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Anochetus shohki
| Anochetus shohki | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Ponerinae |
| Tribe: | Ponerini |
| Genus: | Anochetus |
| Species: | A. shohki |
| Binomial name | |
| Anochetus shohki Terayama, 1996
| |
| Common Name | |
|---|---|
| Hime-agito-ari | |
| Language: | Japanese |
The only species of Anochetus known from Japan, Anochetus shohki is confined to the Central Ryukyus (Okinawa-jima) and Southern Ryukyus, and found in semi-open sites (Terayama, 1996; Terayama et al., 2014; Hisasue & Tokushige, 2021). The colonies are small with a single foundress. Thelytokous parthenogenesis is known in dealate queens (Miyazaki, 2023) (Yamane et al., 2024).
| At a Glance | • Parthenogenetic |
Identification
Terayama (1996) - This species belongs to the graeffei-group of Brown (1978) and especially resembles Anochetus graeffei. But it is separable from the latter by the following characteristics: mandibular shaft only weakly broadened anteriorly (maximum width of shaft 2.0 x its basal width in graeffei); petiolar node thin and carinate dorsally (not carinate in graeffei); first gastral tergite with relatively large punctures densely (with very small punctures sparsely in graeffei).
Yamane et al. (2024) - In A. shohki the queen differs from the worker in having the following characters: body larger (HW 0. 94–1.00 mm in the queen vs ca. 0.85 mm in the worker); eye larger (maximum diameter 0.20 mm vs. 0.13 mm); three ocelli present; meso- and metathorax with developed wings and associated structures; mesoscutellum differentiated from mesoscutum; groove dividing mesopleuron into upper and lower sections much more conspicuous than in the worker.
Yamane et al. (2024), Fig. 2. Habitus (queen) in profile view. A – Hypoponera beppin Terayama, 1999 (Yakusugiland, Yaku-shima, Ôsumi Is., Kagoshima-ken, 22.viii.2006, Y. Kuboki leg., Litter No. 3); B – Anochetus shohki Terayama, 1996 (Oganzaki, Sakieda, Ishigaki-jima, Yaeyama Is., Okinawa-ken, 10.iv.2022, H. Matsumura leg., MH97, emerged in vii.2022 from captive colony); C – Brachyponera luteipes (Mayr, 1862) (Shirahama-rindo, Iriomote-jima, Okinawa-ken, 11.xi.2018, Sk. Yamane leg., JP18-SKY-154); D – Euponera sakishimensis (Terayama, 1999) (Funaura, Iriomote-jima, Yaeyana Is., Okinawa-ken, 9.v.1979, K. Ogata leg.); E – Leptogenys confucii Forel, 1912 (Mikyo, Tokuno-shima, Amami Is., Kagoshima-ken, 6.iii.2010, Sk. Yamane leg., M10-SKY-12); F – Odontomachus cf. monticola Emery, 1892 (Miyanoura, Yaku-shima, Ôsumi Is., Kagoshima-ken, 16.ix.2008, collector unknown).
Yamane et al. (2024), Fig. 4. Habitus (queen) in dorsal view. A – Hypoponera beppin Terayama, 1999; B – Anochetus shohki Terayama, 1996; C – Brachyponera luteipes (Mayr, 1862); D – Euponera sakishimensis (Terayama, 1999); E – Leptogenys confucii Forel, 1912; F – Odontomachus cf. monticola Emery, 1892. (Collection data same as in fig. 2).
Yamane et al. (2024), Fig. 6. Head (queen) in full-face view. A – Hypoponera beppin Terayama, 1999; B – Anochetus shohki Terayama, 1996; C – Brachyponera luteipes (Mayr, 1862); D – Euponera sakishimensis (Terayama, 1999); E – Leptogenys confucii Forel, 1912; F – Odontomachus cf. monticola Emery, 1892. (Collection data same as in fig. 2).
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Distribution
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Japan (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
 Figures 21-25. Anochetus shohki sp. nov. (worker and female)- 21, Head, worker, frontal view; 22, apex of mandible, worker, adaxial view; 23, alitrunk and petiole, worker, lateral view; 24, petiolar node, frontal view; 25, alitrunk and petiole, female, lateral view. Scale bars: a, 0.25 mm for 22, 24; b, 0.50 mm for 21, 23, 25. |
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- shohki. Anochetus shohki Terayama, 1996: 15, figs. 21-25 (w.q.) JAPAN.
- Type-material: holotype worker, 9 paratype workers, 1 paratype queen.
- Type-locality: holotype Japan: Okinawa Pref., Ishigaki-jima, Mt Omoto-dake, 10.xi.1993 (K. Yamauchi); paratypes with same data.
- Type-depositories: MNHA (holotype); NIAS, NSMT (paratypes).
- Status as species: Imai, et al. 2003: 212.
- Distribution: Japan.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Holotype. HL 0.88 mm; HW 0.85 mm; SL 0.73 mm; CI 97; SI 86; ML 0.53 mm; MI 60; WL 1.23 mm; AW 0.51 mm; PL 0.24 mm; PH 0.45 mm; DPW 0.30 mm; TL 4.0mm.
Head: frons microreticulate with striae; genae smooth and shining. Mandibles 0.83 x head length with straight dorsal inner margin; shaft only weakly broadened anteriorly; dorsal margin without tooth; apical portion with 3 acute teeth of which ventral and dorsal ones are subequal in length; intercalary tooth smallest Antennae with 12 segments; scape long, but not reaching posterolateral comer of head; pedicel 2.0 x as long as wide; 3rd to 10th segments each almost as long as wide; 11th segment slightly longer than wide; terminal segment 2.9x as long as wide. Eyes convex, 0.13 mm in maximum length and larger than the maximum width of mandibular shaft, with short erect hairs.
Pronotum microreticulate and coarsely punctate; dorsal length excluding cervix 1.1 x dorsal width; anterior margin carinate. Sculpture on dorsal face of mesonotum as on pronotum; mesopleura smooth and impunctate in most part Posterolateral comer of propodeum broadly rounded in lateral view; dorsal face of propodeum microreticulate and coarsely punctate; lateral faces with numerous longitudinal striae.
Petiole thin, carinate dorsally, with straight anterior margin and very weakly convex posterior margin in lateral view; in frontal view, lateral margins subparallel and dorsal margin broadly rounded. Subpetiolar process low, with an anteroventral lobe.
First gastral tergite slightly wider than long in dorsal view; anterior 3/5 microreticulate with relatively large punctures densely; the rest smooth with scartered shallow punctures. Second gastral tergite 1.3 x as wide as long in dorsal view; smooth with scattered shallow punctures. Legs subopaque.
Head including mandibles and antennae brown; alitrunk and petiole dark brown; gaster blackish brown; legs yellowish brown. Short suberect hairs present on dorsa of head and alitrunk; the longest pronotal hair about 0.09 mm in length.
Queen
Paratype. HL 0.98 mm; HW 0.97 mm; SL 0.75 mm; CI 99; SI 77; ML 0.55 mm; MI 56; WL 1.32 mm; AL 0.65 mm; PL 0.28 mm; PH 0.50 mm; DPW 0.35 mm; TL 4.7mm.
General shape of head similar to that of the worker with the usual caste differences. Eyes 0.20 mm in maximum length. Ocelli small, forming a right triangle; anterior ocellus ca. 0.04 mm in diameter.
Alitrunk and petiole: in profile dorsal outline of alitrunk convex, forming an arch from anterior end of pronotum to posterior end of propodeum; pronotum microreticulate with punctures, 0.60x as long as as wide excluding anterior cervix in dorsal view, with its anterior margin carinate; mesonotum microreticulate with punctures, but punctures smaller than those on pronotum; mesopleura smooth and shining, impunctate in most part. Petiolar node thin, carinate dorsally.
Coloration as in worker.
Type Material
Holotype. Worker, Mt. Omoto-dake, Ishigaki-jima, Okinawa Pref., 10.XI.l993, K. Yamauchi leg.
Paratypes. 1 female, 9 workers, same data as holotype.
Etymology
The specific name is the Japanese noun shohki, which is the name of a strong god of Japan.
References
- Hisasue, Y., Tokushige, N. 2021. [Records of Anochetus shohki from Okinawa-jima.] Pulex 100: 892–894 (in Japanese).
- Miyazaki, S. 2023. Thelytokous parthenogenesis in dealate queens of the ponerine ant Anochetus shohki. Asian Myrmecology 16 (e016006): 1–6.
- Terayama, M. 1996b. Taxonomic studies on the Japanese Formicidae, part 2. Seven genera of Ponerinae, Cerapachyinae and Myrmicinae. Nature and Human Activities. 1:9-32. (page 15, figs. 21-25 worker, queen described)
- Terayama, M., Kubota, S., Eguchi, K. 2014. Encyclopedia of Japanese Ants. Asakura-shoten, Tokyo, 48 pls., viii + 278 pp (in Japanese).
- Yamane, S., Hosoishi, S., Ito, F. 2024. Taxonomic study on the queens of the Japanese ponerine genera, with a redescription of Ectomomyrmex horni restituted as a valid species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 64(2): 249–267 (doi:10.37520/aemnp.2024.017).
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Komatsu T. 2009. New localities of two ant species in the Nansei islands, southeastern Japan. Ari 32: 27-29.
- Terayama M. 1996. Taxonomic studies on the Japanese Formicidae, part 2. Seven genera of Ponerinae, Cerapachyinae and Myrmicinae. Nature & Human Activities 1: 9-32.
- Terayama M., S. Kubota, and K. Eguchi. 2014. Encyclopedia of Japanese ants. Asakura Shoten: Tokyo, 278 pp.
- 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.; Ikudome, S.; Terayama, M. 1999. Identification guide to the Aculeata of the Nansei Islands, Japan. Sapporo: Hokkaido University Press, xii + 831 pp. pp138-317.