Meranoplus borneensis

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Meranoplus borneensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Meranoplus
Species: M. borneensis
Binomial name
Meranoplus borneensis
Schödl, 1998

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Specimen Labels

Nothing is known about the biology of Meranoplus borneensis.

Identification

Schödl (1998) - Among the smaller species of Oriental region Meranoplus, Meranoplus borneensis is distinct by the shape of the promesonotal shield, the petiole, and the structure of the gaster. It shares an unarmed shield with Meranoplus malaysianus but differs in profile by the broader petiole, shagreened gaster, and secondary pilosity.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Borneo (type locality), Indonesia, Malaysia.

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.

  • borneensis. Meranoplus borneensis Schödl, 1998: 377, figs. 5, 19, 30 (w.) BORNEO (East Malaysia: Sabah).
    • Type-material: holotype worker, 18 paratype workers.
    • Type-locality: holotype Malaysia: Sabah, Crtocker Range N.P., KK-Tambunan, 60 km., 1270 m., 17.v.1987, no. 29a (Burckhardt & Löbl); paratypes: 17 workers with same data, 1 worker with same data but 1600 m., 18.v.1987, no. 30.
    • Type-depositories: MHNG (holotype); BMNH, MHNG, NHMW (paratypes).
    • Status as species: Pfeiffer, et al. 2011: 47.
    • Distribution: Malaysia (Sabah).

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

Description

Worker

Holotype: TL: 3.0, HL: 0.75, HW: 0.75, CI: 100 SL- 48 SI- 64 PML: 0.55, PW: 0.7, PMI: 127, AL: 0.6.

Paratypes: TL: 2.55 - 3.0, HL: 0.63 - 0.75, HW: 0.68 - 0.75, CI- 100 - 107 SL- 0.45 - 0.5, SI: 63 - 69, PML: 0.53 - 0.58, PW: 0.63 - 0.75, PMI: 125 - 136, AL: 0.58 - 0.65 (13 measured).

Mandibles striate, armed with four teeth. Mid-portion of clypeus vertical, roughly reticulate-rugulose, only feebly concave; anterior clypeal margin produced into a narrow lamellate apron. Frontal triangle reduced to an arcuate glossy furrow with occasional rugae. Head above antennal scrobes rectangular, posteriorly parallel-sided, anteriorly sides of head narrowed towards clypeus. Posterior corners of head acutely angulate. Ventrally to the antennal scrobes head similarly shaped, thus genae not protruding, hardly visible when viewd from above. Frons on each side of posterior boarder of clypeus above antennal sockets with a hyaline, translucent fenestra. Genae rugulose-reticulate, antennal scrobes anteriorly without sculpture, posteriorly above eyes with transverse costulae. Compound eyes situated only slightly behind middle of lateral sides of head. Maximum diameter of eye 0.16-0.18, with 8-10 ommatidia in the longest row.

Promesonotum rectangular, wider than long, the promesonotal shield laterally distinctly margined and overhanging sides of alitrunk. Sides of promesonotal shield without any acute projections or spines, roughly crenulate. Anterior corners of pronotum acutely angled, almost rectangular. Lateral sides of pronotum parallel, at about level of (invisible) promesonotal suture the shield slightly constricted and with a transparent fenestra on each side. Mesonotum anteriorly parallel-sided as well, posteriorly angled and converging with a concavity. At level of the concavity near lateral sides with a second equal sized or slightly smaller fenestra. Hind margin of mesonotum undulated, medially with a wide transverse translucent area which overhangs the propodeum posteriorly. Declivity of propodeum glossy throughout, meeting the dorsum of alitrunk almost in a right angle. No suture between dorsum of alitrunk and propodeum is visible below the posterior mesonotal margin, when viewed from behind. Propodeal spines acute, short, situated at middle of length of propodeum.

Petiole in lateral view distinctly obliquely truncate, its anterior face shiny, the dorsum and lateral sides rugulose, the posterior face shining with a few rugae. Postpetiole nodiform, reticulate-rugulose. First gastral tergite entirely densely shagreened, when examined with higher magnification seen as a minute reticulum.

Frons anteriorly rugose, remainder dorsum of head and promesonotum densely reticulate- rugulose; mesonotum near posterior margin with few rugae. Width of meshes on head ca. 30 - 50 um on dorsal alitrunk ca. (30)40 - 70 ^m. Entire dorsal surface covered with a layer of whitish, rather stiff, erect to suberect pubescence of ca. 80-120 μm long hairs; the pubescence is surpassed by considerably longer, outstanding hairs (ca. 200 - 250 μm). Colour uniformly pale to dark brown, dorsum of head somewhat brighter.

Type Material

Holotype worker, "SABAH Crocker RG. NP KK-Tambunan \ 60 km. 17.V.87 Burckhardt 4- Lobl. 1270 m [overleaf:] 29a" (Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève); 17 paratype workers, same locality data (MHNG, The Natural History Museum, Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna); 1 paratype worker, "SABAH: 1600 m. Crocker Range K.K.-Tambunan 18V 87 Lobl + Burckhardt [overleaf:] 30" (MHNG). Type locality: Crocker Range National Park, Sabah, E-Malaysia.

Etymology

At least one species in the genus should be named after the largest island in the Malay archipelago, Borneo.

References

  • Schödl, S. 1998. Taxonomic revision of Oriental Meranoplus F. Smith, 1853 (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Ann. Naturhist. Mus. Wien. B. Bot. Zool. 100: 361-394 (page 377, figs. 5, 19, 30 worker described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • 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
  • Schödl S. 1998. Taxonomic revision of Oriental Meranoplus F. Smith, 1853 (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien. B, Botanik, Zoologie 100: 361-394.