Euponera haratsingy

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Euponera haratsingy
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Ponerinae
Tribe: Ponerini
Genus: Euponera
Species complex: sikorae
Species: E. haratsingy
Binomial name
Euponera haratsingy
(Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2013)

Pachycondyla haratsingy casent0195184 p 1 high.jpg

Pachycondyla haratsingy casent0195184 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

This species is known from the holotype, a worker sampled from leaf litter.

Identification

Rakotonirina and Fisher (2013) - Worker. Anterior margin of clypeus widely transverse and slightly medially notched; metanotal groove weakly impressed; posterior surface of petiolar node with numerous slender hairs and abundant pubescence; anterior surface of first gastral segment concave, forming shallow impression to lodge posterior surface of petiole; lateral portion of head densely and finely reticulate-rugulose, sides of petiolar node densely and finely punctate.

Euponera haratsingy may be confused with Euponera ivolo but the former has reticulate-rugulose sculpture on the lateral portion of the head and petiolar node, whereas the sides of the head and petiolar node of the latter are smooth and shiny between small piligerous punctures.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Only known from the RS Ankarana in northwestern Madagascar.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -12.9° to -12.9°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Malagasy Region: Madagascar (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

Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

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

  • haratsingy. Pachycondyla haratsingy Rakotonirina & Fisher, 2013: 464, figs. 4, 40, 41, 42, 74 (w.) MADAGASCAR. Combination in Euponera: Schmidt & Shattuck, 2014: 87.

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

Description

Worker

(1 specimen): HW: 1.51, HL: 1.67, CI: 90, SL: 1.16, SI: 77, PW: 1.06, WL: 2.37, NH: 0.83, NL: 0.63, NW: 0.86, DNI: 137, LNI: 132.

Head oblong, broadest at midlength; lateral borders generally convex and posterior margin weakly medially excised. Head capsule densely and finely reticulate-punctate. Eyes small, flushing with the head surface. Antennal scape short, not attaining posterior cephalic margin. Anterior margin of clypeus broad and transverse, not medially convex but slightly notched. Mandibular blades smooth and shiny apart from scattered punctures; masticatory margins with ten teeth or denticles; outer margin of mandibles, from the base to apical portion, gradually curving towards the midline.

With mesosoma in dorsal view, metanotal groove a shallowly impressed transverse line; posterior margin of propodeum simple, not lamellate, and without a series of sharp teeth; dorsum of mesosoma reticulate-rugulose, superimposed with small punctures. Petiolar node broader than long in dorsal view, with medially bluntly angulate posterior margin and broadly convex anterior border; dorsum of node with large punctures; posterior surface covered with abundant pubescence; subpetiolar process anteriorly subquadrate followed by posteriorly acute angle. Anterior face of first gastral segment, from lower level of tergite towards anterodorsal angle, inclined posteriorly and shallowly impressed to lodge posterior face of petiolar node; this impression is deepest immediately above helcium and turns into a superficial cavity near the anterodorsal angle. First two gastral tergites covered with denser fine punctures.

Head and the rest of body dorsum with slender, elongate, erect hairs and abundant pubescence; dark brown in color with red to light brown appendages and tip of gaster.

Type Material

Holotype worker: Madagascar, Antsiranana, RS Ankarana, 7 km SE Matsaborimanga, -12.9, 49.1167, 150 m, sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood), 28 Nov 1990, (P.S. Ward) collection code: PSW11010 specimen code: CASENT0195184 (Philip S. Ward Collection).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Rakotonirina J. C., and B. L. Fisher. 2013. Revision of the Pachycondyla sikorae species-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Madagascar. Zootaxa 3683 (4): 447-485.