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Aphaenogaster kimberleyensis
| Aphaenogaster kimberleyensis | |
|---|---|
| |
| Aphaenogaster kimberleyensis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Aphaenogaster |
| Species: | A. kimberleyensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Aphaenogaster kimberleyensis Shattuck, 2008
| |
Aphaenogaster kimberleyensis occurs in forested areas ranging from Eucalyptus and Allosyncarpia woodlands to rainforests. Nests are in sandy soil.
Identification
Hairs on underside of head randomly distributed and not forming a distinct psammophore; head relatively narrow, its posterior margin broadly arched in full face view; scape relatively long; erect hairs on mesosomal dorsum tapering to sharp points; propodeal spines long, the dorsal surfaces of propodeum and propodeal spines connected through a gentle concavity followed by a gentle convexity. This species is most similar to A. barbara and can be separated from it by the narrower head and longer scapes.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -13.3° to -25.958045°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia (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
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- kimberleyensis. Aphaenogaster kimberleyensis Shattuck, 2008a: 31, figs. 7, 8, 21, 22, 26 (w.) AUSTRALIA (Western Australia).
- Type-material: holotype worker, 9 paratype workers.
- Type-locality: holotype Australia: Western Australia, 6 km. E Surveyors Pool Camp, Mitchell Plateau, 14°37’48’’S, 125°37’48’’E, 4.v.1992 (S.O. Shattuck); paratypes with same data.
- Type-depositories: ANIC (holotype); ANIC, MCZC (paratypes).
- Distribution: Australia.
Type Material
- Holotype, worker, 6km E Surveyors Pool Camp, Mitchell Plateau, 14°37’48”S 125°37’48”E, Western Australia, Australia, 14°37′48″S 125°37′48″E / 14.63°S 125.63°E, Shattuck,S.O., ANIC32-017982, Australian National Insect Collection.
- Paratype, 3 workers, 6km E Surveyors Pool Camp, Mitchell Plateau, 14°37’48”S 125°37’48”E, Western Australia, Australia, 14°37′48″S 125°37′48″E / 14.63°S 125.63°E, Shattuck,S.O., ANIC32-017983, Australian National Insect Collection.
- Paratype, 3 workers, 6km E Surveyors Pool Camp, Mitchell Plateau, 14°37’48”S 125°37’48”E, Western Australia, Australia, 14°37′48″S 125°37′48″E / 14.63°S 125.63°E, Museum of Comparative Zoology.
Taxonomic Notes
This species is very similar to A. barbara but the limited material currently available suggests that two species are involved. Specimens here considered to belong to A. kimberleyensis have narrower heads and longer scapes compared to specimens placed in A. barbara. It should be noted that these differences are slight and that some smaller specimens of both species do overlap, but the majority of specimens (especially larger ones) show little overlap. No other characters could be found which differ between these two sets of specimens. Given that these two species are currently allopatric it is possible that only a single variable species is involved. However, the characters used here to separate these species (head shape and scape length) have proven to be reliable in diagnosing other species in the genus (species with numerous additional supporting characters). Given this, these differences are taken as being significant and suggest that two separate species are present.
Description
Posterior margin of head broadly arched in full face view, the arch beginning at the occipital collar and with at most a weak angle separating the posterior and lateral margins of the head (often posterior and lateral margins forming a continuous surface). Hairs on venter of head randomly distributed and not forming a distinct psammophore. Mandibular sculpture composed of irregularly sized striations. Erect hairs on mesosomal dorsum tapering to sharp points. Propodeal spines long. Dorsal surfaces of propodeum and propodeal spines connected through a gentle concavity followed by a gentle convexity (so that the base of each spine is raised slightly above the dorsal surface of the propodeum). Petiolar node (in dorsal view) slightly longer than broad.
Measurements
Worker (n = 7, units = mm). CI 83; EI 17; EL 0.19-0.22; HL 1.25-1.38; HW 0.04-0.17; ML 1.83-2.02; MTL 1.25-1.43; SI 149; SL 1.63-0.80
- CI: Cephalic index: HW/HL x 100.
- EI: Eye index: EL/HW x 100.
- EL: Maximum eye length with eye in full face view.
- HL: Maximum head length in full face (dorsal) view, measured from the anterior-most point of the clypeal margin to the posterior-most point of the head proper (excluding the occipital collar).
- HW: Maximum head width in full face (dorsal) view excluding the eyes.
- ML: Mesosomal length measured from the anterior surface of the pronotum proper (excluding the collar) to the posterior extension of the propodeal lobes.
- MTL: Maximum length of mid tibia, excluding the proximal part of the articulation which is received into the distal end of the femur.
- SI: Scape index: SL/HW x 100.
- SL: Length of the scape (first antennal segment) excluding the basal neck and condyle.
References
- Heterick, B.E. 2021. A guide to the ants of Western Australia. Part I: Systematics. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 86, 1-245 (doi:10.18195/issn.0313-122x.86.2021.001-245).
- Heterick, B.E. 2022. A guide to the ants of Western Australia. Part II: Distribution and biology. Records of the Western Australian Museum, supplement 86: 247-510 (doi:10.18195/issn.0313-122x.86.2022.247-510).
- Shattuck,S.O. (2008). Australian ants of the genus Aphaenogaster (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) . Zootaxa. 1677 : 25–45 (taxonomy, revision)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Andersen A. N., J. Lanoue, and I. Radford. 2010. The ant fauna of the remote Mitchell Falls area of tropical north-western Australia: Biogeography, environmental relationships and conservation significance. Journal of Insect Conservation 14: 647-661.