Aptinoma
Aptinoma | |
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Aptinoma mangabe | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Formicidae |
Subfamily: | Dolichoderinae |
Tribe: | Tapinomini |
Genus: | Aptinoma Fisher, 2009 |
Type species | |
Aptinoma mangabe | |
Diversity | |
2 species (Species Checklist, Species by Country) |
The two known species of this genus have been collected from vegetation and the forest canopy. Some sparse additional biological details are found on the species pages.
Identification
In many respects Aptinoma workers are similar to Tapinoma workers. Both genera share a number of traits, including the shape of the clypeus, position of eyes, and shape and number of mandibular teeth and denticles. Aptinoma differs from Tapinoma in palpal formula (6:3 in Aptinoma, 6:4 in Tapinoma (confirmed with dissection; Fig. 7c). Aptinoma also differs in having a more developed petiole node. The petiolar node in Tapinoma is flat, with almost no visible rise in the anterior face. In Aptinoma, a visible face is present. The face is more pronounced in major workers. The combination of palpal formula and form of petiolar node form an inclusive diagnosis that isolates Aptinoma from all other genera within the subfamily. Within the Malagasy region, the presence of dimorphic workers (with majors and minors), distinguish Aptinoma from all other dolichoderine genera. In males, the length of scape (shorter than the length of antennal segments 3 + 4), the presence of a petiole scale, and palpal formula 6:3 form an inclusive diagnosis.
See images of species within this genus |
Distribution
Distribution and Richness based on AntMaps
Species by Region
Number of species within biogeographic regions, along with the total number of species for each region.
Afrotropical Region | Australasian Region | Indo-Australian Region | Malagasy Region | Nearctic Region | Neotropical Region | Oriental Region | Palaearctic Region | |
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Species | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total Species | 2841 | 1736 | 3045 | 932 | 835 | 4379 | 1741 | 2862 |
Biology
Life History Traits
- Mean colony size: ? (Greer et al., 2021)
- Compound colony type: not parasitic (Greer et al., 2021)
- Nest site: arboreal (Greer et al., 2021)
- Diet class: omnivore (Greer et al., 2021)
- Foraging stratum: arboreal (Greer et al., 2021)
Castes
Morphology
Worker Morphology
- Explore: Show all Worker Morphology data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.
• Eyes: 11-100 ommatidia • Pronotal Spines: absent • Mesonotal Spines: absent • Propodeal Spines: absent • Petiolar Spines: absent • Caste: polymorphic • Sting: absent • Metaplural Gland: present • Cocoon: absent
Phylogeny
Dolichoderinae |
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See Phylogeny of Dolichoderinae for details.
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- APTINOMA [Dolichoderinae: Tapinomini]
- Aptinoma Fisher, 2009: 38. Type-species: Aptinoma mangabe, by original designation.
Diagnosis of worker. Dimorphic, with distinct minor and major workers. Major workers polymorphic. Lateral and anterior corner of hypostoma reduced to a thin sclerite, without expanded flange. Mandible with 4–6 teeth apically on masticatory margin; counting from the apex, third tooth smaller than fourth, fifth smaller than sixth. Teeth followed by a fine series of 4–8 denticles (effaced in some major workers); basal angle blunt, with a relatively uninterrupted curve between the masticatory and basal margins; basal margin with minute serrations. Antennae with 12 segments. Palpal formula 6:3 (confirmed with dissection of A. mangabe). Fourth maxillary palp segment subequal in length to segment 5. Fifth maxillary palp segment at the apical extreme of segment 4. Metanotal groove impressed but often weak. Propodeum unarmed, without any acute angle. Propodeal declivity almost straight in profile. Petiolar scale present, in the form of a node with low standing forward face. Gaster with only four plates on upper surface; fifth tergite (abdominal tergite 7) reflexed ventrally, and visible in ventral view where it forms a transverse plate abutting the fifth sternite. Mesosoma lacking erect hairs.
Diagnosis of queen. Based on one specimen of Aptinoma mangabe. Ergatoid with diagnostic characters of workers. Ocelli present. Scutellum distinct. Petiolar scale present, in the form of a node with a low standing forward face.
Diagnosis of male. Based on Aptinoma mangabe. Scape not reaching or surpassing posterior lateral margin of head in full-face view; scape length shorter than the length of segments 3 + 4. Second antenatal segment (pedicle) cone-shaped. Compound eyes relatively anterior on head. Anterior clypeal margin with a broad, shallow concavity. Posterior clypeal margin between the anterior and posterior surfaces of the antennal condyle. Palpal formula 6:3 (not confirmed with dissection). Mandible with single apical tooth followed by series of serrate teeth or denticles ( > 20) along masticatory margin; basal angle of mandible indistinct, with a relatively uninterrupted curve between the two margins. Petiole with distinct scale, angled dorsally and strongly inclined anteriorly, with anterior face shorter than posterior face. First gastral segment in dorsal view with a groove for reception of entire height of petiole.
References
- Cantone S. 2017. Winged Ants, The Male, Dichotomous key to genera of winged male ants in the World, Behavioral ecology of mating flight (self-published).
- Cantone S. 2018. Winged Ants, The queen. Dichotomous key to genera of winged female ants in the World. The Wings of Ants: morphological and systematic relationships (self-published).
- Fisher, B.L. 2009. Two new dolichoderine ant genera from Madagascar: Aptinoma gen. n. and Ravavy gen. n. Zootaxa 2118: 37-52.
- Greer, J. A., Moreau, C. S. 2021. Phylogenetic analysis and trait evolution of ant cocoons. Insect Systematics & Evolution 53(1), 60–77 (doi:10.1163/1876312x-bja10008).