventral petiolar lobe present; height ratio of petiole to postpetiole about 4:3; height–length ratio of postpetiole about 4:3; postpetiole shining and smooth; postpetiolar sternite depressed at about its center, with anterior process developed as a short, conspicuous spur angled at 45–90.

GASTER: Pilosity of first gastral tergite consisting of a mixture of incurved, semi-erect setae and slightly shorter decumbent setae.

GENERAL CHARACTERS: Color pale yellow. Worker caste monomorphic.

Queen

Heterick (2006) - HML 1.27–1.40 HL 0.36–0.40 HW 0.33–0.36 CeI 88–92 SL 0.30–0.33 SI 86–94 PW 0.29–0.33 (n=20).

HEAD: Head rectangular; vertex weakly concave or planar; frons shining and smooth except for piliferous pits; pilosity of frons a mixture of incurved, semi-erect setae and slightly shorter decumbent setae; Eye elliptical, margin sometimes shallowly concave; (in full-face view) eyes set at about midpoint of head capsule; (viewed in profile) eyes set posteriad of midline of head capsule.

MESOSOMA: Anterior mesoscutum smoothly rounded, thereafter more-or-less flattened; pronotum, mesoscutum and mesopleuron shining and mainly smooth, vestigial striolae, if present, confined to anterior katepisternum length–width ratio of mesoscutum and scutellum combined between 3:2 and 4:3; axillae narrowly separated (i.e., less than width of one axilla); standing pronotal/mesoscutal setae consisting of a mixture of incurved, semi-erect setae and slightly shorter decumbent setae; appressed pronotal, mescoscutal and mesopleural setulae few, mainly on sides of pronotum and mesopleuron. Propodeum shining and smooth, with a few distinct striolae on metapleuron; propodeum distinctly angulate, propodeal angles produced as short denticles; propodeal dorsum slightly elevated anteriad and sloping away posteriad, propodeal angles not raised, or, sloping posteriad, and depressed between raised propodeal angles; standing propodeal setae consisting of one pair of prominent setae anteriad, with a few smaller, erect to decumbent setae on and around dorsal and declivitous faces; appressed propodeal setulae very sparse or absent; propodeal spiracle nearer declivitous face of propodeum than metanotal groove; propodeal lobes present as well-developed, rounded flanges.

WING: Wing veins tubular and strongly sclerotised; vein m–cu present as an entire vein enclosing first discoidal cell; vein cu–a present.

PETIOLE AND POSTPETIOLE: Petiolar spiracle lateral and situated well anteriad of petiolar node; node (viewed in profile) conical, vertex tapered; appearance of node shining, with vestigial sculpture; ratio of greatest node breadth (viewed from front) to greatest node width (viewed in profile) about 4:3; anteroventral petiolar process absent or vestigial; height ratio of petiole to postpetiole between 4:3 and 1:1; height–length ratio of postpetiole between 3:2 and 4:3; postpetiole shining, with vestigial sculpture; postpetiolar sternite depressed at about its center, with anterior process developed as a short, conspicuous spur angled at 45–90.

GASTER: Pilosity of first gastral tergite consisting of a mixture of incurved, erect and semi-erect setae and slightly shorter decumbent setae.

GENERAL CHARACTERS: Color head light brown, mesosoma and gaster brownish-yellow, legs pale. Brachypterous alates not seen. Ergatoid or worker-female intercastes not seen.

Type Material

Heterick (2006) - HOLOTYPE: worker, Congo, La Moult (NHMB – Reg. No. 202). In his publication Santschi indicates he examined just the one worker. The label does not mention that it is a type, but the details on the labels are consistent with type status, as is the fact that the specimen lacks a left antennal funiculus. The funiculus of the left antenna is mounted between two cover slips that are held on a separate pin. The identification label on this pin mentions that the funiculus comes from a type specimen.

References

Bolton, B. 1987. A review of the Solenopsis genus-group and revision of Afrotropical Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology. 54: 263-452.. (page 421, Combination in Monomorium)
Borowiec, L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
Heterick, B.E. 2006. A revision of the Malagasy ants belonging to genus Monomorium Mayr, 1855. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences. 57:69-202.
Nsengimana, V., Hagenimana, T., Barakagwira, J., de Dieu Nsenganeza, J., Iradukunda, S. C., Majyambere, M., Kizungu, O. B., Nkundimana, A., Umutoni, D., Fabrice, R., Cyubahiro, B., Kouakou, L. M., Kolo, Y., Anale, J. S., Gómez, K., Dekoninck, W. 2023. Checklist of ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) species from Nyungwe Tropical Rain Forest, south-western Rwanda. Journal of East African Natural History 111(2), 69-81 (doi:10.2982/028.111.0203).
Santschi, F. 1921c. Quelques nouveaux Formicides africains. Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique 61: 113-122 (doi:10.5281/ZENODO.14442) (page 119, fig. 2 worker described)
Sharaf, M.R. & Aldawood, A.S. 2013. First occurrence of the Monomorium hildebrandti-Group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in the Arabian Peninsula, with Description of a new species M. kondratieffi n. sp. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 115(1):75-84. doi:10.4289/0013-8797.115.1.75
Sharaf, M.R., Abdel-Dayem, M.S., Mohamed, A.A., Fisher, B.L., Aldawood, A.S. 2020. A preliminary synopsis of the ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Qatar with remarks on the zoogeography. Annales Zoologici 70: 533-560 (doi:10.3161/00034541anz2020.70.4.005).
Sharaf, M.R., Fisher, B.L., Collingwood, C.A., Aldawood, A.S. 2017. Ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Socotra Archipelago (Yemen): zoogeography, distribution and description of a new species. Journal of Natural History 51, 317–378 (DOI 10.1080/00222933.2016.1271157).
Ward, P.S., Brady, S.G., Fisher, B.L., Schultz, T.R. 2015. The evolution of myrmicine ants: phylogeny and biogeography of a hyperdiverse ant clade (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Systematic Entomology 40: 61–81 (doi:10.1111/syen.12090).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Belshaw R., and B. Bolton. 1994. A survey of the leaf litter ant fauna in Ghana, West Africa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research. 3: 5-16.
Bolton B. 1987. A review of the Solenopsis genus-group and revision of Afrotropical Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology 54: 263-452.
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.
Garcia F.H., Wiesel E. and Fischer G. 2013.The Ants of Kenya (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)Faunal Overview, First Species Checklist, Bibliography, Accounts for All Genera, and Discussion on Taxonomy and Zoogeography. Journal of East African Natural History, 101(2): 127-222
Heterick B. 2006. A Revision of the Malagasy Ants Belonging to Genus Monomorium Mayr, 1855 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Proceeding of the California Academy of Sciences (PCAS) 57: 69-202
Ravelomanana A., and B. L. Fisher. 2013. Diversity of ants in burned and unburned grassland , and dry deciduous forest in the Beanka Reserve, Melaky Region, western Madagascar. Malagasy Nature 7: 171-183.
Ross S. R. P. J., F. Hita Garcia, G. Fischer, and M. K. Peters. 2018. Selective logging intensity in an East African rain forest predicts reductions in ant diversity. Biotropica 1-11.
Sharaf M.R., Aldawood, A.S. 2013. First occurrence of the Monomorium hildebrandti-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in the Arabian Peninsula, with description of a new species M. kondratieffi n. sp. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 115: 75-84 (doi:10.4289/0013-8797.115.1.75).
Yeo K., and A. Hormenyo. 2007. A Rapid Survey of Ants in Ajenjua Bepo and Mamang River Forest Reserves, Eastern Region of Ghana. Pp 27-29. In McCullough, J., P. Hoke, P. Naskrecki, and Y. Osei-Owusu (eds.). 2008. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Ajenjua Bepo and Mamang River Forest Reserves, Ghana. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 50. Conservation International, Arlington, VA, USA.