Tranopelta

Tranopelta
Tranopelta gilva
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Tranopelta Mayr, 1866
Type species
Tranopelta gilva
Diversity
2 species (Species Checklist, Species by Country) Tranopelta gilva Specimen Label

Evolutionary Relationships

Attini Ochetomyrmex   (2 species) Tranopelta   (2 species) Allomerus (8 species), Blepharidatta (4 species), Diaphoromyrma (1 species), Lachnomyrmex (16 species), Wasmannia (11 species) Acanthognathus (7 species), Colobostruma (16 species), Daceton (2 species), Epopostruma (20 species), Lenomyrmex (7 species), Mesostruma (9 species), Microdaceton (4 species), Orectognathus (29 species), Acromyrmex (56 species), Apterostigma (44 species), Atta (20 species), Cyatta (1 species), Cyphomyrmex (23 species), Kalathomyrmex (1 species), Mycetophylax (21 species), Mycetagroicus (4 species), Mycetarotes (4 species), Mycetosoritis (2 species), Mycocepurus (6 species), Myrmicocrypta (31 species), Sericomyrmex (11 species), Trachymyrmex (9 species), Xerolitor (1 species) Basiceros (9 species), Cephalotes (123 species), Eurhopalothrix (55 species), Octostruma (35 species), Phalacromyrmex (1 species), Pheidole (1,294 species), Pilotrochus (1 species), Procryptocerus (44 species), Protalaridris (7 species), Rhopalothrix (16 species), Strumigenys (859 species), Talaridris (1 species)

Based on Ward et al. (2014), Blaimer et al. (2018) and Li et al. (2018).

Ground dwelling ants (soil, litter and downed wood) that have mostly been collected in litter samples. Little is known about the biology of the two species in this genus. Tranopelta gilva appears to be much more common than the rarely collected Tranopelta subterranea hence more is know about the former.

Identification

Fernández (2003) - Tranopelta shows a moderate type of polymorphism with “minor” and “major” workers that may differ in some characteristics, mainly in the head. Major worker with palps 4.3 (Ettershank 1966).

The following combination of characters distinguishes Tranopelta from any other ant genera: Antennae with 11 segments and a 3-segmented club, mandibles with 4 to 5 teeth, propodeum lacks teeth or angles, petiole with ventrally bifurcated carinae, postpetiole with anterior ventral process, and moderate polymorphism.

Keys including this Genus

• Key to the Ant Genera of New Mexico

 

Keys to Species in this Genus

• Key to Tranopelta species

Biology

Life History Traits

• Mean colony size: 100's (Greer et al., 2021)
• Compound colony type: not parasitic (Greer et al., 2021)
• Nest site: hypogaeic (Greer et al., 2021)
• Diet class: predator (Greer et al., 2021)
• Foraging stratum: subterranean/leaf litter (Greer et al., 2021)

Morphology

Worker Morphology

 • Eyes: 2-10 ommatidia • Pronotal Spines: absent • Mesonotal Spines: absent • Propodeal Spines: absent • Petiolar Spines: absent • Caste: none or weak • Sting: NA • Metaplural Gland: present • Cocoon: absent

Nomenclature

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

• TRANOPELTA [Myrmicinae: Solenopsidini]
  • Tranopelta Mayr, 1866a: 512. Type-species: Tranopelta gilva, by monotypy.

Description

Fernández (2003):

Worker

[modified from Ettershank, 1966: 107): Worker. Length between 2 and nearly 6 mm. Slightly polymorphic, with simple continuous allometry leading to large-headed workers. Mandibles with four to five teeth. Canthellus of mandible just meeting the basal margin, trulleum distinct and closed. Labrum cleft, distal edge of lobes straight or rounded. Palpal formula 3.2: 4,3 in major workers of T. subterranea. Eyes poorly to moderately developed, with 3 to nearly 30 facets. Antennae 11-segmented with 3-segmented club. Head without antennal scrobes. Mesosoma with promesonotum and propodeum continuous in side view, only broken by clearly defined metanotal groove. Propodeum rounded, without spines, propodeal spiracles round, large, conspicuous. Bulla of metapleural gland bulging, with dorsal margin approaching propodeal spiracle. Propodeal spiracle ovoid to round, partly constricted in the larger workers. Petiole with differentiated peduncle and node. Petiolar spiracle situated midway between propodeal lobes and node. Petiole with dentiform ventral process, sometimes developed as a narrow spine. Posterior end of petiole with sides forming distinct carinae converging in middle of the posteroventral face. Postpetiole with distinct anterior ventral process: more or less broadly attached to gaster. Workers smooth to finely sculptured, sparsely to moderately hairy.

Queen

Larger than workers, around 12 mm in length. Antennal club scarcely differentiated. Palpal formula 4,3. Dorsal pilosity short and dense.

Male

Size: about 7 mm in length. Mandibles with 3 teeth, touching when closed. Petiole with neither subpetiolar process nor bifurcated carinae in ventral view.

References

• Ashmead, W. H. 1905c. A skeleton of a new arrangement of the families, subfamilies, tribes and genera of the ants, or the superfamily Formicoidea. Can. Entomol. 37: 381-384 (page 383, Tranopelta in Myrmicinae, Stenammini)
• Bolton, B. 1994. Identification guide to the ant genera of the world. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 222 pp. (page 106, Tranopelta in Myrmicinae, Ochetomyrmecini)
• Bolton, B. 2003. Synopsis and Classification of Formicidae. Mem. Am. Entomol. Inst. 71: 370pp (page 9, 219, Tranopelta in Myrmicinae, Solenopsidini)
• Boudinot, B.E. 2019. Hormigas de Colombia. Cap. 15. Clave para las subfamilias y generos basada en machos. Pp. 487-499 in: Fernández, F., Guerrero, R.J., Delsinne, T. (eds.) 2019d. Hormigas de Colombia. Bogotá: Universidad Nacional de Colombia, 1198 pp.
• Cantone S. 2018. Winged Ants, The queen. Dichotomous key to genera of winged female ants in the World. The Wings of Ants: morphological and systematic relationships (self-published).
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• Emery, C. 1895l. Die Gattung Dorylus Fab. und die systematische Eintheilung der Formiciden. Zool. Jahrb. Abt. Syst. Geogr. Biol. Tiere 8: 685-778 (page 770, Tranopelta in Myrmicinae, Solenopsidini)
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• Fernandez, F., Guerrero, R.J., Sánchez-Restrepo, A.F. 2021. Sistemática y diversidad de las hormigas neotropicales. Revista Colombiana de Entomología 47, 1–20 (doi:10.25100/socolen.v47i1.11082).
• Forel, A. 1893b. Sur la classification de la famille des Formicides, avec remarques synonymiques. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 37: 161-167 (page 164, Tranopelta in Myrmicinae, Solenopsidini)
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• Mayr, G. 1866a. Myrmecologische Beiträge. Sitzungsber. Kais. Akad. Wiss. Wien Math.-Naturwiss. Cl. Abt. I 53: 484-517 (page 512, Tranopelta as genus)
• Wheeler, W. M. 1910b. Ants: their structure, development and behavior. New York: Columbia University Press, xxv + 663 pp. (page 140, Tranopelta in Myrmicinae, Solenopsidini)
• Wheeler, W. M. 1922i. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VII. Keys to the genera and subgenera of ants. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 45: 631-710 (page 663, Tranopelta in Myrmicinae, Solenopsidini)