Acropyga sauteri

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Acropyga sauteri
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Plagiolepidini
Genus: Acropyga
Species group: myops
Species: A. sauteri
Binomial name
Acropyga sauteri
Forel, 1912

Acropyga sauteri casent0909907 p 1 high.jpg

Acropyga sauteri casent0909907 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels


Common Name
Mitsuba-ari
Language: Japanese

This species has been found in grasslands, the margins of forests and within forests. Nests are under stones as well as in leaf litter and directly in soil. It is a trophophoretic species, associated with the mealybug Eumyrmococcus smithii, a trophobiont (Lapolla, 2004). Nuptial flights have been observed from late March to June with alate females leaving the parent nest with a gravid female Eumyrmococcus in her mandibles (Uye, 1928, 1933; Teranishi, 1929; Terayama, 1988).

Identification

LaPolla (2004) - A member of the Acropyga myops species group. Worker: 11 segmented antennae; mesosomal dorsum flat with many short erect hairs; pronotum short, rises very steeply toward mesonotum; mandible with 3-4 teeth. Queen: As in worker with modifications expected for caste. Male: 12 segmented antennae; digiti 2.5 times longer than cuspi, with peg-like teeth along sides. Compare with Acropyga lauta.

The worker of this species is fairly easily recognized, with 3-4 teeth and no diastema separating the basal teeth from the other teeth. A. sauteri is currently placed in the myops species-group. The long digiti, similar shaped parameres and dark color of the male suggest a close relationship with Acropyga myops.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 30.810593° to 22.157°.

   
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: Taiwan (type locality).
Palaearctic Region: China, Japan.

From LaPolla (2004): This species has one of the most northerly distributions in the genus, ranging from Japan south to Macao in southern China.

Distribution based on AntMaps

AntMapLegend.png

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.
pChart

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.
pChart

Biology

Flight Period

X X X X
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Source: Japanese Ant Image Database.

Explore-icon.png Explore: Show all Flight Month data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.

Castes

Phylogeny

Acropyga

Acropyga ayanganna

Acropyga donisthorpei

Acropyga panamensis

Acropyga guianensis

Acropyga stenotes

Acropyga fuhrmanni

Acropyga smithii

Acropyga romeo

Acropyga hirsutula

Acropyga dubitata

Acropyga decedens, Acropyga goeldii

Acropyga epedana

Acropyga arnoldi

Acropyga silvestrii

Acropyga kinomurai

Acropyga lauta

Acropyga sauteri

Acropyga acutiventris

Acropyga myops

Acropyga butteli

Acropyga ambigua

Acropyga pallida

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.

  • sauteri. Acropyga (Rhizomyrma) sauteri Forel, 1912a: 72 (w.) TAIWAN.
    • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
    • Type-locality: Taiwan (“Formosa”): Pilam (H. Sauter).
    • Type-depository: MHNG (perhaps also DEIB).
    • Wheeler, W.M. 1928c: 31 (q.); Santschi, 1928b: 36 (q.m.).
    • Status as species: Emery, 1925b: 30; Santschi, 1928b: 36; Wheeler, W.M. 1928c: 31; Wheeler, W.M. 1929g: 62; Wheeler, W.M. 1930h: 75; Teranishi, 1940: 59; Azuma, 1951: 88; Chapman & Capco, 1951: 212; Onoyama, 1980: 199; Morisita, et al. 1991: 14; Wang, C. & Wu, 1992a: 227 (in key); Bolton, 1995b: 58; Terayama, Fellowes & Zhou, 2002: 25 (redescription); Imai, et al. 2003: 83; Lin & Wu, 2003: 62; LaPolla, 2004a: 68; Terayama, 2009: 204; Ran & Zhou, 2011: 66; Guénard & Dunn, 2012: 27.
    • Distribution: China, Japan, Taiwan.

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

Description

Worker

LaPolla (2004) - (n=2): TL: 2.16-2.59; HW: 0.527-0.568; HL: 0.561-0.596; SL: 0.413-0.418; ML: 0.681-0.687; GL: 0.909-1.31; CI: 101.25-105.2; SI: 66.67-72.71.

Head: yellow; head covered in layer of short appressed hairs; head about as broad as long; posterior margin slightly concave medially; short erect hairs along posterior margin; 11 segmented, incrassate antennae; scape reaches or slightly surpasses posterior margin; clypeus broad, slightly convex, with many erect hairs on dorsal surface; mandible with 3-4 teeth; apical tooth often much longer than others; when present, 4th tooth smaller and offset from masticatory margin; when with 3 teeth, a small hump present along inner mandibular margin where a 4th tooth would be; gap exists between inner mandibular margin and anterior clypeal margin. Mesosoma: yellow; in lateral view, pronotum with short shelf rising sharply toward mesonotum; pronotum covered with short erect hairs; mesosomal dorsum flat; mesonotum and propodeum at same height; mesonotum and propodeum covered in layer of short erect hairs; metanotal area indistinct; declivity steep. Gaster: petiole thick and erect reaching height of bottom portion of propodeal spriacle; gaster yellow, with thick covering of appressed hairs with scattered erect hairs throughout.

Queen

LaPolla (2004) - (n=1): TL: 3.39; HW: 0.732; HL: 0.619; SL: 0.495; ML: 1.19; GL: 1.58; CI: 118.26; SI: 67.62. As in worker with modifications expected for caste and the following differences: color a brownish-yellow, darker on apex of head, mesosomal and gaster dorsa.

Male

LaPolla (2004) - (n=1): TL: 2.21; HW: 0.5; HL: 0.452; SL: 0.371; ML: 0.819; GL: 0.941; CI: 110.62; SI: 74.2.

Head: yellow to dark brownish-yellow toward apex around 3 promient ocelli; head covered in a layer of short erect hairs; head broader than long; 12 segmented, slightly incrassate antennae; scape surpasses posterior margin by about 112 length of pedicel; clypeus broad, convex medially; mandible with 3-4 teeth; mandibular shape as in worker. Mesosoma: brownish-yellow; pronotum small and collar-like, overarched by mesonotum; dorsum flat with dense layer of short erect hairs; scutellum with longer erect hairs; propodeum long, slightly below level of mesonotum; declivity short and steep. Gaster: petiole thick and erect; gaster brownish yellow, covered in a layer of appressed hairs. Genitalia: in lateral view, parameres long and thin, tapering to rounded apices; cuspi short, nearly straight, with short peg-like teeth at rounded apices; digiti straight, much longer than cuspi (ca. 2.5 times), with short, peg-like teeth along sides toward truncated apices.

Type Material

LaPolla (2004) - Acropyga (Rhizomyrma) sauteri Forel, 1912a: 72 (w.). Syntype workers, TAIWAN: (no specific locality provided) (depository unknown) [not examined]. Wheeler, W.M., 1928: 31, description of queen; Santschi, 1928a: 36, description of queen and male; Terayama et ai., 2002: 25, description and key.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Abe T. 1977. A preliminary study on the ant fauna of the Tokara Islands and Amami-Oshima. Ecol. Stud. Nat. Cons. Ryukyu Isl. 3: 93-102.
  • Abe T., and A. Maeda. 1977. Fauna and density of ants in sugarcane fields of the southern part of Okinawa Island. Pp. 75-91 in: Ikehara, S. (ed.) 1977. Ecological studies of nature conservation of the Ryukyu Islands - (III). Naha, Okinawa: University of the Ryukyus, 202 pp.
  • Azuma M. 1951. On the Myrmecological fauna of Osaka Prefecture, Japan with description of new species (Formicidae, Hymenoptera). Hyogo Biology 1(5): 1-5.
  • Azuma, S. and M. Kinjo. 1987. Family Formicidae, In Checklist of the insects of Okinawa. The Biological Society of Okinawa, Nishihara. Pages 310-312.
  • Blaimer B. B., J. S. LaPolla, M. G. Branstetter, M. W. Lloyd, and S. G. Brady. 2016. Phylogenomics, biogeography and diversification of obligate mealybug-tending ants in the genus Acropyga. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 102: 20-29.
  • Chapman, J. W., and Capco, S. R. 1951. Check list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Asia. Monogr. Inst. Sci. Technol. Manila 1: 1-327
  • Forel A. 1912. H. Sauter's Formosa-Ausbeute. Formicidae (Hym.) (Schluss). Entomol. Mitt. 1: 45-61.
  • Fukumoto S., Jaitrong W. and Yamane S.K. 2013. Ant Fauna of Kuro-shima, Iwo-jima and Take-shima islands, Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan. Nature of Kagoshima 39: 119-125
  • Fukumoto S., W. Jaitrong, and S. Yamane. 2013. Ant fauna of Take-shima, Iwo-jima and Kuro-shima islands, Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan. Nature of Kagoshima 39: 99-105.
  • Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
  • Hosoichi S., W. Tasen, S. H. Park. A. Le Ngoc, Y. Kuboki, and K. Ogata. 2015. Annual fire resilience of ground-dwelling ant communities in Hiraodai Karst Plateau grassland in Japan. Entomological Science 18: 254–261.
  • Katayama M., T. Hosoya, and W. Toki. 2013: First survey of ground-dwelling ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on the uninhabitedGaja-jima Island, theRyukyu archipelago, Japan.—Entomol. Fennica 24: 216–222.
  • LaPolla J.S. 2004. Acropyga (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the world. Contributions of the American Entomological Institute 33(3): 1-130.
  • Li Z.h. 2006. List of Chinese Insects. Volume 4. Sun Yat-sen University Press
  • Onoyama K. 1976. A premilinary study on the ant fauna of Okinawa-ken, with taxonomic notes (Japan; Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Ecol. Stud. Nat. Cons. Ryukyu Isl. II: 121-141.
  • Ran H., and S. Y. Zhou. 2011. Checklist of Chinese Ants: the Formicomorph Subfamilies (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) (I). Journal of Guangxi Normal University: Natural Science Edition. 29(3): 65-73.
  • Santschi F. 1928. Nouvelles fourmis de Chine et du Turkestan Russe. Bulletin et Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique. 68: 31-46.
  • Terayama M. 1981. Distribution of ants of the Nansei Archipelago. (I) Ants in the Amami Islands. Nature and Insects 16(8): 34-36.
  • Terayama M. 1992. Structure of ant communities in East Asia. A. Regional differences and species richness. Bulletin of the Bio-geographical Society of Japan 47: 1-31.
  • Terayama M. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta: Hymenoptera). Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University. Liberal Arts 17:81-266.
  • Terayama M., K. Ogata, and B.M. Choi. 1994. Distribution records of ants in 47 prefectures of Japan. Ari (report of the Myrmecologists Society of Japan) 18: 5-17.
  • Terayama M., S. Kubota, and K. Eguchi. 2014. Encyclopedia of Japanese ants. Asakura Shoten: Tokyo, 278 pp.
  • Terayama M., and S. Kubota. 1994. Ants from Aogashima Island. Ari 17: 11.
  • Terayama M., and S. Kubota. 2002. Ants of Tokyo, Japan. ARI 26: 1-32.
  • Terayama M.; Fellowes, J. R.; Zhou, S. 2002. The East Asian species of the ant genus Acropyga Roger, 1862 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Edaphologia 70:21-32. 
  • Terayama, M. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta; Hymenoptera). The Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University 17: 81-266.
  • Terayama, M., J. R. Fellowes and Zhou S.-Y. 2002. The East Asian species of the ant genus Acropyga Roger, 1862 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Edaphologia 70: 21-32
  • Wheeler W. M. 1928. Ants collected by Professor F. Silvestri in China. Bollettino del Laboratorio di Zoologia Generale e Agraria della Reale Scuola Superiore d'Agricoltura. Portici 22: 3-38.
  • Wheeler W. M. 1929. Ants collected by Professor F. Silvestri in Formosa, the Malay Peninsula and the Philippines. Bollettino del Laboratorio di Zoologia Generale e Agraria della Reale Scuola Superiore d'Agricoltura. Portici 24: 27-64.
  • Wheeler W. M. 1930. A list of the known Chinese ants. Peking Natural History Bulletin 5: 53-81.
  • Yamane S. 2016. How many species of Ants in Amami Islands? (in Japanese). Part 2, chapter 1 in How many species of Ants in Amami Islands? Pp. 92-132.
  • Yamane S., S. Ikudome, and M. Terayama. 1999. Identification guide to the Aculeata of the Nansei Islands, Japan. Sapporo: Hokkaido University Press, xii + 831 pp. pp, 138-317.
  • Yamane S., Y. Harada, and K. Eguchi. 2013. Classification and ecology of ants. Natural history of ants in Southern Kyushu. 200 pages
  • Yamane S.; Ikudome, S.; Terayama, M. 1999. Identification guide to the Aculeata of the Nansei Islands, Japan. Sapporo: Hokkaido University Press, xii + 831 pp. pp138-317.
  • Yamane, S.; Iwai, T.; Watanabe, H.; Yamanouchi, Y. 1994. Ant fauna of the Tokara Islands, northern Ryukyus, Japan (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). WWF (Worldwide Fund for Nature) Japan Science Report 2(2):311-327.