Meranoplus rugosus

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Meranoplus rugosus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Meranoplus
Species: M. rugosus
Binomial name
Meranoplus rugosus
Crawley, 1922

Meranoplus rugosus casent0902052 p 1 high.jpg

Meranoplus rugosus casent0902052 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

The best known of the species in the M. rugosus group, and is probably the most abundant Meranoplus in the Perth area, being quite at home on suburban lawns. (Heterick 2009)


Photo Gallery

  • A Meranoplus rugosus on the move. They are relatively common ants, and are definitely one of the most distinctive. It is probably the most common species found around Karrakatta, Perth, Western Australia. Photo by Farhan Bokhari, 21 November 2008.
  • A Meranoplus rugosus on the move. They are relatively common ants, and are definitely one of the most distinctive. It is probably the most common species found around Karrakatta, Perth, Western Australia. Photo by Farhan Bokhari, 21 November 2008.

Identification

Heterick (2009) - A member of the M. rugosus group. The members of this group are identified by the large translucent windows or fenestrae on the promesonotal shield, and often have a characteristic postpetiole that is very thick and has a smoothly vertical anterior face. This small, orange species can be recognized immediately because of its anteriorly striate gaster and its rather square postpetiole with a steep anterior face.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Heterick (2009) - South-western corner of WA.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -29.88333333° to -33.815°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: Australia (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

Castes

Images from AntWeb

Meranoplus rugosus casent0902052 p 2 high.jpgMeranoplus rugosus casent0902052 d 2 high.jpg
Syntype of Meranoplus hirsutus rugosusWorker. Specimen code casent0902052. Photographer Ryan Perry, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by NHMUK, London, UK.

Nomenclature

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

  • rugosus. Meranoplus hirsutus r. rugosa Crawley, 1922b: 443 (w.) AUSTRALIA (Western Australia).
    • Type-material: lectotype worker (by designation of Taylor, 1990c: 34), 13 paralectotype workers.
    • Type-locality: lectotype Australia: Western Australia, Parkerville, no. 29 (J. Clark); paralectotypes with same data.
    • Type-depositories: OXUM (lectotype); ANIC, OXUM (paralectotypes).
    • Subspecies of hirsutus: Taylor & Brown, 1985: 67; Taylor, 1987a: 39.
    • Status as species: Taylor, 1990c: 39; Bolton, 1995b: 251; Heterick, 2009: 155.
    • Distribution: Australia.

Type Material

Description

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Heterick B. E. 2009. A guide to the ants of south-western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 76: 1-206.