Manica yessensis

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Manica yessensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Myrmicini
Genus: Manica
Species: M. yessensis
Binomial name
Manica yessensis
Azuma, 1955

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Specimen Labels


Common Name
Tsuya-kushike-ari
Language: Japanese

Manica yessensis nests in the soil of volcanic mountains at gravelly sites with patchy vegetation, or under stones in dry river-beds. Dietary items include insects and honey dew. Winged reproductives emerge in August. Manica yessensis is sporadically distributed, perhaps in relation to its particular habitat preferences. (Japanese Ant Image Database)

Identification

Workers 5-7 mm.

Head and gaster black, other parts brown, yellowish brown, or reddish brown. Mandibles armed with two large apical teeth and 10 or 11 denticles. Anterior clypeal margin slightly concave in the middle. Antennal scapes just reaching posterior border of the head; abruptly bent at the base. Dorsal margin of promesonotum in lateral view smoothly connected with the metanotal groove. Metanotal groove deeply impressed both dorsally and laterally. Both sides of the transition area between the dorsal and declivitous faces of the propodeum slightly raised and obtusely angulate in lateral view. Dorsal faces of head, mesosoma and petiole longitudinally rugose. Standing hairs abundant on body. Tibial spurs of middle and hind legs simple (they are more or less pectinate in the other Manica species).

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: Japan (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

The larvae of this species were described under the name Manica sp. by Wheeler & Wheeler (1977). M. yessensis nest in the soil of volcanic mountains at gravelly sites with patchy vegetation, or under stones in dry river-beds. Dietary items include insects and honey dew. Winged reproductives emerge in August. Manica yessensis is sporadically distributed, perhaps in relation to its particular habitat preferences.

(Japanese Ant Image Database)

Association with Other Organisms

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Flight Period

X
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

 Notes: Japan.

Castes

Only the worker caste has been described.

Nomenclature

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

  • yessensis. Manica yessensis Azuma, 1955: 80 (footnote) (w.) JAPAN.
    • Type-material: 30 syntype workers.
    • Type-locality: Japan: Hokkaido I., Mt Tokachi (1200 m.), 6.viii.1954 (M. Azuma).
    • Type-depository: unknown.
    • Status as species: Onoyama, 1980: 197; Ogata, 1991b: 80; Morisita, et al. 1992: 13; Bolton, 1995b: 249; Imai, et al. 2003: 180; Guénard & Dunn, 2012: 44.
    • Distribution: China, Japan.

Description

Workers 5-7 mm.

Head and gaster black, other parts brown, yellowish brown, or reddish brown. Mandibles armed with two large apical teeth and 10 or 11 denticles. Anterior clypeal margin slightly concave in the middle. Antennal scapes just reaching posterior border of the head; abruptly bent at the base. Dorsal margin of promesonotum in lateral view smoothly connected with the metanotal groove. Metanotal groove deeply impressed both dorsally and laterally. Both sides of the transition area between the dorsal and declivitous faces of the propodeum slightly raised and obtusely angulate in lateral view. Dorsal faces of head, mesosoma and petiole longitudinally rugose. Standing hairs abundant on body. Tibial spurs of middle and hind legs simple (they are more or less pectinate in the other Manica species).

Paratype

Tokochidake
1200-1300 m
17-VIII-1954
4508

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Azuma M. 1955. A list of ants (Formicidae) from Hokkaido Is. Hyogo Biology 3:79-80.
  • Sakai H. 2002. Reproductive flight season of Japanese ants. Ari 26: 33-39.
  • Terayama M. 1992. Structure of ant communities in East Asia. A. Regional differences and species richness. Bulletin of the Bio-geographical Society of Japan 47: 1-31.
  • Terayama M., K. Ogata, and B.M. Choi. 1994. Distribution records of ants in 47 prefectures of Japan. Ari (report of the Myrmecologists Society of Japan) 18: 5-17.