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Aenictus mariae
| Aenictus mariae | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Dorylinae |
| Genus: | Aenictus |
| Species group: | rotundatus |
| Species complex: | mariae |
| Species: | A. mariae |
| Binomial name | |
| Aenictus mariae Emery, 1895
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| Synonyms | |
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One collection record notes the ants were hand collected from bushveld and riparian vegetation. Nothing else is known about the biology of this species.
Identification
Gómez (2022) - A member of the mariae species complex in the Aenictus rotundatus species group. This species can be separated from the rest of the mariae complex species as the dorsopropeum is mainly smooth (reticulated in Aenictus hitai) and does not present the lateropropodeal pubescence characteristic to Aenictus steindachneri. Separation of minors from Aenictus boltoni can be difficult at first sight, but the petiole is clearly lower (PPI: 138 [130-150], PPI: 113 [107-127] in A. boltoni) and hemispherical while it’s subquadrate with straight parallel anterior and posterior sides in A. boltoni. The metapropodeal suture is almost non-existent in A. mariae minors but clearly visible in A. boltoni, both laterally and dorsally.
Separation from A. boltoni minors as in the following table.
| Postpetiolar shape | PPI | Metapropodeal suture | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. boltoni | Low, semispherical | 113 [107–127] | Visible, both laterally and dorsally |
| A. mariae | High, subquadrate with straight parallel anterior and posterior sides | 138 [130–150] | Faint and not discernible in minors |
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -20.16667° to -27.72698°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: South Africa (type locality), Zimbabwe.
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 from the worker caste. Table of castes known for all Afrotropical Aenictus species.
Worker
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- mariae. Aenictus mariae Emery, 1895h: 18, pl. 2, figs. 5-7 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.
- Type-material: holotype worker.
- Type-locality: South Africa: Makapan, i.-iv.1893 (E. Simon).
- Type-depository: MSNG.
- Status as species: Emery, 1895j: 747; Emery, 1910b: 31; Forel, 1913j: 212; Arnold, 1915: 140 (redescription); Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 753; Bolton, 1995b: 60; Gómez, 2022: 54 (redescription).
- Senior synonym of natalensis: Gómez, 2022: 54.
- Distribution: South Africa, Zimbabwe.
- natalensis. Aenictus mariae var. natalensis Forel, in Emery, 1901d: 49 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.
- Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
- [Notes (i): Baroni Urbani, 1977e: 67, cites 5w syntypes NHMB; (ii) Gómez, 2022: 54, cites 57w syntypes MHNG.]
- Type-locality: South Africa: Natal (G.D. Haviland).
- Type-depositories: MHNG, NHMB.
- Subspecies of mariae: Emery, 1910b: 31; Santschi, 1914e: 14; Arnold, 1915: 141; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 753; Bolton, 1995b: 60.
- Junior synonym of mariae: Gómez, 2022: 54.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Gómez (2022) - HL: 0.49 [0.42-0.55]; HW: 0.41 [0.34-0.49]; SL: 0.25 [0.21-0.3]; WL: 0.65 [0.53-0.77]; PL: 0.17 [0.15-0.20]; PH: 0.12 [0.09-0.14]; PPL: 0.13 [0.11-0.15]; PPH: 0.09 [0.08-0.11]; CS: 0.45 [0.38-0.52]; CI: 83 [78-88]; SIL: 52 [47-55]; SIW: 62 [58-66]; WL/HW: 159 [154-167]; PI: 143 [121-166]; PPI: 138 [130-150]; CSR: 137; (n=16).
Scapes short, just reaching the median line of the head when laid back (SIL~0.52). Funicular segments wider than long, the subapical quadrate, apical about twice longer than wide. Head variable from elongate and rectangular in the minor workers, slightly wider at major workers (CI 77-88). Occipital line straight. Frontal carinae small, not surpassing the torulus and fused between the antennal sockets. Frontal ridges developed distally and projecting over the clypeus in frontal view. Long, sharp apical tooth followed by 3–5 smaller triangular denticles. Almost flat in lateral view, and subrectangular in dorsal view, mesopropodeal suture very weak, with propodeum and metanotum almost forming a continuous line. Transverse mesopleural groove present. Mesometapleural suture present but very weak. Propodeal declivity flat; propodeal ridge absent, sometimes a very faint line present in biggest workers.
Petiole sessile with anterolateral ridges present, anterodorsal and dorsolateral ridges absent. Petiolar dome elliptical with a short anterior face vertical. Postpetiole rounded, semispherical. Both domes without carinae or ridges of any kind. Subpetiolar process developed and variable, with a bulky rounded rectangular to elliptical process followed by a triangular lamellae oriented from forward to downward. Lamella very variable intranidally, from a very small triangle present in the anterior face of the process and pointing forward to covering the whole process and pointing downwards.
All body surfaces smooth and shining except for the slightly punctuated meso and metapleurae. Mandibles smooth and concolorous with head. Overall colour from light yellow to light brown.
Whole body covered with a short decumbent to reclinated small white setae. Dorsum of propodeum bare except for its anterior and posterior borders. The length of the setae smaller than petiole height. Another layer of longer, sparser erect setae present in upper half of head, mesosoma, metasoma and gaster, clearly longer than petiole height. Scapes and funiculus with decumbent to semierect pilosity, shorter than scape width. No pubescence noted.
Type Material
- Aenictus mariae
- Syntype worker, SOUTH AFRICA: Transvaal, Makapan (Limpopo) (E. Simon) (1w). [CASENT0903760, seen on web by Gomez, 2022] MSNG, Genoa, Italy.
- Aenictus mariae natalensis
- Syntype workers, SOUTH AFRICA: Natal (Haviland) 3 pins with 2w, 2w, and 1w MNHB [Examined by Gomez, 2022]; Syntypes, same data (3 pins, 2w each) MHNG [Examined by Gomez, 2022]; same data (17 pins, 3w each) MHNG [CASENT0907029, Examined by Gomez, 2022].
References
- Emery, C. 1895i. Voyage de M. E. Simon dans l'Afrique australe (janvier-avril 1893). 3e mémoire. Formicides. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Fr. 64: 15-56 (page 18, pl. 2, figs. 5-7 worker described)
- Gomez, K. 2022. A revision of the Afrotropical species of the Dorylinae ant genus Aenictus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) based on the worker caste. Belgian Journal of Entomology 124: 1–86 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.5898821).
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Arnold G. 1915. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Part I. Ponerinae, Dorylinae. Annals of the South African Museum 14: 1-159.
- Borowiec M. L. 2016. Generic revision of the ant subfamily Dorylinae (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys 608: 1–280.
- Emery C. 1910. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Dorylinae. Genera Insectorum 102: 1-34.
- IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection
- Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VIII. A synonymic list of the ants of the Ethiopian region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 711-1004