Meranoplus unicolor
Meranoplus unicolor | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Formicidae |
Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
Tribe: | Crematogastrini |
Genus: | Meranoplus |
Species: | M. unicolor |
Binomial name | |
Meranoplus unicolor Forel, 1902 |
Occuring from Kimberley over central Australia to the north-east coast of Queensland; missing in southern Australia.
Identification
Schödl (2007) - M. unicolor is a variable taxon, in particular with regard to the clypeal projection and the petiolar shape. Nonetheless, the clypeal structure in addition to the distinct gastral striation should leave no doubt as to the identity of the taxon. Additional material is needed to show whether more than a single taxon is involved.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -13.73333359° to -16.5546°.
North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia (type locality).
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. |
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. |
Biology
Castes
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- unicolor. Meranoplus diversus r. unicolor Forel, 1902h: 455 (w.) AUSTRALIA (Western Australia).
- Type-material: lectotype worker (by designation of Schödl, 2007: 378), 5 paralectotype workers.
- Type-locality: lectotype Australia: NW Australia, King’s Sound (Froggatt); paralectotypes with same data.
- Type-depositories: MHNG (lectotype); ANIC, MHNG, MVMA (paralectotypes).
- Subspecies of diversus: Emery, 1924d: 229; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 67; Taylor, 1987a: 38.
- Status as species: Taylor, 1990c: 34; Bolton, 1995b: 252; Andersen, 2006: 165 (in key); Schödl, 2007: 378 (redescription).
- Distribution: Australia.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Schödl (2007) - (n = 22). TL 6.15-8.40, HL 1.66-2.15, HW 1.78-2.37, FC 1.27-1.73, CS 1.72-2.26, SL 0.88-1.1, SI1 44-52, SI2 46-54, PML 1.0-1.4, PW 1.38-1.85, PMI 118-138, PMD 1.28-1.80, PMI2 89-100, ML 1.45-1.97, PSL 0.48-0.85, PTLL 0.46-0.63, PTLH 0.60-0.83, PTDW 0.6-0.85, PPLL 0.4-0.64, PPLH 0.55-0.83, PPI 64-77, PPDW 0.55-0.88, PT/PP 93-109.
Mandibles with three teeth. In full face view clypeal projection distinctly exceeding anterolateral frontal corners, with a median bicarinate flat elaboration, that may considerably surpass the anterior clypeal margin. Frontal carinae sinuately narrowed towards clypeus, distinctly narrower than head width (FI 134-148). Head weakly to distinctly wider than long (CI 104-118), preoccipital margin distinctly concave. Antennal scrobe in lateral view posteriorly surpassing middle of length of head, merging into lateral sides far before posterior corners; distinctly transversely carinulate at rear, occasionally with additional shagreen. Genae and ventrolateral sides of head carinate to rugose, preoccipital lobes reticulate. Eyes of moderate size (EL 0.30-0.36, REL 0.16-0.20, with 16-19 ommatidia in the longest row), in lateral view situated in anterior half of lateral sides of head, not reaching ventral scrobal margin. Dorsal surface of head with additional microreticulum between ridges of rugo-reticulation.
Promesonotal shield only very narrowly translucently margined. Mesonotum posteriorly markedly narrowing with the posterolateral projections reduced and bluntly rounded, occasionally as more or less well developed acute denticles. Propodeal declivity visible from above. Propodeal spines due to variable body size varying in length (0.48-0.85), situated above middle of length of declivity, acute and considerably diverging when seen from above. Petiole in lateral view higher than long (PTI 70-86), box-shaped to roughly triangular with anterior and posterior faces meeting in an angle. Postpetiole nodiform with short to mediumsized antero-basal tooth.
First gastral tergite entirely and distinctly striate to punctate-striate, with lateral striation on corresponding ventrite as well. Surface covered with moderately dense regular pilosity consisting of shorter decumbent hairs and longer erect ones, pilosity on dorsal head shorter than that on mesosoma and gaster.
Concolorous brown to dark-brown.
Type Material
- Meranoplus diversus unicolor Forel, 1902: Lectotype, King Sound, Western Australia, Australia, Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève.
- Meranoplus diversus unicolor Forel, 1902: Paralectotype, 1 worker, King Sound, Western Australia, Australia, Australian National Insect Collection.
- Meranoplus diversus unicolor Forel, 1902: Paralectotype, 3 workers, King Sound, Western Australia, Australia, Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève.
- Meranoplus diversus unicolor Forel, 1902: Paralectotype, 1 worker, King Sound, Western Australia, Australia, Museum Victoria, Melbourne.
References
- Forel, A. 1902j. Fourmis nouvelles d'Australie. Rev. Suisse Zool. 10: 405-548 (page 455, worker described)
- Heterick, B.E. 2021. A guide to the ants of Western Australia. Part I: Systematics. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 86, 1-245 (doi:10.18195/issn.0313-122x.86.2021.001-245).
- Heterick, B.E. 2022. A guide to the ants of Western Australia. Part II: Distribution and biology. Records of the Western Australian Museum, supplement 86: 247-510 (doi:10.18195/issn.0313-122x.86.2022.247-510).
- Schödl, S. 2007. Revision of Australian Meranoplus: the Meranoplus diversus group. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 80:370-424.
- Taylor, R. W. 1990d. The nomenclature and distribution of some Australian and New Caledonian ants of the genus Meranoplus Fr. Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Gen. Appl. Entomol. 22: 31-40 (page 34, Raised to species)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Andersen A. N. 2006. A systematic overview of Australian species of the myrmicine ant genus Meranoplus F. Smith, 1853. Myrmecologische Nachrichten 8: 157-170.
- Schödl S. 2007. Revision of Australian Meranoplus: the Meranoplus diversus group. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 80: 370-424.