Cardiocondyla verdensis

Cardiocondyla verdensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Crematogastrini
Genus:	Cardiocondyla
Species group:	batesii
Species:	C. verdensis
Binomial name
	Cardiocondyla verdensis; Seifert, 2023

The only known collection of this species is from Cape Verde, in a garden with trees within a semidesert landscape.

Photo Gallery

Seifert (2023), Figs. 82–85. Cardiocondyla verdensis, holotype; Fig. 82: head in dorsal view; Fig. 83: lateral view; Fig. 84: dorsal view; Fig. 85: head surface between inner eye margin and paramedian vertex. Cape verde: Sao Nicolao, 2003.07.21

Identification

Seifert (2023) - A member of the Cardiocondyla batesii group. Worker (Tab. 3, Figs. 82–85). Rather small, CS 503 µm. Head longer than in any species of the C. batesii group, CL/CW 1.247. Postocular index rather small, PoOc/CL 0.371. Median third of hind margin of head feebly concave. Scape longer than in any species of the C. batesii group, SL/CS 0.860. Eye large, EYE/CS 0.266. Frons moderately wide (FRS/CS 0.254), frontal carinae very weakly converging immediately caudal of FRS level (FL/FR 1.042). Dorsal profile of promesonotum convex, metanotal depression deep (Mgr/CS 4.50 %), dorsal profile of propodeum convex. Propodeal spines short (SP/CS 0.096) but very acute and moderately steep, their angle in lateral view differing by 45° from longitudinal axis of mesosoma; their bases approached (SPBA/CS 0.230). Petiole distinctly higher than wide (PeW/CS 0.271, PeH/CS 0.312); in profile with a short but rather thin peduncle, a straight to weakly convex anterior face and a strongly convex dorsal profile. Postpetiole moderately wide and rather low (PpW/CS 0.519, PpW /PeW 1.92, PpH/CS 0.264), in dorsal view with a slightly concave anterior margin; postpetiolar sternite completely flat. Clypeus on whole surface smooth and shiny but its lateral areas finely longitudinally carinulate. Frontal lobes and area posterior of the frontal lobes smooth but areas adjacent to frontal carinae longitudinally carinulate. vertex with the smallest foveolae seen in the C. batesii group (dFOv 8.0 µm), the interspaces between the foveolae completely smooth, in places with very delicate stickman-like microstructures (Fig. 85). Dorsal mesosoma smooth and shiny, with very small foveolae and delicate stickman-like microstructures. Meso- and metapleurae shiny but notably microreticulate, surface of the bulla glandulae metapleuralis longitudinally carinulate. Petiole and postpetiole very smooth and shiny but very delicately microreticulate. Pubescence on gaster tergites short and more dilute than in other species of the C. batesii group, PLg/CS 5.24 %, sqPDg 5.90. Head, mesosoma and gaster concolorous dark brown.

Despite the isolated position of the Cape verde Archipelago 600 kilometers off the African continent, these islands are apparently not poor in species. Within only nine samples available from Cape verde, the author could detect four species: Cardiocondyla emeryi, Cardiocondyla fajumensis, Cardiocondyla nigra and C. verdense. Most likely all these species (or their ancestors) were introduced from Africa. Passive anthropogenous introduction, beginning with the Portuguese colonization in the 15th century, should have played a major role. Cardiocondyla verdensis is interpreted here as an endemic island species having developed extreme shape characters as a consequence of genetic bottle necking after introduction. According to data in Tab. 3, C. verdense is a combination of extreme values of CL/CW, SL/CS, dFOv and of large sqPDg. The type sample is placed widely separate from the C. nigra cluster in a PCA considering the 14 characters CS, CL/CW, SL/CS, PoOc/CS, EYE/CS, dFOv, SP/CS, PeW/CS, PpW/CS, PeH/CS, PpH/CS, sqPDg, PLg/CS and Mgr/CS (Fig. 142). Apart from its extreme morphometrics it is in overall impression similar to the dark and shiny morph of C. nigra of which the next place of occurrence is the island Sao Vicente, 50 km overseas from Sao Nicolao.

Keys including this Species

Key to Palaearctic Cardiocondyla

Distribution

Only known from the type locality.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 16.6° to 16.6°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: Seifert, 2023

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Cape Verde (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

Castes

Nomenclature

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

verdensis. Cardiocondyla verdensis Seifert, 2023a: 47, figs. 82-85 (w.) CAPE VERDE.
- Type-material: holotype worker, 1 paratype worker.
- Type-locality: holotype Cape Verde: Sao Nicolao I., 385 m., 1 km. SW Cabecalinho, 16.588°N, 24.328°W, CV-192, 21.vii.2003 (J. Wetterer); paratype with same data..
- Type-depository: XEPC.
- Distribution: Cape Verde.

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

Description

Species originally described in diagnosis; that text is found above in the identification section.

Type Material

Holotype plus 1 paratype on the same pin labeled “ C.VERDE: 16.588°N, 24.328°W, Sao Nicolao, 385 m, 1 km SW Cabecalinho, trees, Cv-192, J.Wetterer 2003.07.21”; depository: collection of X. Espadaler.

References