Aenictus pubescens

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Aenictus pubescens
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Dorylinae
Genus: Aenictus
Species: A. pubescens
Binomial name
Aenictus pubescens
Smith, F., 1859

Aenictus pubescens casent0902693 p 1 high.jpg

Aenictus pubescens casent0902693 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Identification

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: India (type locality).

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

Castes

Known only from males.

Images from AntWeb

Aenictus pubescens casent0902693 p 2 high.jpgAenictus pubescens casent0902693 d 2 high.jpgAenictus pubescens casent0902693 p 3 high.jpgAenictus pubescens casent0902693 p 4 high.jpg
Holotype of Aenictus pubescensMale (alate). Specimen code casent0902693. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by NHMUK, London, UK.

Nomenclature

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

  • pubescens. Aenictus pubescens Smith, F. 1859b: 10, pl. 2, fig. 17 (m.) INDIA (no state data,“Northern India”).
    • Type-material: holotype male.
    • Type-locality: India: “Northern India” (no further data).
    • Type-depository: BMNH.
    • Status as species: Roger, 1863b: 41; Mayr, 1863: 394; Smith, F. 1871a: 336; Dalla Torre, 1893: 8; Forel, 1901a: 469; Bingham, 1903: 10; Emery, 1910b: 31; Chapman & Capco, 1951: 16; Wilson, 1964a: 483; Bolton, 1995b: 60; Bharti, Guénard, et al. 2016: 21.
    • Distribution: India.

Description

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from (Bingham 1903)

Male

Length 3 ½ lines (about 7.5 mm)

Rufo-testaceous, densely clothed with pale pubescence: the head black and shining, the mandibles and antennae rufo-testaceous; the ocelli in a curve on the vertex and situated on the side of a central elevation; the mandibles long and curved. The thorax obscure ferruginous; wings hyaline and iridescent, the nervures and stigma brown.

Abdomen densely clothed with long silky decumbent pubescence; the peduncle deeply concave above and channeled in the middle, slightly rounded at the sides; the peduncle of the same width as the 2nd segment, the terminal segment obtuse.

" Hab. Northern India." (Smith.)

I have quoted in full Mr. Smith's original description, as the species is unknown to me except from the mutilated type in the British Museum, which is minus the pedicel and abdomen.

References

  • Smith, F. 1859c. Catalogue of hymenopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum. Part VII. Dorylidae and Thynnidae. London: British Museum, 76 pp. (page 10, pl. 2, fig. 17 male described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Bharti H. 2011. List of Indian ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Halteres 3: 79-87.
  • 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
  • Chapman, J.W. and S.R. Capco. 1951. Check list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Asia. Monographs of the Institute of Science and Technology (Manila) 1: 1- 327