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Monomorium taedium
| Monomorium taedium | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Solenopsidini |
| Genus: | Monomorium |
| Species: | M. taedium |
| Binomial name | |
| Monomorium taedium Bolton, 1987
| |
Collected from grasslands, semi-open habitats, to closed woodland Acacia habitat via hand collecting, pitfall trapping and in leaf-litter sampling.
Identification
Heterick (2006) - A member of the M. exiguum complex in the M. monomorium species group.
Bolton (1987) - Among the Afrotropical species with only 11 antennal segments taedium is isolated by its relatively large eyes, dark colour, size, and lack of an enlarged and characteristically shaped postpetiole such as is seen in Monomorium bequaerti and its allies. Like Monomorium mictilis and Monomorium fastidium, taedium also lacks a pair of standing hairs on the anterior margin of the pronotum between the humeral pair, but taedium is larger than either of these and has many more ommatidia in the eye.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -24.43333° to -34.17579°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: South Africa (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. |
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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.
- taedium. Monomorium taedium Bolton, 1987: 415 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.
- Type-material: holotype worker, 7 paratype workers.
- Type-locality: South Africa: Natal, U,lalazi Nature Res., 25.iii.1979 (D.J. Brothers); paratypes with same data.
- Type-depositories: BMNH (holotype); BMNH, MCZC (paratypes).
- Status as species: Bolton, 1995b: 267.
- Distribution: South Africa.
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 1.7, HL 0.46, HW 0.38, CI 83, SL 0.31, SI 82, PW 0.25, AL 0.49.
Clypeal carinae conspicuous, close together posteriorly and widely divergent anteriorly. Anterior margin of prominent median portion of clypeus transverse to exceptionally feebly convex, the anterior margin meeting the sides in an obtuse angle but lacking projecting sharp angles or denticles. Maximum diameter of eye 0.21 x HW, with 6 ommatidia in the longest row. With the head in profile the eye almost as high as long and the outer ring of ommatidia enclosing three longitudinal rows, unlike most other members of the shilohense-complex where the outer ring of ommatidia only encloses a single longitudinal row of 2-4 ommatidia. In full-face view the eyes conspicuously in front of the midlength of the sides of the head. Antennae with 11 segments. Antennal scapes, when laid straight back from their insertions, failing to reach the occipital margin Promesonotum in profile feebly convex and forming a long shallow slope back to the broadly impressed metanotal groove ; the latter with conspicuous cross-ribs. Propodeal dorsum highest immediately behind the metanotal groove, sloping downwards posteriorly and rounding broadly and evenly into the declivity. Propodeal spiracle small. Petiole with a short narrow anterior peduncle which has a very small anteroventral process. Ventral outline of petiole markedly concave from process to level of the spiracle, behind which it is markedly convex beneath the node proper. Petiole node in profile bluntly subconical and rounded above, the postpetiole slightly smaller but much more broadly rounded dorsally. All dorsal surfaces of head and body with standing hairs, the promesonotum with 3-4 pairs but the pronotum lacking a pair on the anterior margin between the humeral pair. Sculpture absent except for metanotal cross-ribs and some faint punctulate areas on the mesopleuron. Colour glossy medium brown.
Paratypes. TL 1.6-1.7, HL 0.42-0.47, HW 0.34-0.38, CI 80-83, SL 0.28-0.31, SI 80-83, PW 0.23-0.26, AL 0.44-0.49 (7 measured). As holotype but some lighter brown in colour. Maximum diameter of eye 0.19-0.22 x HW, the outer ring of ommatidia enclosing three longitudinal rows as in the holotype, or enclosing two rows plus one or two other ommatidia; with 5-6 ommatidia in the longest row.
Type Material
Holotype worker, South Africa: Natal, Umlalazi Nat. Res., 25.iii.1979 (D. J. Brothers) (The Natural History Museum). Paratypes. 7 workers with same data as holotype (BMNH; Museum of Comparative Zoology).
References
- Bolton, B. 1987. A review of the Solenopsis genus-group and revision of Afrotropical Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology. 54:263-452.. (page 415, worker described)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Samways M. J., R. Osborn, and F. Carliel. 1997. Effect of a highway on ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) species composition and abundance, with a recommendation for roadside verge width. Biodiversity and Conservation 6: 903-913.