Wasmannia sulcaticeps

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Wasmannia sulcaticeps
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Wasmannia
Species: W. sulcaticeps
Binomial name
Wasmannia sulcaticeps
Emery, 1894

Wasmannia sulcaticeps casent0178175 profile 1.jpg

Wasmannia sulcaticeps casent0178175 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

Synonyms

Kusnezov (1952) described the Wasmannia fauna of Argentina, and sulcaticeps and Wasmannia williamsoni were described as having an allopatric distribution. Wasmannia sulcaticeps occurred in more humid environments near Buenos Aires and in the northern provinces of Tucuman, Salta, and Jujuy. Wasmannia williamsoni occurred in the more arid habitats west of Buenos Aires. (Longino & Fernández 2007)

Identification

Wasmannia sulcaticeps and Wasmannia williamsoni are two related species that occur at the far southern limit of the genus, in Argentina. They are both distinguished from other members of the genus by the heavy striate sculpture on the face and by the very small propodeal spiracle. (Longino & Fernández 2007)

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -22.809943° to -31.648611°.

   
North
Temperate 		North
Subtropical 		Tropical South
Subtropical 		South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Argentina (type locality), Paraguay.

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

Cuezzo et al. (2015) - In Argentina Wasmannia sulcaticeps was mostly found in mountain forests in northwestern Argentina (Yungas ecoregion), overlapping with Wasmannia auropunctata generally between 400-700 meters of altitude in secondary forests, such as the Parque Nacional Calilegua (Jujuy) and Parque Provincial La Florida (Tucumán). Additional individuals of this species were also found for the first time in secondary forest in the Catamarca province and in lowlands in a secondary gallery forest in the Reserva Natural Iberá, in the Corrientes province.

Castes

Nomenclature

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

  • sulcaticeps. Wasmannia sulcaticeps Emery, 1894c: 195 (w.) ARGENTINA. Forel, 1914d: 280 (q.m.). Senior synonym of bruchi: Kusnezov, 1952e: 174 (in text); of weiseri: Longino & Fernández, 2007: 281.
  • bruchi. Wasmannia bruchi Santschi, 1919f: 43 (w.) ARGENTINA. Junior synonym of sulcaticeps: Kusnezov, 1952e: 174 (in text).

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

Description

Worker

Cuezzo et al. (2015) - (n = 12): HL: 0.50-0.60; HW: 0.45-0.53; EL: 0.10-0.13; SL: 0.35-0.45; AD: 0.28-0.33; PSL:0.10; WL: 0.55-0.63; PD: 0.10; PTL: 0.10-0.20; PPTL: 0.13-0.15; PTW: 0.15; PPTW: 0.20-0.23; CI: 0.88-0.90; OI: 0.20-0.22.

Color variable from dark brown to yellowish brown in the workers of the same nest. Area between frontal carinaerugo-reticulatewith some regular carinae (8-10) reaching the frontovertexal margin. Malar space with four well developed longitudinal carinae. Antenna with 11 segments. Scrobe shallow and foveate. The ventral margin of scrobe formed by preocular carina which reaches frontovertexal margin. Clypeus with eight well-developed not bifurcated longitudinal carinae, the four central carinae reach posterior margin of clypeal disc and continue anteriorly. Sculpture between carinae foveate, bothonclypeal disc andfrons. Masticatory margin of mandible with 5 teeth and no denticles, basal margin smooth and without teeth. Vertexal margin weakly concave to straight, with six erect setae curved anteriorly, the two outer hairswith length similar to innermost and located on frontovertexal corner. Compound eye well developed, protruding from lateral margin of headin full face view. Promesonotum with eight longitudinal and irregular carinae. Propodeal spines long and straight, posteriorly directed. Propodeal declivity foveate. Petiole with two pairs of long setae weakly spatulatehairs; anterior margin distinct, forming a curve with the rest of the petiole. Anterior face not separated from dorsum nor defined by an angle. Petiole and postpetiole stronglyfoveate.Petiolelonger than wide in dorsal view; postpetiolewider than long and with rounded corners. Petiolar peduncle shorter than length of petiole in lateral view, with small anteroventral spine.First tergum of gasterfinely striate, with abundant, whitish, long and curved setae,thickenedatits apex.

Queen

Cuezzo et al. (2015) - (n = 1, dealate): HL: 0.63; HW: 0.59; EL: 0.19; WL: 0.80; CI: 0.93; OI: 0.28.

Color and pilosity similar to worker. Head wider behind compound eyes. Scape barely reaches vertexal margin. Frontal carinae separated by 10-12 longitudinal, strong, and very regular striae. Antennal scrobe well developed and punctuate, longitudinally crossed by carina that starts in ventral margin of antennal torulusand almost reaches posterior margin of compound eye. Preocular carina forming the ventral margin of antennal scrobe, this carina runs almost to occipital angle. Compound eye well-developed, bulky. Antennae with 11 segments, terminal club with two antenomeres. Dorsal surface of mandible with longitudinal thin striae. Masticatory margin of mandible with five teeth. Malar space rugo-reticulate. Disc of clypeus longitudinally striate, well developed, similar to striae between frontal carinae. Pronotum poorly developed antero-dorsally, so that scutum in dorsal view encompasses more than half of mesosoma. Humeral angle well developed, angulate, not rounded. Mesonotal dorsumwith more than 20 strong, longitudinal and very regular striae. Axilla well developed, almost triangular and medially continuous by a narrow strip of integument. Scutellum strongly striate. Anapleural sulcus completely separates anepisternum from katepisternum, but sulcus weakly impressed. Anepisternum, katepisternum and metakatepisternum finely striate. Propodeal spine short and thick at base. Propodeal lobe acute. Cinctus 1 and 2 well-developed. Petiolar peduncle about same length as petiolar node in lateral view. Sterno-postpetiolar process shaped as blunt and short spine. Metasoma 3 weakly punctate and covered with abundant and subdecumbent, thin setae.

Male

Cuezzo et al. (2015) - (n = 1): HL: 0.52; HW: 0.47; EL: 0.22; WL: 0.92. Dark brown, with yellowish mandibles, antennae and legs. Head rectangular in full face view. Mandible triangular with five teeth. Antenna with 13 segments, last antennomere of funicle longest. Scape not reaching frontovertexal margin of head. Compound eye well developed, covering half of lateral side of head. Three ocelli well developed; lateral ocellus reaching frontovertexal margin of head. Area between ocelli with 4-5 strongly impressed rugae. Malar space reduced, crossed by two strong longitudinal carinae. Rest of head in full face view punctuate and crossed by longitudinal and thin striae. Clypeal disc with several parallel and longitudinal carinae. Fore wing with three closed cells, plus open radial cell. Pterostigma present. Hind wing with one basal closed cell. Hamuli with 4 hooks. Peduncle short. Petiolar node triangular in profile with blunt apex and no dorsal margin. Abdominal sternum IX (=subgenital plate) medially projecting as triangle and distally rounded. Pygostyle well developed, one segmented. Telomere short and thick. Digitus and cuspis not observed.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Clemes Cardoso D., and J. H. Schoereder. 2014. Biotic and abiotic factors shaping ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) assemblages in Brazilian coastal sand dunes: the case of restinga in Santa Catarina. Florida Entomologist 97(4): 1443-1450.
  • Clemes Cardoso D., and M. Passos Cristiano. 2010. Myrmecofauna of the Southern Catarinense Restinga sandy coastal plain: new records of species occurrence for the state of Santa Catarina and Brazil. Sociobiology 55(1b): 229-239.
  • Cuezzo, F. 1998. Formicidae. Chapter 42 in Morrone J.J., and S. Coscaron (dirs) Biodiversidad de artropodos argentinos: una perspectiva biotaxonomica Ediciones Sur, La Plata. Pages 452-462.
  • Kusnezov N. 1952. El género Wasmannia en la Argentina (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Acta Zoologica Lilloana 10: 173-182.
  • Kusnezov N. 1953. La fauna mirmecológica de Bolivia. Folia Universitaria. Cochabamba 6: 211-229.
  • Longino J. T. and Fernández, F. 2007. Taxonomic review of the genus Wasmannia. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 80: 271-289
  • Santoandre S., J. Filloy, G. A. Zurita, and M. I. Bellocq. 2019. Ant taxonomic and functional diversity show differential response to plantation age in two contrasting biomes. Forest Ecology and Management 437: 304-313.
  • Ulyssea M.A., C. E. Cereto, F. B. Rosumek, R. R. Silva, and B. C. Lopes. 2011. Updated list of ant species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) recorded in Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil, with a discussion of research advances and priorities. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 55(4): 603-–611.
  • Vittar, F. 2008. Hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) de la Mesopotamia Argentina. INSUGEO Miscelania 17(2):447-466
  • Vittar, F., and F. Cuezzo. "Hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) de la provincia de Santa Fe, Argentina." Revista de la Sociedad Entomológica Argentina (versión On-line ISSN 1851-7471) 67, no. 1-2 (2008).
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