Technomyrmex indicus

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Technomyrmex indicus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Dolichoderinae
Genus: Technomyrmex
Species: T. indicus
Binomial name
Technomyrmex indicus
Bolton, 2007

Technomyrmex indicus casent0903039 p 1 high.jpg

Technomyrmex indicus casent0903039 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

The type collection was made from the internode of the myrmecophyte Humboldtia brunonis.


Photo Gallery

  • Technomyrmex indicus workers tending homopterans, India. Photo by Manoj Vembayam.

Identification

Bolton (2007) - A member of the T. pallipes complex in the Technomyrmex albipes group. Technomyrmex indicus is similar in structure and distribution of cephalic setae to the New Guinea species Technomyrmex prevaricus (known only from a single specimen). The two separate easily as they have the gastral setae of different lengths and different colour patterns, as noted in the key.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 12.2° to 12.2°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: India (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

AntMapLegend.png

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.
pChart

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.
pChart

Biology

Castes

Nomenclature

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

  • indicus. Technomyrmex indicus Bolton, 2007a: 87, fig. 48 (w. w-q intercaste) INDIA.

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

Description

Worker

Holotype. TL 2.8, HL 0.62, HW 0.60, SL 0.62, PW 0.39, WL 0.81. Indices: CI 97, SI 103, OI 28, EPI 73, DTI 138.

Frontal carina with 3 setae: In profile the anterior of these is at the torulus and the posterior is at about the level of the anterior margin of the eye. Dorsum of head from this seta with 6 - 7 more pairs of shorter setae to the posterior margin; posterior margin itself with 6 - 8 setae that form a transverse row across its width. All dorsal setae are shorter than the maximum diameter of the eye. Anterior c1ypeal margin very shallowly concave medially. Posterior margin of head in full-face view with a shallow median indentation. Sides of head convex and the outer margins of the eyes just fail to touch the outline of the sides in full-face view. With mesosoma in profile the mesonotal outline forms a smooth even shallow curve, without a distinct step or angle in the outline that defines conspicuous dorsal and declivitous faces. Propodeal dorsum in profile forms a bluntly rounded narrow curve into the declivity; straight-line length of dorsum is less than the depth of the declivity to the spiracle. Number of setal pairs on mesosoma: pronotum 4; mesonotum 3; propodeal dorsum with 1 - 2, minute; lateral margins of propodeal declivity 2, longer than those on propodeal dorsum. Gastral tergites 1 – 4 each with numerous setae all over the sclerites, the longest on the first gastral tergite are shorter than the maximum diameter of the eye. Head and gaster dark brown, mesosoma lighter brown, petiole yellow. Middle and hind coxae and trochanters yellow; basal one-third of femora yellow, apical two-thirds brown; tibiae and tarsi yellow.

Paratype. TL 2.8, HL 0.64, HW 0.62, SL 0.64, PW 0.40, WL 0.82. Indices: CI 97, SI 103, OI 26, EPI 78, OTI 140. As holotype.

Intercaste

Paratype. TL 3.1, HL 0.63, HW 0.61, SL 0.60, PW 0.·10, WL 0.90. Indices: CI 97, SI 98, OI 28, EPI 70, OTI 138. An extreme worker-like intercaste. Very similar to holotype but with the mesoscutellum very slightly developed, the propodeum in profile with its dorsum rounding more broadly into the declivity and the scapes shorter.

Type Material

Holotype worker (top specimen of 3 on pin), India: Karnataka, Makut Forest Reserve, 13 - 18 km. S. Virajpet, l2°12'N, 75°46'E, 28.iii.1997, in internode of Humboldtia brunonis (K V. Krombein) (The Natural History Museum). Paratypes. 1 worker (middle specimen) and 1 intercaste (bottom specimen) with same data (BMNH).

References

  • Bolton, B. 2007. Taxonomy of the dolichoderine ant genus Technomyrmex Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) based on the worker caste. Contributions of the American Entomological Institute. 35(1):1-149.