Neoponera globularia

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Neoponera globularia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Ponerinae
Tribe: Ponerini
Genus: Neoponera
Species: N. globularia
Binomial name
Neoponera globularia
(Mackay, W.P. & Mackay, E.E., 2010)

Pachycondyla globularia casent0249141 p 1 high.jpg

Pachycondyla globularia casent0249141 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Little is known about the biology of this species beyond what can be gleaned from an eclectic set of specimen collection records.

Identification

From Mackay and Mackay (2010): Neoponera globularia is clearly a member of the crenata species complex, with the characteristic well-developed malar carina, pronotal carina and heavily and densely punctate head and dorsal surface of the pronotum. Neoponera globularia would be confused with Neoponera fiebrigi but can be separated from it and all of the other members of the crenata species complex by the circular petiolar node (when viewed from above). Jack Longino has referred to this species as JTL-013 (pers. comm.).

Distribution

Northern through central South America, Trinidad. (Mackay and Mackay 2010

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 6.459° to -10.883333°.

 
North
Temperate 		North
Subtropical 		Tropical South
Subtropical 		South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Bolivia (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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Habitat

This species is found in primary and secondary rainforest and on windblown ridges at elevations ranging from 320 - 1040 m. Wild (2002) reports it from gallery forest, riparian forest and inundated low forest. (Mackay and Mackay 2010)

Biology

From Mackay and Mackay (2010): A nest in Trinidad was collected in a rotten stick on the forest floor. The specimens from near Manaus were collected on a new tree-fall. Specimens have been intercepted by the USDA on unspecified orchids (Colombia), on Cattleya [Orchidaceae] (Venezuela) and on bananas (3 collections, Ecuador). A winged female was collected in July (Venezuela), two dealate females were collected in July and August in Guyana. Specimens are occasionally collected foraging on vegetation and in malaise traps.

A specimen in the American Museum of Natural History is infected with a Cordyceps unilateralis fungus. The type series is pinned with a specimen of Neoponera apicalis. The specimens from Ecuador were collected with the army ant Eciton rapax.

Castes

Nomenclature

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

  • globularia. Pachycondyla globularia Mackay & Mackay, 2010: 358, figs. 69, 83, 84, 229, 483-487 (w.q.) BOLIVIA, COLOMBIA, PERU, VENEZUELA, TRINIDAD, GUYANA, FRENCH GUIANA, SURINAME, BRAZIL (Amazonas, Rondônia, Pará), PARAGUAY.
    • Type-material: holotype worker, 6 paratype workers, 1 paratype queen.
    • Type-locality: holotype Bolivia: Huachi Beni, viii. (W.M. Mann); paratypes with same data.
    • Type-depositories: USNM (holotype); CASC, IAVH, MCZC, MZSP, USNM, WEMC (paratypes).
    • Combination in Neoponera: Schmidt, C.A. & Shattuck, 2014: 151.
    • Status as species: Bezděčková, et al. 2015: 123; Fernández & Guerrero, 2019: 534.
    • Distribution: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad, Venezuela.

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

Description

Worker

The worker is a relatively large (total length 12 mm) reddish brown specimen. The mandible has approximately 14 teeth; the anterior border of the clypeus is broadly convex with a medial rounded lobe. The head length is 2.3 mm, the head width 2.1 mm. The malar carina is well developed and sharp, the eyes are large, (maximum diameter 0.55 mm) located about one diameter from the anterior margin of the head (side view). The scape is long (2.25 mm) and extends about ⅓ of its length past the posterior lateral corner of the head. The neck of the basal condyle of the scape is noticeably elongated and broadly rounded when viewed from above. The pronotal shoulder is formed into a sharp carina which overhangs the side of the pronotum. The promesonotal suture breaks the sculpture but the metanotal suture is barely marked on the dorsum of the mesosoma. The propodeal spiracle is slit-shaped. The petiole is very thick with parallel anterior and posterior faces and a well defined dorsal face. The petiole is nearly circular when viewed from above. The subpetiolar process is poorly developed.

Erect hairs (0.10 - 0.35 mm) are abundant on the mandibles, clypeus, dorsal and ventral surfaces of the head, dorsum of the mesosoma, dorsum of the petiole and all surfaces of the gaster, the hairs on the legs are mostly suberect. The scape has several erect hairs. Appressed pubescence is abundant on the dorsum of the head, the mesosoma, the dorsum of the petiole and all surfaces of the gaster.

The mandibles are finely striate with scattered punctures and weakly shining; the medial part of the clypeus has fine longitudinal striae; the head is densely and coarsely punctate. The dorsum of the mesosoma, especially the pronotum, is densely and coarsely punctate although the punctures are noticeably finer than those on the head. The side of the pronotum is nearly smooth and glossy; the remainder of the side of the mesosoma has fine striae and is moderately glossy. The petiole is coriaceous and moderately shining, especially the posterior face. The gaster is finely punctate or coriaceous.

Queen

The female is slightly larger (total length 14.5 mm) than the worker. The mandibles and the clypeus are similar to those of the worker. The head length is 2.35 mm; the head width is 2.04 mm. The malar carina is well developed and the eyes large (maximum diameter 0.6 mm) located less than 1 diameter from the anterior margin of the head (side view). The ocelli are small (maximum diameter of the medial ocellus 0.1 mm, located nearly three diameters from the lateral ocellus). The pronotal carina is well developed and sharp and overhangs the side of the pronotum. The propodeal spiracle is slit-shaped. The shape of the petiole is similar to that of the worker and nearly circular in shape when seen from above.

The pilosity and sculpture are similar to those of the worker.

Male

Males are not known for this species.

Type Material

HuachiBeni, Bolivia. Holotype worker (National Museum of Natural History), 6 paratype workers (California Academy of Sciences, William and Emma Mackay Collection, Humboldt Institute, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo, National Museum of Natural History), 1 paratype dealate female (National Museum of Natural History)

Etymology

From Latin, globosus, meaning spherical, referring to the shape of the petiolar node when viewed from above.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Franco W., N. Ladino, J. H. C. Delabie, A. Dejean, J. Orivel, M. Fichaux, S. Groc, M. Leponce, and R. M. Feitosa. 2019. First checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of French Guiana. Zootaxa 4674(5): 509-543.
  • Mackay, W.P. and E.E. MacKay. 2010. The systematics and biology of the New World ants of the genus Pachycondyla (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Edwin Mellen Press Lewiston, NY
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