Acropyga dubitata
Acropyga dubitata | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Formicidae |
Subfamily: | Formicinae |
Tribe: | Plagiolepidini |
Genus: | Acropyga |
Species group: | decedens |
Species complex: | goeldii |
Species: | A. dubitata |
Binomial name | |
Acropyga dubitata (Wheeler, W.M. & Mann, 1914) |
Acropyga dubitata has been collected by one collector (Aug. Busck) and is only known from the type series, all males. The specimen labels on the MCZ types contain cryptic handwritten numbers (27.9, 7-9, 14.9.05, etc.). Since these are all winged males it is possible each pin represents a flight intercept sample with the males captured on various days in Sept 1905. Every label does include a 9 but only one of these "dates" ends with an 05. Nothing is known about the biology of this apparent Hispaniola endemic. The only other species of this genus known from Hispaniola is Acropyga parvidens and it has not been associated with any males. It is possible these two species are actually one.
Identification
LaPolla (2004): A member of the Acropyga goeldii species complex in the Acropyga decedens species group. Male (only known caste) with 11-12 segmented antennae; parameres short and rectangular in shape; apex of paramere with a dorsocaudal point.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 19.3386° to 18.72°.
North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Dominican Republic (type locality), Greater Antilles.
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
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Castes
Images from AntWeb
Paratype of Acropyga dubitata. Male (alate). Specimen code casent0911126. Photographer Will Ericson, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by MHNG, Geneva, Switzerland. |
This species is only known from males.
Phylogeny
Acropyga |
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Based on Blaimer et al., 2016. Note only selected Acropyga species are included, and undescribed species are excluded.
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- dubitata. Rhizomyrma dubitata Wheeler, W.M. & Mann, 1914: 47 (m.) DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.
- Type-material: lectotype male (by designation of LaPolla, 2004a: 45), 16 paralectotype males.
- Type-locality: lectotype Dominican Republic: San Domingo, San Francisco Mts (A. Busck); paralectotypes with same data.
- Type-depositories: MCZC (lectotype); AMNH, MCZC, USNM (paralectotypes).
- [Misspelled as dubita by Donisthorpe, 1936b: 110 (in list).]
- Combination in Acropyga (Rhizomyrma): Emery, 1925b: 29.
- Status as species: Emery, 1925b: 29; Donisthorpe, 1936b: 110 (in list); Weber, 1944: 98 (redescription); Kempf, 1972a: 17; Bolton, 1995b: 57; LaPolla, 2004a: 45 (redescription); Lubertazzi, 2019: 67.
- Distribution: Dominican Republic.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Male
Length 2 mm.
Very similar to the male of Acropyga. Head a little broader than long, subrectangular. Eyes rather small, less than half as long as the sides of the head. Mandibles slender, distinctly tridentate. Clypeus convex and almost carinate in the middle, with entire, rounded anterior border. Antennae with long scapes, which reach well beyond the posterior corners of the head; first funicular joint globular, as broad as long, joints 2-7 a little broader than long, remaining joints longer. Thorax robust but not much broader than the head through the eyes. Mesonotum convex in front, slightly overarching the pronotum; scutellum not convex; epinotum rounded, sloping, without distinct base and declivity. Petiole with erect node, which is rather thick though compressed anteroposteriorly, with a blunt, rounded, entire border. Its anterior face in profile is slightly convex, its posterior face more flattened. Gaster rather short and stout; external genital valves large, with broad. bluntly bidentate tips; inner valves shorter, uneiform. Wings rather large, like those of Acropyga with one cubital cell, no discoidal cell and the radial cell closed.
Body shining throughout and very finely shagreened.
Hairs pale, erect, absent on the thorax and anterodorsal portion of the gaster, conspicuous on the petiole, venter and genitalia. Pubescence whitish, fine and rather dense, but not concealing the shining surface.
Yellow throughout; appendages scarcely paler; only tho ocellar triangle blackish or fuscous. In some specimens the body is very slightly tinged with brown. Wings yellowish gray, with colorless veins and stigma.
Measurements (LaPolla 2004): Males (n=7): TL: 1.67-2.35; HW: 0.403-0.482; HL: 0.404-0.487; SL: 0.33-0.43; ML: 0.716-0.912; GL: 0.546-0.962; CI: 91.3-101.69; SI: 81.89-92.0.
Type Material
Described from numerous specimens taken by Mr. Aug. Busck in the San Francisco Mts. of San Domingo.
LaPolla (2004) examined types from the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Museum of Comparative Zoology and National Museum of Natural History and designated a lectotype MZCZ male specimen labeled JSL TYPE # 117. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: St. Domingo; San Francisco Mountains, 14 September 1905.
References
- Biinzli, G.H. 1935. Untersuchungen iiber coccidophile Ameisen aus den Kaffeefelden von Surinam. Mitteilungen der Schweizerischen Entomologischen Gesellschaft 16:455-593.
- Brown, W.L., Jr. 1945. An unusual behavior pattern observed in a Szechuanese ant. Journal of the West China Border Research Society 15:185-186.
- Buschinger, J., J. Heinze & K. Jessen. 1987. First European record ofa queen ant carrying a mealybug during her mating flight. NatUlwissenschaften 74:139-140.
- Eberhard, W.G. 1978. Mating swarms ofa South American Acropygia [sic.] (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Entomological News 89(1 & 2):14-16.
- Eisner, T. 1957. A comparative morphological study ofthc proventriculus of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bulletin ofthe Museum of Comparative Zoology 116:439-490.
- Emery, C. 1925d. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Formicinae. Genera Insectorum 183: 1-302 (page 29, Combination in Acropyga (Rhizomyrma))
- Holldobler B . & E.O. Wilson. 1990. The Ants. Belknap Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 732 pp.
- Johnson, c., D. Agosti, J.H. Delabie, K. Dumpert, OJ. Williams, M. von Tschimhaus & U. Maschwitz. 2001 . Acropyga and Azteca Ants with Scale Insects: 20 Million Years ofIntimate Symbiosis. American Museum Noviates 3335:1-18.
- LaPolla, J.S. 2004a. Acropyga of the world. Contributions of the American Entomological Institute. 33(3):1-130. (page 45, male described)
- LaPolla, J.S., S.P. Cover & U.G. Mueller. 2002. Natural history of the mealybug-tending ant Acropyga epedana, with descriptions of the male and queen castes. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 128(3):367-376.
- Lubertazzi, D. 2019. The ants of Hispaniola. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, 162(2), 59-210 (doi:10.3099/mcz-43.1).
- Prins, AJ. 1982. Review of Anoplolepis with reference to male genitalia, and notes on Acropyga. Annals of the South African Museum 89:215-247.
- Weber, N.A. 1944. The Neotropical coccid-tending ants of the genus Acropyga Roger. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 37:89-122.
- Wheeler, G.C. & J.C. Wheeler. 1953. The ant larvae of the subfamily Formicinae. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 46:126-171.
- Wheeler, W. M.; Mann, W. M. 1914. The ants of Haiti. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 33: 1-61 (page 47, male described)
- Wheeler, W.M. 1935b. Ants of the genus Acropyga Roger, with description ofa new species. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 43:321-329.
- Williams, D J . 1998. Mealybugs of the genera Eumyrmococcus Silvestri and Xenococcus Silvestri associated with the ant genus Acropyga Roger and a review of the subfamily (Hemiptera, Coccoidea, Pseudoccidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History)(Entomology) 67:1-64.
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
- LaPolla J.S. 2004. Acropyga (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the world. Contributions of the American Entomological Institute 33(3): 1-130.
- Perez-Gelabert D. E. 2008. Arthropods of Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti): A checklist and bibliography. Zootaxa 1831:1-530.
- Weber N. A. 1944. The neotropical coccid-tending ants of the genus Acropyga Roger. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 37: 89-122.
- Wheeler W. M. 1935f. Ants of the genus Acropyga Roger, with description of a new species. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 43:321-329.
- Wheeler W. M., and W. M. Mann. 1914. The ants of Haiti. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 33: 1-61.