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Aenictus ugaduwensis
| Aenictus ugaduwensis | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Dorylinae |
| Genus: | Aenictus |
| Species group: | rotundatus |
| Species complex: | rotundatus |
| Species: | A. ugaduwensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Aenictus ugaduwensis Gomez, 2022
| |
Known from the type series of three workers from Burkina Faso and a single worker from a Senegal, savannah winkler-sample.
Identification
Gómez (2022) - A member of the rotundatus species complex in the Aenictus rotundatus species group. Extrapolating information from only four workers is quite daring, especially in this group with a certain degree of polymorphism, but separation from the other species in the complex is feasible. The erect setae separates it from Aenictus jacki and Aenictus congolensis, the lack of propodeal ridge from Aenictus weissi and the much shorter scapes from Aenictus nyuyi.
The following table shows characters useful for separating A. guineensis, A. rotundatus and A. ugaduwensis.
| HW~0.7 | CI | SIL | WL/PRW (n=3) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. guineensis | 86–90 | 72–74 | 283–295 |
| A. rotundatus | 85–92 | 66–69 | 273–283 |
| A. ugaduwensis | 96–100 | 63–66 | 237–246 |
Aenictus ugaduwensis resembles Aenictus rotundatus or Aenictus guineensis in its general aspect, but the head is clearly quadrate, the scapes are much shorter for the same size range (HW~0.7) and mesosoma is also stouter with lower values for WL/PRW.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 13° to 12°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: Gomez, 2022
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Burkina Faso (type locality), Senegal.
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.
- ugaduwensis. Aenictus ugaduwensis Gómez, 2022: 76, figs. 59A-D, 60 (w.) BURKINA FASO.
- Type-material: holotype worker, 2 paratype workers.
- Type-locality: holotype Burkina Faso: Ougadougou, 6.ix.1970 (P. Room); paratypes with same data.
- Type-depository: BMNH.
- Distribution: Burkina Faso, Senegal.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
HL: 0.68 [0.65-0.69]; HW: 0.66 [0.65-0.67]; SL: 0.43 [0.41-0.45]; WL: 1.01 [0.94-1.05]; PL: 0.28 [0.26-0.28]; PH: 0.21 [0.21-0.22]; PPL: 0.23 [0.22- 0.23]; PPH: 0.20 [0.20-0.21]; CS: 0.67 [0.65-0.68]; CI: 97 [95-100]; SIL: 63 [62-65]; SIW: 65 [62-68]; WL/HW: 152 [143-159]; PI: 128 [122-133]; PPI: 111 [109-114]; CSR: 103; (n=4). With the characteristics of the rotundatus species complex and: scapes short, (SL/HL~62). Funicular segments 1-2 slightly longer than wide, enlarging to the apical, which is twice longer than wide. Head quadrate (CI~95–100), convex laterally and widest at the middle. Occipital line straight. Ventrolateral margin absent. Mandibles triangular with a long, sharp apical tooth followed by 4–5 denticles, sometimes eroded seeming edentate. Clypeus a row of conical teeth, clearly visible and longer than wide, decreasing to the sides, sometimes eroded. Frontal ridges present, not projecting frontally and not fused between the antennal sockets.
Pronotum convex, mesopropodeal suture present, concave and meeting the propodeum at an angle. Transverse mesopleural groove absent; propodeal ridge present as a weak dark line, sometimes incomplete laterally; propodeal declivity concave below that line.
Petiole sessile with anterolateral and anterodorsal ridges present, dorsolateral absent. Petiole anteriorly a quarter of ellipse, rounded, and almost vertical posteriorly. Postpetiole subrectangular with rounded angles and vertical anterior and posteriorly faces, without carinae. Subpetiolar process developed with a bulky quarter of ellipse facing forward and a triangular rounded lamellae facing downwards, from straight to shark-fin shaped.
Head, scapes, pronotum, dorsum of mesonotum, dorsopropodeum, postpetiole and gaster glassy smooth; mandibles finely horizontally rugulose, with its apical tooth smooth; mesopleurae and lateropropodeum finely reticulated, lateral sides of petiole and postpetiole alutaceus to reticulated. Overall colour yellowish brown in the type series, brown in the Senegal sample, darker at mesonotum, petiole and postpetiole.
Medium to long decumbent white setae, oriented backwards, present at head, dorsum of pronotum petiole, postpetiole and gaster. Dorsum of propodeum bare. A few scattered, long, white, erect setae present at pronotum, petiole, postpetiole and gaster, longer than petiole height. Scapes with white unequally long decumbent to semierect setae, clearly longer than scape width. No pubescence noted.
Type Material
- Holotype worker: • Burkina Faso, Ougadougou 06/09/1970 (Room, P.) (1w) [NHMUK012849272] The Natural History Museum.
- Paratype workers: • same series, (2 pins, 1w each) [NHMUK012849270, NHMUK012849271] The Natural History Museum.
Etymology
The species name ugaduwensis is a masculine Latin adjective in the nominative case and refers to the location the ant was collected.