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Aphaenogaster inermita
| Aphaenogaster inermita | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Aphaenogaster |
| Species group: | testaceopilosa |
| Species: | A. inermita |
| Binomial name | |
| Aphaenogaster inermita Bolton, 1995
| |
| Synonyms | |
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Hunting singly during daytime and nesting under stones in arid coastal areas on Malta (Schembri & Collingwood 1981; Boer, 2013).
Identification
A member of the A. testaceopilosa group. By the absence of propodeal spines or teeth, the workers cannot be confused with other species. Moreover, the setae are fine instead of bristle-like, as in most species. Gynes and males unknown. (Boer 2013)
Keys including this Species
- Key to Aphaenogaster European testaceopilosa-group queens
- Key to Aphaenogaster European testaceopilosa-group workers
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 37.97626° to 37.96323°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Italy (type locality), Malta.
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
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- inermis. Aphaenogaster semipolita var. inermis Santschi, 1933c: 390.
- [First available use of Aphaenogaster testaceopilosa subsp. semipolita var. inermis Emery, 1908c: 320 (w.) ITALY; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
- Type-material: holotype worker.
- Type-locality: Italy: Calabria (no further data).
- Type-depository: MSNG.
- [Junior primary homonym of Aphaenogaster (Ischnomyrmex) araneoides var. inermis Forel, 1899c: 60.]
- As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Emery, 1916b: 131; Emery, 1921f: 63; Menozzi, 1921: 26; Baroni Urbani, 1971c: 44.
- Status as species: Schembri & Collingwood, 1981: 423; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987b: 269 (in key); Poldi, et al. 1995: 3; Petrov, 2006: 89 (in key) (error).
- Replacement name: Aphaenogaster inermita Bolton, 1995b: 70.
- inermita. Aphaenogaster inermita Bolton, 1995b: 70.
- Replacement name for Aphaenogaster semipolita var. inermis Santschi, 1933c: 390. [Junior primary homonym of Aphaenogaster (Ischnomyrmex) araneoides var. inermis Forel, 1899c: 60.]
- Status as species: Bolton, 1995b: 70; Boer, 2013: 77 (redescription); Borowiec, L. 2014: 13; Lebas, et al. 2016: 250.
- Distribution: Italy, Malta.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Boer (2013) - Lateral sides of mesosoma with weak longitudinal rugulae, on the propodeal dorsum absent or rugulose. Head longitudinally rugulose with some cross-connections. Terminal side of propodeum, opposite of petiole rugulose and punctate. Petiolar nodes punctate. Dorsal side of postpetiole with longitudinal costulae. Microstriae on dorsal side of gaster dense, less pronounced than in other species. Dorsal side of postpetiole matt. Pronotum matt glossy. Dorsal side of gaster matt satin. Terminal side of propodeum, opposite of the petiole matt glossy. Antennal club 4-segmented. Propodeal spines absent. Terminal side of propodeum oblong, without any spine, generally slightly dentate. All hairs not bristle-like as in most species. The fine hairs of the underside of the head and anterior side of the first coxae have the same shape as those of the mesosoma.
Measurements (n = 10). CI 78–81 (80); CL 1.22–1.41 (1.28) mm; CW 0.95–1.15 (1.02) mm; PHI 25–29 (27); PI 66–86 (77); PPPI 47–51 (50); PWI 20–24 (22); RPH 110–141 (126); SI 139–145 (142); SL 1.36–1.59 (1.44) mm.
Type Material
- Holotype, worker, Palizzi, Calabria, Italy, Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Genoa.
References
- Boer, P. 2013. Revision of the European ants of the Aphaenogaster testaceopilosa-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 156, 57–93.
- Bolton, B. 1995b. A new general catalogue of the ants of the world. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 504 pp. (page 70, new name; replacement name for inermis Santschi, catalogue)
- Borowiec, L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
- Forel, A. 1899e. Formicidae. [part]. Biol. Cent.-Am. Hym. 3: 57-80 (page 60, junior primary homonym of inermis Forel)
- Santschi, F. 1933d. Étude sur le sous-genre Aphaenogaster Mayr. Rev. Suisse Zool. 40: 389-408 (page 390, name replaced)
- Schifani, E., Alicata, A., Menchetti, M., Borowiec, L., Fisher, B.L., Karaman, C., Kiran, K., Oueslati, W., Salata, S., Blatrix, R. 2022. Revisiting the morphological species groups of West-Palearctic Aphaenogaster ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) under a phylogenetic perspective: toward an evolutionary classification. Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny 80, 627–648 (doi:10.3897/asp.80.e84428).
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Boer P. 2013. Revision of the European ants of the Aphaenogaster testaceopilosa-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 156: 57-93.
- Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
- Emery C. 1916. Fauna entomologica italiana. I. Hymenoptera.-Formicidae. Bullettino della Società Entomologica Italiana 47: 79-275.
- Gomez K. 2017. Two species of exotic ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) new to Malta. Boletin de la Sociedad Entomologica Aragonesa (S.E.A.) 61: 233-235.
- Menozzi C. 1921. Formiche dei dintorni di Sambiase di Calabria. Bollettino del Laboratorio di Zoologia Generale e Agraria della Reale Scuola Superiore d'Agricoltura. Portici. 15: 24-32.