Aphaenogaster rugulosa

Aphaenogaster rugulosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Aphaenogaster
Species:	A. rugulosa
Binomial name
Aphaenogaster rugulosa Watanabe & Yamane, 1999

Common Name
Yonaguni-ashinaga-ari
Language:	Japanese

Nests in the soil of woodland, including its margins. Both gastral turn-down while foraging and death-feigning have been observed in the workers (Japanese Ant Image Database).

Identification

Total length of workers around 5 mm. Head and mesosoma blackish brown; antennae, mandibles, legs, petiole, postpetiole and gaster dark brown. Antennae, mesosoma and legs relatively rather short compared to other Japanese Aphaenogaster species. Posterior border of head nearly flat in full face view. Head shining, covered with distinct striae and punctures; longitudinal striae on frontal area reaching occipital carina. Striation on pronotal dorsum more distinct than on head, interspaces shining. Pronotal humeri not angulate. Mesosoma distinctly raised, often higher than pronotum, covered with striae and punctures. Lateral portions of mesopleura covered with striae and punctures, but lacking reticulate sculpture. Propodeal spines rather slender, with acute apices. Similar in body shape to Aphaenogaster japonica and Aphaenogaster edentula. (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.

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.

Biology

Chromosome number 2n=34.

Nomenclature

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

• rugulosa. Aphaenogaster rugulosa Watanabe & Yamane, 1999: 729, fig. 11 (w.q.m.) JAPAN.
  • Type-material: holotype worker, 30 paratype workers, 1 paratype queen, 13 paratype males.
  • Type-locality: holotype Japan: Ryukyu Is, Yonaguni-jima, Urabu-dake, 28.iv.-14.vi.1991 [colony 91008] (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: 178.
  • Distribution: Japan.

References

• 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 729, described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• 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.