Technomyrmex wheeleri

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Technomyrmex wheeleri
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Dolichoderinae
Genus: Technomyrmex
Species: T. wheeleri
Binomial name
Technomyrmex wheeleri
(Emery, 1913)

Technomyrmex-wheeleriL3.2.jpg

Technomyrmex-wheeleriD3.2.jpg

Type Specimen Label

Synonyms

Nothing is known about the biology of Technomyrmex wheeleri.

Identification

Bolton (2007) - A member of the Technomyrmex grandis group. Close to Technomyrmex grandis but much less luxuriantly hairy. T. grandis is larger than wheeleri, has more posteriorly located eyes and a longer and more broadly rounded propodeum. The setae of wheeleri are much sparser and shorter than those of grandis: outstanding setae on the scapes and tibiae are shorter than the width of the segment from which they arise in wheeleri, longer in grandis; the longest setae on the first gastral tergite are always much longer than the maximum diameter of the eye in grandis, usually shorter than the maximum diameter of the eye in wheeleri.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 12.766089° to 2.8°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Borneo, Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines (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.

  • smithi. Iridomyrmex smithi Wheeler, W.M. 1909d: 341 (w.q.) PHILIPPINES. [Junior secondary homonym of Formica smithii Lowne, 1865a: 276 (now in Iridomyrmex).] Replacement name: wheeleri Emery, 1913a: 26.
  • wheeleri. Iridomyrmex wheeleri Emery, 1913a: 26. Replacement name for Iridomyrmex smithi Wheeler, W.M. 1909d: 341. [Junior secondary homonym of Formica smithii Lowne, 1865a: 276 (now in Iridomyrmex).] Combination in Technomyrmex: Shattuck, 1992a: 15. Senior synonym of niasensis: Bolton, 2007a: 106.
  • niasensis. Technomyrmex niasensis Menozzi, 1932d: 8, fig. 3 (w.) INDONESIA (Nias I.). Junior synonym of wheeleri: Bolton, 2007a: 106.

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

Description

Worker

Bolton (2007) - TL 3.3 - 3.6, HL 0.70 - 0.79, HW 0.62 - 0.72, SL 0.86 – 0.98, PW 0.45 – 0.51, WL 1.06 - 1.12 (10 measured). Indices: CI 89 - 95, SI 129 - 140, OI 27 - 32 EPI 80 - 86, DTI 137 - 155.

Dorsum of head in profile with 4 - 6 pairs of setae in front of level of posterior margin of eye; usually with some much shorter setae among the longer pairs. The longest setal pair is located about half way between level of posterior margin of eye and posterior margin of the head and is followed by several shorter pairs before the posterior margin is reached. Ventral surface of head with a few short setae present. With head in full-face view the posterior margin and sides with outstanding short setae, those on the sides inclined anteriorly; anterior clypeal margin with a weak to moderate median impression; posterior margin of head impressed. Eyes located just in front ofmidlength of head (EP 80 - 86), their outer margins usually just fail to break the outline of the sides of the head but in some individuals just break the outline. Scapes with sparse, short setae on all surfaces, the longest at most equal to the width of the scape but usually slightly shorter. Pronotum with several pairs of short setae; mesonotum usually with a single short pair, located close to the metathoracic spiracle; rarely a more anterior pair may also be developed. Propodeum in profile with a short dorsum that rounds into the declivity. Propodeal dorsum without setae but some elevated pubescence may be present; declivity with 2 - 3 pairs of setae. Gastral tergites 1 – 4 each with setae; longest setae are usually shorter than the maximum diameter of the eye but may be subequal in some individuals. Middle and hind tibiae with short projecting setae, the longest distinctly shorter than the maximum tibial width. Colour medium brown to black.

Type Material

Bolton (2007) - Syntype workers and queen, Philippines: Romblon I. (H. M. Smith) (Museum of Comparative Zoology) [examined].

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • 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): 1-150.
  • Bolton, B. "Taxonomy of the dolichoderine ant genus Technomyrmex Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) based on the worker caste." Contributions of the American Entomological Institute 35, no. 1 (2007): 1-149.
  • Chapman, J. W., and Capco, S. R. 1951. Check list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Asia. Monogr. Inst. Sci. Technol. Manila 1: 1-327
  • Menozzi, C. 1932. Formiche dell'Isola di Nias. Misc. Zool. Sumatr. 65: 1-13
  • Pfeiffer M.; Mezger, D.; Hosoishi, S.; Bakhtiar, E. Y.; Kohout, R. J. 2011. The Formicidae of Borneo (Insecta: Hymenoptera): a preliminary species list. Asian Myrmecology 4:9-58
  • Shattuck S. O. 1994. Taxonomic catalog of the ant subfamilies Aneuretinae and Dolichoderinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). University of California Publications in Entomology 112: i-xix, 1-241.