Cataulacus traegaordhi

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Cataulacus traegaordhi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Cataulacus
Species: C. traegaordhi
Binomial name
Cataulacus traegaordhi
Santschi, 1914

Cataulacus traegaordhi P casent0280809.jpg

Cataulacus traegaordhi D casent0280809.jpg

Specimen Label

Synonyms

Nothing is known about the biology of Cataulacus traegaordhi.

Identification

A member of the tenuis group.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 25.45° to -25.45°.

     
North
Temperate 		North
Subtropical 		Tropical South
Subtropical 		South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Gambia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, South Africa (type locality), Sudan, Uganda.

Distribution based on AntMaps

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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.
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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.
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Biology

Explore-icon.png Explore Overview of Cataulacus biology 
Much of the information concerning the biology of Cataulacus species is anecdotal and fragmentary. Arnold (1917) wrote a succinct general overview of Cataulacus biology that still remains quite informative. Arnold reports "all the species of this genus are tree-ants, usually forming medium sized nests in hollow twigs and stems, or more rarely, under the bark. They are timid and slow-moving insects, often feigning death or dropping rapidly to the ground when disturbed. As Bingham has remarked in connection with this genus (Fauna Brit. India, Formicidae), these ants have the habit of wandering over the trunks of trees and the leaves in what appears to be a very aimless and languid manner. I have occasionally seen them breaking open the earthen tunnels constructed by termites over the trunks of trees and attack the inmates."

Bolton (1974) expands upon this earlier account - "All known Cataulacus species are arboreal or subarboreal nesters and they predominantly forage on the trees and shrubs in which the nests are situated. Very few appear to come down to ground level but in West Africa the small species Cataulacus pygmaeus and Cataulacus brevisetosus may be found foraging in leaf litter or crossing the ground to ascend a tree other than the one in which the nest is situated. The nests themselves are usually constructed in small hollow twigs or stems by the smaller species and in rotten branches or rotted portions of the tree trunk by the larger species. This is rather a generalization as some small species are known which nest in and under rotten bark (e.g. Cataulacus vorticus) and undoubtedly some of the larger forms will eventually be found inhabiting relatively small cavities in plants.

Various species of the genus in Africa are known to inhabit a variety of galls, acacias and bushes as well as large trees. Numerous species have been found nesting in, and have therefore been often collected from, cocoa in Africa. Some of these species are Cataulacus guineensis, Cataulacus pygmaeus, Cataulacus mocquerysi, Cataulacus egenus, Cataulacus vorticus, Cataulacus brevisetosus, Cataulacus kohli and Cataulacus theobromicola. Feeding habits in the genus are mostly unknown but the present author has noted C. guineensis tending aphids and small coccids.

On the plants ants of the genus Cataulacus often occur together with Oecophylla or species of Crematogaster, and appear to be mostly tolerated (at least they are not evicted) by the majority of these forms. Their defence against attackers of these genera lies primarily in their armoured exterior, but their ultimate escape reaction is to curl up and release their grip on the plant, falling to the ground and thus making their escape. The decision to remain immobile and present an armoured surface or to drop from the plant appears to depend upon the size or persistence of the aggressor; larger attackers usually precipitate the latter reaction, but it has also been noted as a result of persistent and unwanted attention by a series of workers of a small Crematogaster species.

The majority of species are forest-dwelling forms, with relatively few adapted to savannah or veldt conditions. Those which do, however, occur in these zones tend to be very successful in their chosen habitat and often possess a wide distribution. A few species are apparently able to exist in any region of Africa providing the basic essentials of nesting-site and food supply are met with, but on the whole the fauna may be divided into forest and non-forest forms."

Some species have nests that can be protected by a single worker's head, as its shape matches the nest entrance and forms an effective plug.

It has more recently been discovered that some species of Cataulacus are efficient gliders (Cataulacus erinaceus, Cataulacus guineensis, Cataulacus mocquerysi and Cataulacus tardus). Workers exhibit directed movement while in freefall that allows them to glide back to regain a hold on the same tree trunk. (Yanoviak et al. 2005, 2007, 2008) ‎

Castes

Nomenclature

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

  • traegaordhi. Cataulacus traegaordhi Santschi, 1914e: 24, fig. 3 (w.q.m.) SOUTH AFRICA.
    • Type-material: syntype workers, syntype queen(s), syntype male(s) (numbers not stated).
    • Type-localities: workers, queen, male South Africa: Natal, Zululand, Dukudu, 27.vii.1905 (I. Trägårdh) (invalid restriction of type-locality by Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 917; no lectotype designated), workers South Africa: Natal, Umfolosi, 6.vi.1905 (I. Trägårdh).
    • Type-depositories: MRAC, NHMB (perhaps also NHRS).
    • Junior synonym of pygmaeus: Bolton, 1974a: 48.
    • Status as species: Arnold, 1917: 399; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 199, 917; Santschi, 1924b: 220; Emery, 1924d: 297; Santschi, 1935b: 273; Weber, 1943c: 326; Bernard, 1953b: 252; Bolton, 1982: 358 (in key), 359; Bolton, 1995b: 139; Hita Garcia, et al. 2013: 209.
    • Senior synonym of marleyi: Bolton, 1982: 359; Bolton, 1995b: 139.
    • Senior synonym of suddensis: Bolton, 1982: 359; Bolton, 1995b: 139.
    • Senior synonym of ugandensis: Bolton, 1982: 359; Bolton, 1995b: 139.
    • Distribution: Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda.
  • marleyi. Cataulacus marleyi Forel, 1914d: 219 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.
    • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
    • Type-locality: South Africa: Natal, Krantz Kloof (H.B. Marley).
    • Type-depository: MHNG.
    • Arnold, 1917: 399 (q.).
    • Status as species: Arnold, 1917: 398; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 914; Emery, 1924d: 297.
    • Junior synonym of pygmaeus: Bolton, 1974a: 48.
    • Junior synonym of traegaordhi: Bolton, 1982: 359; Bolton, 1995b: 139.
  • suddensis. Cataulacus pygmaeus subsp. suddensis Weber, 1943c: 378 (w.m.) SOUTH SUDAN.
    • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated, “several workers”), 1 syntype male.
    • Type-locality: South Sudan (“Anglo-Egyptian Sudan”): Upper White Nile, Adok, in the Sudd, 10.vii.1939, No. 1244 (N.A. Weber).
    • Type-depositories: AMNH, MCZC.
    • Junior synonym of pygmaeus: Bolton, 1974a: 49.
    • Junior synonym of traegaordhi: Bolton, 1982: 359; Bolton, 1995b: 139.
  • ugandensis. Cataulacus traegaordhi var. ugandensis Santschi, 1914b: 110 (w.) UGANDA.
    • Type-material: 5 syntype workers.
    • Type-locality: Uganda: Unyoro Prov., near Hoima, i.1909 (Ch. Alluaud).
    • Type-depository: NHMB.
    • [Misspelled in original reference as trägardhi.]
    • Subspecies of traegaordhi: Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 917; Santschi, 1924b: 220; Emery, 1924d: 297; Menozzi, 1933a: 109.
    • Junior synonym of pygmaeus: Bolton, 1974a: 48.
    • Junior synonym of traegaordhi: Bolton, 1982: 359; Bolton, 1995b: 139.

Description

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Abera-Kalibata A. M., C. S. Gold, R. G. Van Driesche, and P. E. Ragama. 2007. Composition, distribution, and relative abundance of ants in banana farming systems in Uganda. Biological Control 40: 168-178.
  • Arnold G. 1917. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Part III. Myrmicinae. Annals of the South African Museum. 14: 271-402.
  • Bernard F. 1953. La réserve naturelle intégrale du Mt Nimba. XI. Hyménoptères Formicidae. Mémoires de l'Institut Français d'Afrique Noire 19: 165-270.
  • Bolton B. 1982. Afrotropical species of the myrmicine ant genera Cardiocondyla, Leptothorax, Melissotarsus, Messor and Cataulacus (Formicidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology 45: 307-370.
  • Borowiec L., and S. Salata. 2018. Notes on ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Gambia (Western Africa). Annals of the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom Entomology 26: 1-13.
  • Braet Y., and B. Taylor. 2008. Mission entomologique au Parc National de Pongara (Gabon). Bilan des Formicidae (Hymenoptera) recoltes. Bulletin S. R. B. E./K.B.V.E. 144: 157-169.
  • Magagula C. N., and B. A. Nzimba. 2015. Interaction between habitat characteristics and insect diversity using ground beetles (Colenoptera: Carabidae) and ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) within a variety of agriculatural habitats. Applied Ecology and Environmental Research 13(3): 863-876.
  • Santschi F. 1914. Meddelanden från Göteborgs Musei Zoologiska Afdelning. 3. Fourmis du Natal et du Zoulouland récoltées par le Dr. I. Trägårdh. Göteborgs Kungliga Vetenskaps och Vitterhets Samhälles Handlingar. 15: 1-44.
  • Weber N. A. 1943. The ants of the Imatong Mountains, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 93: 263-389.
  • Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VIII. A synonymic list of the ants of the Ethiopian region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 711-1004
  • Yeo K., T. Delsinne, S. Komate, L. L. Alonso, D. Aidara, and C. Peeters. 2016. Diversity and distribution of ant assemblages above and below ground in a West African forest–savannah mosaic (Lamto, Cote d’Ivoire). Insectes Sociaux DOI 10.1007/s00040-016-0527-6
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