Brachymyrmex minutus

Brachymyrmex minutus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Myrmelachistini
Genus:	Brachymyrmex
Species:	B. minutus
Binomial name
	Brachymyrmex minutus; Forel, 1893 Specimen labels

Forel (1893) found several colonies subterraneous at the roots of sod, usually where it overgrows rocks, typically within the forest and/or nearby streams. The nest of B. minutus consists of large tunnels with small chambers at intervals. Colonies contain ~ 50 to 100 individuals, with a single queen.

At a Glance

• Limited invasive

Identification

Ortiz-Sepulveda et al. (2019) - Brachymyrmex minutus morphologically resembles Brachymyrmex australis, Brachymyrmex aphidicola, and Brachymyrmex termitophilus, because all these species have eyes located on the cephalic midline, a mesonotum that does not bulge dorsally above the pronotum in lateral view, and yellowish body color. Brachymyrmex minutus differs from the three other species, or any other Brachymyrmex species for that matter, by having a very inconspicuous mesometanotal suture, giving the impression that the mesonotum and metanotum are fused. Additionally, B. minutus differs from B. termitophilus by having scattered pubescence on the gaster, from B. aphidicola by the presence of only two erect hairs on the pronotum and from B. australis by having scapes that surpass the posterior margin of the head by a length that is smaller than the maximal diameter of the eye.

Keys including this Species

Identification key to Brachymyrmex species

Distribution

In Florida this is an uncommon species that is thought to be a human introduction from the West Indies. It is known from tropical hammocks in Dade and Monroe counties. Nests are in leaf litter. The identity of this species and virtually all other Brachymyrmex is problematical. Pest status: none. First published Florida record: Ferster and Prusak 1994; earlier specimens: 1984. (Deyrup, Davis & Cover, 2000.)

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 23.133° to -24.1°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, French Guiana, Greater Antilles, Guatemala, Lesser Antilles, Martinique, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela.

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

Castes

Queen

Images from AntWeb


Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0103626. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by ABS, Lake Placid, FL, USA.

Nomenclature

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

minutus. Brachymyrmex minutus Forel, 1893g: 346 (w.q.) ST VINCENT & THE GRENADINES (St Vincent), VIRGIN IS (St Thomas).
- Type-material: lectotype worker (by designation of Ortiz-Sepúlveda, et al. 2019: 509), 14 paralectotype workers, 1 paralectotype queen.
- Type-locality: lectotype St Vincent & the Grenadines: St Vincent I. (H.H. Smith); paralectotypes with same data.
- [Notes (i): Ortiz-Sepúlveda, et al. 2019: 509, give no type-locality details; (ii) the original description cites the following localities for minutus on St Vincent I.: Petit Bordelle Valley, 1200 ft, 12.xi., nos 47a, 47b, 47c (H.H. Smith), Morne à Garou, 2000 ft, 1.xi., no. 47d (H.H. Smith), Upper Richmond Valley, 1500 ft, 27.xi., nos 47e, 47f (H.H. Smith), Soufrière Volcano, 2500 ft, ix., no. 57e (H.H. Smith), Wallilobo Valley, 500 ft, 8.xi., no. 57f (H.H. Smith).]
- Type-depository: MHNG.
- Status as species: Wheeler, W.M. 1905b: 111, 132; Forel, 1912i: 62; Wheeler, W.M. 1922c: 15; Santschi, 1923b: 667; Emery, 1925b: 43; Stärcke, 1926: 118 (in key); Aguayo, 1932: 224; Smith, M.R. 1954c: 11; Kempf, 1972a: 40; Alayo, 1974: 26 (in key); Bolton, 1995b: 82; Deyrup, et al. 2000: 301; Deyrup, 2003: 44; Deyrup, 2017: 181; Fernández & Ortiz-Sepúlveda, 2019: 728; Ortiz-Sepúlveda, et al. 2019: 509 (redescription).
- Distribution: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Venezuela, Virgin Is.

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

Description

Worker

Ortiz-Sepulveda et al. (2019) - Lectotype and paralectotypes (n = 4). HL1 0.37–0.40; HL2 0.25–0.31; HL30.07–0.10; HW 0.32–0.36; SL 0.32–0.36; EL 0.08–0.11; WL n.a.; PnL n.a.; PnW 0.20–0.24; ML 0.06–0.07; MW 0.14–0.15; Indices CI 85.88–89.29; SI1 92.59–108.00; SI2 107.14–126.67; OI1 26.03–29.63; OI2 20.00–25.27.

Head. Slightly longer than wide in full face view; posterior cephalic margin weakly convex. Dorsum of the head with sparse hairs. Clypeus with a rounded anterior margin and five long, erect hairs of which a single, usually conspicuous hair is near the anterior margin, two hairs are in mediolateral position, and two more near the toruli; other hairs on the clypeus are markedly shorter and appressed or decumbent. Toruli surpassing the posterior clypeal margin in oblique anterodorsal oblique view. The scapes surpass the posterior margin of the head by a length that is smaller than the maximal diameter of the eye; they have appresed pubescence. Ocelli absent. Eyes are positioned on the cephalic midline and have 8–9 ommatidia along their maximal diameter.

Mesosoma. Typically with two erect hairs on the pronotum and without erect hairs on the mesonotum. The mesonotum is not inflated and does not bulge dorsally above the pronotum in lateral view. Mesometanotal suture inconspicuous, giving the impression that the mesonotum and metanotum are fused. Metanotal groove absent or narrower than the diameter of the metathoracic spiracles. Metathoracic spiracles in dorsolateral position, not protruding, and touching the propodeal suture. Dorsum of the propodeum slightly convex and shorter than the propodeal slope. Propodeal spiracles circular, positioned on the posterior propodeal margin, just dorsally at the middle of the propodeal slope. Legs with appressed and scattered hairs. Petiole short and inclined forward.

Gaster. With scarce pubescence and several scattered long suberect hairs.

Color and sculpture. Body smooth, or finely granulated and shiny, sometimes with some imbricate sculpture on the dorsum of the mesosoma. Body usually yellowish, but sometimes reddish.

Type Material

Ortiz-Sepulveda et al. (2019) - Brachymyrmex minutus Forel, 1893: 346 (w.q.). Lectotype worker (Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève: USNMENT00757150) and paralectotype workers, queen (MHNG: USNMENT00757149–00757151; USNMENT00758110–00758112; here designated): 15 workers, one queen [examined]. ANTILLES: Saint Vincent. See also: Santschi (1923a: 667).

The lectotype is designated here as the second ant counting from the top of pin MHNG: USNMENT00757150, whereas the other specimens on that pin are paralectotypes.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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