Aphaenogaster polyodonta

Aphaenogaster polyodonta
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Aphaenogaster
Species:	A. polyodonta
Binomial name
Aphaenogaster polyodonta Zhou, 2001

Nothing is known about the biology of Aphaenogaster polyodonta.

Identification

Zhou (2001) - Allied to Aphaenogaster geei, but differs from the latter in mesopleurae densely and coarsely punctate; postpetiole less than 1.5 X as broad as petiole; gaster colored lighter than head and alitrunk.

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: China (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.

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.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

• polyodonta. Aphaenogaster polyodonta Zhou, 2001b: 145, 238, figs. 289, 290 (w.) CHINA (Guangxi).
  • Type-material: holotype worker, 3 paratype workers.
  • Type-locality: holotype China: Guangxi Prov., Jinxiu County, 24.ix.1995 (S. Zhou); paratypes: 2 workers with same data, 1 worker Guangxi Prov., Nandan County, 26.x.1995 (S. Zhou).
  • Type-depository: GNUC.
  • Status as species: Guénard & Dunn, 2012: 40.
  • Distribution: China.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Holotype. TL 7.7, HL 1.79, HW 1.35, CI 75, SL 2.01, SI 148, PW 0.88, AL 2.51, ED 0.33.

Head oval, posterior portion of head behind eyes narrowed, but not formed neck; with a small pit in median groove of head; occipital border convex, distinctly marginate. Mandible with 6 distinct teeth, apical tooth largest, reducing towards the base, followed by a row of indistinct denticles. Middle of clypeus slightly convex, anterior portion with median groove, laterally raised as ridges; middle of anterior border deeply concave. Frontal area triangular, deeply impressed, with a fine incomplete median ·ridge. Frontal carina short, prominent. Antennae relatively stout, with 4-segmented club, the terminal segment elongate, the other 3 segments not distinctly expanded; scapes extending beyond occipital border by 1/4 of their length, base strongly curved, beneath the curvature with a conspicuous lamella. Eyes rounded, situated in the midlength of the sides of head. Pronotum roundly convex; mesonotum oblique backward, without transverse ridge; basal face of propodeum slightly convex, about 2 X as long as declivity. Propodeal spines short and acute, backward and outward. Dorsum of petiolar node roundly convex, as long as peduncle; postpetiole rounded above, higher than petiolar node, longer than broad and narrower anteriorly in dorsal view, about 1.5 X as broad as petiolar node. Gaster oval.

Mandibles and clypeus with coarse longitudinal striations which on the latter sparser; antennal scapes with longitudinal striations and dense punctures; head coarsely sculptured and densely punctate; sculptures on the area between frontal carinae longitudinal, diverging backward, reticulate on vertex and occiput; there are feeble transverse striations among reticulations on occipital corners; sculptures on sides finer, longitudinal and somewhat oblique. Dorsum of alitrunk with irregular creases and densely coarse punctures; mesopleuron with densely coarse punctures; metapleuron with longitudinal sculptures, inters paces with punctures. Petiole and postpetiole densely punctate, dorsum of them slightly creased. Basal of first gastral segment feebly reticulate, remaining of the gaster smooth and shining.

Erect hairs yellow, fine and soft on head and alitrunk, coarse and blunt on petiole, postpetiole and gaster.

Color dark reddish brown. Mandibles, clypeus and antennae lighter, legs and gaster yellowish brown.

Paratypes 3: TL 6.9~8.7, HL 1.63~1.94, HW 1.25~1.47, CI 71~78, SL 1.80~2.17, SI 140~158, PW 0.78~0.94, AL 2.35~2.83, ED 0.31~0. 34.

Other diversities: one individual with only 2 distinct teeth on masticatory margin of mandible; clypeal median groove indistinct in another individual; color of the individual collected from northern of Guangxi (Nandan County) yellowish brown, legs yellow, gaster lighter than that of body, whole body distinctly lighter than other individuals; sculpture on head much feebler but shapes are the same.

Type Material

Holotype worker, Jinxiu County, Guangxi, 24.IX.1995, Shanyi Zhou leg. Para types: 2 workers, data as holotype; 1 worker, Nandan County, Guangxi, 26. X. 1995, Shanyi Zhou leg.

References

• Zhou, S. 2001. Ants of Guangxi. Guilin, China: Guangxi Normal University Press. 255 pp. (page 145, 238, figs. 289, 290 worker described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
• Pan Y.S. 2007. Systematic Study on the Ant Genera Pheidole Westwood and Aphaenogaster Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formincidae : Myrmicinae) In China. Guangxi Normal University, Guangxi, China. 73 pages.
• Zhang W., and S. Zhou. 2016. An investigation on Formicidae species of Nanling National Park. Journal of Huizhou University 36(3): 27-30.
• Zhou S.-Y. 2001. Ants of Guangxi. Guangxi Normal University Press, Guilin, China, Guilin, China. 255 pp.