Recurvidris pickburni

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Recurvidris pickburni
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Recurvidris
Species: R. pickburni
Binomial name
Recurvidris pickburni
Bolton, 1992

Recurvidris pickburni casent0902055 p 1 high.jpg

Recurvidris pickburni casent0902055 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Identification

Bolton (1992)- R. pickburni is characterised by its 4-dentate mandibles, on which the basal tooth is stout and acute. Some of the specimens, including the holotype, show a minute deviation in the posterior outline of the basal tooth. This may indicate that the single point of the tooth has evolved secondarily from an originally bidenticulate condition. If so the present apex of the tooth would represent the original anterior denticle and the deviation in posterior outline the last vestige of the original posterior denticle. The closest relatives of pickburni are hebe and recurvispinosa, but both of these have the basal tooth truncated to bidenticulate (compare Figs. 4, 5).

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 29.96666718° to 6.4°.

   
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: India, Sri Lanka (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

Nomenclature

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

  • pickburni. Recurvidris pickburni Bolton, 1992: 45, fig. 5 (w.) SRI LANKA.
    • Type-material: holotype worker, 4 paratype workers.
    • Type-locality: holotype Sri Lanka: Kandy, 600-700 m., 10-13.vii.1955, no. 1240 (E.O. Wilson); paratypes with same data but 2 workers no. 1243, 2 workers no.1266.
    • Type-depositories MCZC (holotype); BMNH, MCZC (paratypes): .
    • Status as species: Bolton, 1995b: 377; Bharti, Guénard, et al. 2016: 44; Jaitrong, Tokeeree, et al. 2019: 59 (in key); Dias, R.K.S. et al. 2020: 89.
    • Distribution: Sri Lanka.

Description

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from Bolton (1992)

Worker

Apical margin of mandible with 4 teeth, the basal tooth enlarged but acutely pointed, not abruptly truncated or bidenticulate api cally: basal margin of mandible unarmed. Occipital corners broadly and evenly rounded, so much so that the two sides and the occipital border of the head almost form a single even are in full face view. Head with superficial reticulation, fading out mid dorsally. Disc of pronotum smooth and shining, the propodeal dorsum with only faint superficial sculpture. Propodeal spines nar row, the subpetiolar process an elongate triangular tooth. Standing hairs absent from propodeum, where a pair of short decumbent hairs occur, above the site of the spiracle. Colour yellow.

Holotype worker. TL 2.1, HL 0.48. HW 0.44, CI 92, SL 0.38, SI 86, PW 0.26, AL 0.58.

Paratype workers. TL 1.9-2.1, HL 0.48-0.50, HW 0.44-0.46, CI 90-92, SL 0.38-0.40, SI 85-89, PW 0.25-0.26, AL 0.57-0.60 (4 measured). As holotype.


Etymology

This species is named in honour of a friend, Bernerd Pickburn, recently deceased.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Bolton B. 1992. A review of the ant genus Recurvidris (Hym: Formicidae), a new name for Trigonogaster Forel. Psyche 99: 35-48.
  • Dias R. K. S. 2006. Current taxonomic status of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Sri Lanka. The Fauna of Sri Lanka: 43-52. Bambaradeniya, C.N.B. (Editor), 2006. Fauna of Sri Lanka: Status of Taxonomy, Research and Conservation. The World Conservation Union, Colombo, Sri Lanka & Government of Sri Lanka. viii + 308pp.
  • Dias R. K. S., K. R. K. A. Kosgamage, and H. A. W. S. Peiris. 2012. The Taxonomy and Conservation Status of Ants (Order: Hymenoptera, Family: Formicidae) in Sri Lanka. In: The National Red List 2012 of Sri Lanka; Conservation Status of the Fauna and Flora. Weerakoon, D.K. & S. Wijesundara Eds., Ministry of Environment, Colombo, Sri Lanka. p11-19.
  • Gunawardene N. R., J. D. Majer, and J. P. Edirisinghe. 2012. Correlates of ant 5Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and tree species diversity in Sri Lanka. Myrmecological News 17: 81-90.