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Aenictus diclops
| Aenictus diclops | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Dorylinae |
| Genus: | Aenictus |
| Species: | A. diclops |
| Binomial name | |
| Aenictus diclops Shattuck, 2008
| |
This is one of the rarest species of Australian Aenictus, being known from only two collections on northern Cape York Peninsula. Its closest relatives, species formerly placed in the subgenus Typhlatta, are found from India east to the Philippines and south to Papua New Guinea. This species is similar to the PNG species A. huonicus but differs in having more extensive sculpturing on the mesosoma and petiole.
Identification
A member of the currax group. "Eye spots" present on posterolateral corners of head; subpetiolar process generally absent but sometimes present as a slight carina. This is the only known Australian species of the genus with "eye spots" (pale pigmentation on the dorsolateral region of the head capsule).
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -11.13333035° to -12.71667°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia (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. |
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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
Known only from the worker caste.
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- diclops. Aenictus diclops Shattuck, 2008c: 8, figs. 9-11, 26 (w.) AUSTRALIA (Queensland).
- Type-material: holotype worker, 29 paratype workers.
- Type-locality: holotype Australia: Queensland, Cape York, Jardine River, Telegraph Line Crossing, 15-17.vi.1969 (G. Monteith); paratypes with same data.
- Type-depositories: ANIC (holotype); ANIC, MCZC, QMBA (paratypes).
- Status as species: Jaitrong & Yamane, 2011: 15 (redescription).
- Distribution: Australia.
Type Material
- Holotype, worker, Telegraph Line Crossing, Jerdine River, Cape York, Queensland, Australia, Monteith,G., ANIC32-023689, Australian National Insect Collection.
- Paratype, 23 workers, Telegraph Line Crossing, Jerdine River, Cape York, Queensland, Australia, Australian National Insect Collection.
- Paratype, 3 workers, Telegraph Line Crossing, Jerdine River, Cape York, Queensland, Australia, Museum of Comparative Zoology.
- Paratype, 3 workers, Telegraph Line Crossing, Jerdine River, Cape York, Queensland, Australia, Queensland Museum.
Description
Mandible subtriangular, with a large apical tooth, a smaller subapical tooth and a series of 4-ca.10 ill-defined crenulations; anterior clypeal border convex, extending anterior of anterior surfaces of frontal lobes in full face view; parafrontal ridges absent (although a sharp angle is present immediately posterior of the lateral clypeal margin); subpetiolar process absent or at most a thin carina; head entirely smooth, posterior pronotum smooth, anterior pronotum and entire mesonotum with weak, fine puncations, mesopleuron with longitudinal rugae, propodeum similar to mesonotum but sculpturing less well developed, especially anteriorly; body yellow-red with “Typhlatta” spots (pale yellow patches) on posterolateral corners of head.
Measurements. Worker (n = 9) - CI 83–88; HL 0.85–0.95; HW 0.74–0.83; MTL 0.78–0.97; ML 1.39–1.59; SI 95–103; SL 0.71–0.83.
References
- Jaitrong, W. & Yamane, S. 2011. Synopsis of Aenictus species groups and revision of the A. currax and A. laeviceps groups in the eastern Oriental, Indo-Australian, and Australasian regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Aenictinae). Zootaxa, 3128, 1–46. PDF
- Shattuck, S.O. 2008c. Review of the ant genus Aenictus in Australia with notes on A. ceylonicus (Mayr). Zootaxa 1926: 1-19.
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Jaitrong W.; Yamane, S. 2011. Synopsis of Aenictus species groups and revision of the A. currax and A. laeviceps groups in the eastern Oriental, Indo-Australian, and Australasian regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Aenictinae). Zootaxa 3128:1-46.