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Aenictus steindachneri
| Aenictus steindachneri | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Dorylinae |
| Genus: | Aenictus |
| Species group: | rotundatus |
| Species complex: | mariae |
| Species: | A. steindachneri |
| Binomial name | |
| Aenictus steindachneri Mayr, 1901
| |
There are only a few collections of this species and nothing is known about its biology.
Identification
Gómez (2022) - A member of the mariae species complex in the Aenictus rotundatus species group. This species can be separated from the rest of the group as it presents a quite dense white pubescence directed backwards at the meso and especially at the metapleurae. The other species may present some isolated small setae, but never becoming pubescent in appearance. It also presents the most developed propodeal process of the four species in this complex.
Its general shape, size and colour might resemble Aenictus rotundatus, but can be separated due to its shorter scapes (SIL >60 for rotundatus) and cited pubescence.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -20° to -24.90867°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps; Gomez, 2022
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: South Africa (type locality), Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe.
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. |
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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
Known from the worker caste. Table of castes known for all Afrotropical Aenictus species.
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- steindachneri. Aenictus steindachneri Mayr, 1901b: 2 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.
- Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
- [Note: Gómez, 2022: 57, cites 5w syntypes (4 NHMB, 1 NHMW), plus another 6 MHNG, but the latter were collected by Arnold and are therefore not type-material.]
- Type-locality: South Africa: Orange Free State, Reddersburg (H. Brauns).
- Type-depository: NHMB, NHMW.
- Status as species: Emery, 1904a: 111; Emery, 1910b: 31; Santschi, 1914b: 69; Arnold, 1915: 139; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 754; Bolton, 1995b: 60; Hita Garcia, et al. 2013: 201; Gómez, 2022: 57 (redescription).
- Distribution: South Africa, Zimbabwe.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Gómez (2022) - HL: 0.59 [0.43-0.74]; HW: 0.51 [0.36-0.65]; SL: 0.31 [0.20-0.38]; WL: 0.82 [0.56-1.03]; PL: 0.20 [0.14-0.25]; PH: 0.17 [0.12-0.20]; PPL: 0.17 [0.11-0.22]; PPH: 0.14 [0.10-0.16]; CS: 0.55 [0.39-0.70]; CI: 86 [79-93]; SIL: 52 [46-57]; SIW: 60 [53-66]; WL/HW: 159 [147-177]; PI: 122 [105-133]; PPI: 121 [100-138]; CSR: 176; (n=21).
Polymorphic (CSR>170). Scapes short, just reaching the median line of the head when laid back (SL/HL~0.55). Funicular segments wider than long, the apical about twice longer than wide. Head rectangular, longer than wide (CI~85), slightly widest at the middle. Occipital line straight. Mandibles with a long, sharp apical tooth and 5–7 smaller denticles, sometimes eroded seeming edentate. Frontal ridges present fused in the minor workers and touching each other in major workers.
Major workers with pro and mesonotum slightly convex, propodeum flat and slightly elevated in the major workers, with a discernible mesopropodeal suture and anterior sloping face; minima workers with flat mesosoma in profile, mesopropodeal suture absent, and all the spectrum in the middle. Transverse mesopleural groove not present. Mesometapleural suture present but very weak. Propodeal declivity weakly concave with propodeal ridges absent; a weak faint line can be present in major workers laterally.
Petiole with anterolateral ridges present, anterodorsal and dorsolateral ridges absent. Petiolar and postpetiolar domes low, rounded in lateral view, subrectangular, anteriorly vertical and posteriorly rounded. Subpetiolar process strongly developed, with a bulky elliptical process followed by a big triangular to elliptical lamellae oriented forward-downward, lamella becoming half the total process height.
All body surfaces smooth and shining except for mandibles with some feeble rugulae at the base and sometimes a small carina at its basal half not covering the whole mandibular length; meso and metapleurae from alutaceus to reticulate, spaces inside reticulation smooth; lateral sides of petiole and postpetiole from smooth to alutaceus. Overall colour bright yellow to yellow, punctate zones and sutures darker.
Decumbent to semierect white setae present, including head, scapes and legs. Dorsum of propodeum bare except for its anterior and posterior borders. The setae variable in length, the longest comparable to petiole height. Scapes and funiculus with decumbent to semierect pilosity, the longest setae on scape clearly longer than maximum scape width; meso and metapleurae covered with a dense white short pubescence directed backwards.
Type Material
- Syntypes, SOUTH AFRICA: Orange [CASENT0911440] (4w) NHMB [Examined by Gomez, 2022]; Syntype, SOUTH AFRICA: Free State, Reddesburg (1w) [CASENT0919642] NMHW: Coll. Mayr [Examined by Gomez, 2022]; Syntypes, SOUTH AFRICA: Free State, Orange (Arnold) (6w) MHNG: Coll. Forel [Examined by Gomez, 2022].
Gomez (2022): There is a series of 8 workers at MNHW from Reddesburg, identified by E. Mayr as types for “A. rotundatus laevigatus”, probably part of the type series for A. steindachneri, but not labelled as such.
References
- Gomez, K. 2022. A revision of the Afrotropical species of the Dorylinae ant genus Aenictus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) based on the worker caste. Belgian Journal of Entomology 124: 1–86 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.5898821).
- Mayr, G. 1901b. Südafrikanische Formiciden, gesammelt von Dr. Hans Brauns. Ann. K-K. Naturhist. Mus. Wien 16: 1-30 (page 2, worker described)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Arnold G. 1915. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Part I. Ponerinae, Dorylinae. Annals of the South African Museum 14: 1-159.
- Borowiec M. L. 2016. Generic revision of the ant subfamily Dorylinae (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys 608: 1–280.