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Aphaenogaster gracillima
| Aphaenogaster gracillima | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Aphaenogaster |
| Species: | A. gracillima |
| Binomial name | |
| Aphaenogaster gracillima Watanabe & Yamane, 1999 | |
| Common Name | |
|---|---|
| Kubinaga-ashinaga-ari | |
| Language: | Japanese |
This species nests in the soil or rotting wood (Japanese Ant Image Database).
Identification
Total length of workers around 3.5 - 8 mm. Head and mesosoma reddish brown; mandibles lighter; scapes, legs and gaster dark brown. Scapes, mesosoma and legs distinctly long and slender. Head elongate behind eyes, in full face view strongly but gradually narrowed posteriorly. The funicular segments each elongate; the apical four lighter in color than the others. Mesonotum weakly raised and covered with irregular striation and punctation. Propodeal spines varying in shape from long and slender to short and broad. Similar to Aphaenogaster donann, but distinguished by worker coloration and male morphology. (Japanese Ant Image Database)
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
Chromosome number 2n=28.
Castes
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- gracillima. Aphaenogaster gracillima Watanabe & Yamane, 1999: 735, figs. 4, 16 (w.q.m.) JAPAN.
- Type-material: holotype worker, 23 paratype workers, 1 paratype queen, 1 paratype male.
- Type-locality: holotype Japan: Ryukyu Is, Iriomote-jima, Komi, 26.iii.1991 [colony 91019] (H. Watanabe); paratypes with same data.
- Type-depository: none stated (perhaps NIAS, OIST, SKYC, perhaps also KUIC, MNHA, UTKC).
- Status as species: Imai, et al. 2003: 179; Eguchi, 2003: 340.
- Distribution: Japan.
Description
References
- Eguchi, K. 2003. A Study on the Male Genitalia of Some Asian Species of Pheidole (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae). Sociobiology 41(2): 317-355 (page 340, figs. 35A-C male genitalia described)
- Imai, H.T., Kihara, A., Kondoh, M., Kubota, M., Kuribayashi, S., Ogata, K., Onoyama, K., Taylor, R.W., Terayama, M., Yoshimura, M., Ugawa, Y. 2003. Ants of Japan. 224 pp, Gakken, Japan.
- Watanabe, H.; Yamane, S. 1999. New species and new status in the genus Aphaenogaster (Formicidae) in the Oriental and Australian regions. In: Identification Guide to the Aculeata of the Nansei Islands. Pp. 728-736 in: Yamane, S.; Ikudome, S.; Terayama, M (page 735, worker described)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Eguchi K. 2003. A study on the male genitalia of some Asian species of Pheidole (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae). Sociobiology 41: 317-355.
- Terayama M., S. Kubota, and K. Eguchi. 2014. Encyclopedia of Japanese ants. Asakura Shoten: Tokyo, 278 pp.
- Watanabe H., and S. Yamane. 1999. New species and new status in the genus Aphaenogaster (Formicidae) from Japan. Pp. 728-736 in: Yamane, S.; Ikudome, S.; Terayama, M. 1999. Identification guide to the Aculeata of the Nansei Islands, Japan. Sapporo: Hokkaido University Press, xii + 831 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.