Simopone amana

Simopone amana
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Dorylinae
Genus:	Simopone
Species group:	schoutedeni
Species:	S. amana
Binomial name
	Simopone amana; Bolton & Fisher, 2012 Specimen Labels

Nothing is known about the biology of Simopone amana.

Identification

Key to Afrotropical Simopone Species

A member of the schoutedeni species group

Keys including this Species

Key to Afrotropical Simopone Species

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Gabon (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

Explore Overview of Simopone biology

Little is known about the biology of most species of Simopone. Specimens are rarely collected, and the number of species known only from workers is telling in regards to a lack of nest samples. Species are almost entirely arboreal but on occasion foraging workers are found on the ground or in rotten logs. Prey records are extremely sparse. They consist only of Crematogaster brood by Simopone vepres, and the brood of Terataner by Simopone sicaria. Nevertheless, these two records support the general supposition by Brown (1975) that most or all members of tribe Cerapachyini prey on other ants, or more probably the brood of other ants, but actual records are extremely rare. (Bolton and Fisher 2012)

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Castes

Nomenclature

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

amana. Simopone amana Bolton & Fisher, 2012: 18 (w.) GABON.
- Type-material: holotype worker.
- Type-locality: Gabon: La Makandé, Forêt des Abeilles, i.-ii.1999 (A. Dejean).
- Type-depository: BMNH.
- Distribution: Gabon.

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

Description

Worker

Holotype. HL 0.78, HW 0.53, SL 0.24, EL 0.28, PW 0.38, AIIW 0.38, AIIL 0.40, AIIIW 0.48, AIIIL 0.48, WL 0.89, MFL 0.40, CI 68, SI 45, EL/HW 0.53, EP 0.92, AIIW/AIIL 0.95, AIIIW/AIIIL 1.00.

With head in full-face view the outlines of the outer margins of the eyes just fail to interrupt the outlines of the sides of the head. ES 0.25 and width of head across broadest part of eyes 0.52. Frontal carinae extend back to level of anterior margins of eyes and are weakly divergent posteriorly. Cephalic dorsum with scattered broad, shallow punctures. Conspicuous ground sculpture is present between the eyes that appears as longitudinal fine striolae; this ground sculpture fades out behind the level of the eyes. Leading edge of scape with a few setae, inclined toward the scape apex. Sides of head below and behind eyes with projecting short setae, inclined anteriorly. Cephalic dorsum with numerous short, curved setae and with a few pairs of longer setae present; longest setae occur on the frontal carinae and above the eye. Ventral surface of head with short setae. Mesosoma in dorsal view narrowest across the mesonotum (maximum width 0.38), broadest across the propodeum (maximum width 0.40). Anterior margin of pronotum weakly marginate. Propodeum with a fine weak carina between dorsum and declivity. Entire dorsum of mesosoma with widely spaced broad, shallow punctures that are most widely spaced on the pronotum. Mesopleuron with a few punctures and a distinct transverse sulcus. Propodeal declivity smooth except for a narrow band of disorganised superficial sculpture immediately below the dorsal carina. In profile, dorsal surfaces of mesosoma and all abdominal tergites with numerous posteriorly curved setae. Standing setae present on middle and hind tibiae. AII (petiole) in dorsal view with a weak transverse carina both anteriorly and posteriorly; sides very shallowly convex, almost straight, gradually divergent posteriorly so that the width across the anterior margin is noticeably less than across the posterior margin. Dorsum of AII with large, shallow punctures. Tergite of AIII with similar but more crowded punctures, so that some are adjacent; diameters of punctures always greater than the distances between them. AII slightly longer than broad, AIII as long as broad, AIV distinctly broader than long (width 0.54, length 0.47; AIVW/AIVL 1.15). Head capsule and body blackish brown to black; scapes and funiculi light brown; femora and tibiae brown.

Holotype Specimen Labels

Type Material

Holotype worker, Gabon: La Makandé, Forêt des Abeilles, i-ii.1999 (A. Dejean) (The Natural History Museum).

References

Bolton, B. & Fisher, B.L. 2012. Taxonomy of the cerapachyine ant genera Simopone Forel, Vicinopone gen. n. and Tanipone gen. n. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 3283, 1–101 (doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3283.1.1).