Chelaner antarcticus

Chelaner antarcticus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Solenopsidini
Genus:	Chelaner
Species:	C. antarcticus
Binomial name
Chelaner antarcticus (Smith, F., 1858) Specimen labels
Synonyms
Monomorium fulvum Mayr, 1862 Monomorium integrum Forel, 1894 Monomorium rapaense Wheeler, W.M., 1936 Monomorium succineum Stitz, 1911 Monomorium suteri Forel, 1892 Tetramorium nitidum Smith, F., 1876

This is one of New Zealand’s most widely distributed and abundant ants, present in areas of very high (e.g. Fiordland: 8000 mm) and very low (e.g. Canterbury: < 500 mm) rainfall, and on nearly all of New Zealand’s islands (Don 2007). Colonies can be found under half-buried stones or logs in open pastures, grasslands, swamps at high altitudes, forests, and gardens (Lamb et al., 2020).

At a Glance

• Limited invasive

Photo Gallery

• 

  Subterranean nest cavities of Chelaner antarcticus. Cavities were exposed by removing a half-buried rock. Photo by S. D. Lamb, 15 November 2017, Swampy Summit, Dunedin, NZ (Lamb et al., 2020, Fig. 1).

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 34.783° to -46.934°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: New Zealand (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

Nesting Habits

See Lamb et al. (2020) for notes on nesting behaviour in this species.

Association with Other Organisms

 Explore: Show all Associate data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.

• This species is a host for the helosciomyzid fly Heliosciomyza subalpina (a parasitoid) (Quevillon, 2018) (encounter mode independent; direct transmission; transmission outside nest).

Castes

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Worker. Specimen code casent0172354. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by ANIC, Canberra, Australia.

Queen

Images from AntWeb

Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0172351. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by ANIC, Canberra, Australia.

Male

Images from AntWeb

Male (alate). Specimen code casent0172352. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by ANIC, Canberra, Australia.

Nomenclature

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

• antarcticus. Atta antarctica Smith, F. 1858b: 167 (q.) NEW ZEALAND.
  • Type-material: holotype queen.
  • Type-locality: New Zealand: (no further data).
  • Type-depository: BMNH.
  • [Notes (i): original description is by Smith, F. 1858b: 167, not by White, A. 1846: 27; discussion of publication date and authorship by Bolton, 1987: 288; (ii) hence antarcticum White, sensu Forel, 1892c: 334, Forel, 1905a: 354, Brown, 1958h: 29, Ettershank, 1966: 96, Wilson & Taylor, 1967: 62 are incorrect attributions of authorship and date.]
  • Emery, 1887b: 458 (w.m.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1955c: 123 (l.).
  • Combination in Monomorium: Mayr, 1886c: 360;
  • combination in Aphaenogaster: Butler, 1874: 27;
  • combination in M. (Notomyrmex): Emery, 1915i: 190;
  • combination in Notomyrmex: Kusnezov, 1960b: 343;
  • combination in Monomorium: Bolton, 1987: 286;
  • combination in Chelaner: Ettershank, 1966: 96; Sparks, et al. 2019: 232.
  • Status as species: Mayr, 1863: 395; Butler, 1874: 27; Hutton, 1881: 116; Emery, 1887b: 458; Forel, 1892c: 339; Dalla Torre, 1893: 65; Forel, 1905a: 354; Stitz, 1911a: 367; Emery, 1922e: 169; Mann, 1925b: 5; Wheeler, W.M. 1935g: 24; Brown, 1958h: 29; Taylor & Wilson, 1962: 138; Ettershank, 1966: 96; Wilson & Taylor, 1967: 62, 103; Bolton, 1987: 288; Taylor, 1987a: 21; Bolton, 1995b: 259; Don, 2007: 102; Ramage, 2014: 164 Sparks, et al. 2019: 232.
  • Senior synonym of fulvum: Emery, 1887b: 458; Forel, 1892c: 339; Dalla Torre, 1893: 65; Forel, 1905a: 354; Emery, 1922e: 169; Taylor, 1987a: 21; Bolton, 1995b: 259.
  • Senior synonym of integrum: Brown, 1958h: 29; Taylor, 1987a: 21; Bolton, 1995b: 259.
  • Senior synonym of nitidum: Brown, 1958h: 29; Ettershank, 1966: 96; Taylor, 1987a: 21; Bolton, 1995b: 259.
  • Senior synonym of rapaense: Wilson & Taylor, 1967: 62; Bolton, 1995b: 259; Ramage, 2014: 164.
  • Senior synonym of succineum: Brown, 1958h: 29; Taylor, 1987a: 21; Bolton, 1995b: 259.
  • Senior synonym of suteri: Brown, 1958h: 29; Ettershank, 1966: 96; Taylor, 1987a: 21; Bolton, 1995b: 259.
  • Distribution: French Polynesia, Kermadec Is, New Zealand.
• fulvum. Monomorium fulvum Mayr, 1862: 754 (w.) NEW ZEALAND.
  • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
  • Type-locality: New Zealand: Auckland (Novara Expd.) (sent by R. von Frauenfeld).
  • Type-depository: NHMW.
  • Status as species: Roger, 1863b: 32; Mayr, 1863: 429; Mayr, 1865: 93 (redescription); Mayr, 1876: 100 (in key); Hutton, 1881: 114; Ettershank, 1966: 89 (error).
  • Junior synonym of antarcticus: Emery, 1887b: 458; Forel, 1892c: 339; Dalla Torre, 1893: 65; Forel, 1905a: 354; Emery, 1922e: 169; Taylor, 1987a: 21; Bolton, 1995b: 262.
• integrum. Monomorium integrum Forel, 1894e: 228 (w.q.m.) NEW ZEALAND.
  • Type-material: syntype workers, syntype queen(s), syntype male(s) (numbers not stated).
  • Type-locality: New Zealand: Ashburton (W.W. Smith).
  • Type-depository: MHNG (perhaps also CMNZ).
  • Status as species: Forel, 1905a: 354; Emery, 1922e: 169; Wheeler, W.M. 1935g: 24.
  • Junior synonym of antarcticus: Brown, 1958h: 29; Taylor, 1987a: 21; Bolton, 1995b: 263.
• nitidum. Tetramorium nitidum Smith, F. 1876b: 480 (w.q.m.) NEW ZEALAND.
  • Type-material: syntype workers, syntype queens, syntype males (numbers not stated).
  • Type-localities: New Zealand: South I., Peel Forest (C.M. Wakefield), South I., Oxford (C.M. Wakefield), South I., Lake Coleridge (C.M. Wakefield).
  • Type-depository: BMNH.
  • Combination in Monomorium: Mayr, 1886c: 363;
  • combination in M. (Notomyrmex): Emery, 1922e: 169.
  • Status as species: Hutton, 1881: 114; Forel, 1892c: 340; Dalla Torre, 1893: 67; Forel, 1905a: 354; Emery, 1922e: 169; Wheeler, W.M. 1935g: 25.
  • Junior synonym of antarcticus: Brown, 1958h: 29; Ettershank, 1966: 96; Taylor, 1987a: 21; Bolton, 1995b: 265.
• rapaense. Monomorium (Notomyrmex) rapaense Wheeler, W.M. 1936f: 10 (w.) FRENCH POLYNESIA (Austral Is).
  • Type-material: 27 syntype workers.
  • Type-locality: French Polynesia: Austral Is, Rapa I., NE ridge Mangaoa Peak, 1000-1200 ft, 6 and 25.vii.1934 (E.C. Zimmerman).
  • Type-depositories: BPBM, MCZC.
  • Combination in Chelaner: Ettershank, 1966: 97.
  • Status as species: Ettershank, 1966: 97.
  • Junior synonym of antarcticus: Wilson & Taylor, 1967: 62; Bolton, 1995b: 266; Ramage, 2014: 164.
• succineum. Monomorium succineum Stitz, 1911a: 367 (q.) NEW ZEALAND.
  • Type-material: syntype queens (number not stated; “a few”).
  • Type-locality: New Zealand: Auckland (Suter).
  • Type-depository: MNHU.
  • Combination in M. (Notomyrmex): Emery, 1922e: 170.
  • Status as species: Emery, 1922e: 170; Wheeler, W.M. 1935g: 25.
  • Junior synonym of antarcticus: Brown, 1958h: 29; Taylor, 1987a: 21; Bolton, 1995b: 267.
• suteri. Monomorium suteri Forel, 1892c: 340 (w.q.m.) NEW ZEALAND.
  • Type-material: syntype workers, syntype queens, syntype males (numbers not stated).
  • [Note: Kostyuk, 1976: 97, cites 1w syntype SIZK.]
  • Type-locality: New Zealand: Ashburton, x.1891 (W.W. Smith).
  • Type-depositories: CMNZ, MCZC, MHNG, SIZK.
  • Combination in M. (Notomyrmex): Emery, 1922e: 170.
  • Status as species: Forel, 1905a: 354; Emery, 1922e: 170; Wheeler, W.M. 1935g: 25.
  • Junior synonym of antarcticus: Brown, 1958h: 29; Ettershank, 1966: 96; Taylor, 1987a: 21; Bolton, 1995b: 267.

References

• Bolton, B. 1987. A review of the Solenopsis genus-group and revision of Afrotropical Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bull. Br. Mus. (Nat. Hist.) Entomol. 54: 263-452 (page 286, Combination in Monomorium)
• Bolton, B. 1987. A review of the Solenopsis genus-group and revision of Afrotropical Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bull. Br. Mus. (Nat. Hist.) Entomol. 54: 263-452 (page 288, Not White, A. 1846)
• Brown, W. L., Jr. 1958h. A review of the ants of New Zealand. Acta Hymenopterol. 1: 1-50 (page 29, Senior synonym of integrum, nitidum, succineum and suteri)
• Chung, F.-Y., Hsu, P.-W., Hsu, F.-C., Lin, C.-C. 2025. A new genus in a hyperdiverse ant lineage (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) revealed by integration of morphological and molecular evidence. Myrmecological News 35: 29-60 (doi:10.25849/MYRMECOL.NEWS_035:029).
• Don, A.W. & Jones, T.H. 1993. The stereochemistry of 3-butyl-5-(5-hexenyl)-pyrrolizidine from populations of Monomorium antarcticum (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and its possible role as a unique taxonomic character. New Zealand Entomologist, 16, 45-48.
• Emery, C. 1887g. Catalogo delle formiche esistenti nelle collezioni del Museo Civico di Genova. Parte terza. Formiche della regione Indo-Malese e dell'Australia (continuazione e fine). [part]. Ann. Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. 25[=(2)(5): 449-464 (page 458, Senior synonym of fulvum)
• Emery, C. 1887g. Catalogo delle formiche esistenti nelle collezioni del Museo Civico di Genova. Parte terza. Formiche della regione Indo-Malese e dell'Australia (continuazione e fine). [part]. Ann. Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. 25[=(2)(5): 449-464 (page 458, worker, male described)
• Emery, C. 1915g. Noms de sous-genres et de genres proposés pour la sous-famille des Myrmicinae. Modifications à la classification de ce groupe (Hymenoptera Formicidae). Bull. Soc. Entomol. Fr. 1915: 189-192 (page 190, Combination in M. (Notomyrmex))
• Ettershank, G. 1966. A generic revision of the world Myrmicinae related to Solenopsis and Pheidologeton (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Aust. J. Zool. 14: 73-171 (page 96, Combination in Chelaner)
• Kusnezov, N. 1960b [1959]. La fauna de hormigas en el oeste de la Patagonia y Tierra del Fuego. Acta Zool. Lilloana 17: 321-401 (page 343, Combination in Notomyrmex)
• Lamb, S. D., McCombe, G. G. I., Lawrence, E., Macwan, R., Mayer, T., Jandt, J. M. 2020. Subterranean nesting behaviour in response to soil moisture conditions in the southern ant, Monomorium antarcticum Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). New Zealand Entomologist (doi:10.1080/00779962.2020.1764700).
• Mayr, G. 1886c. Notizen über die Formiciden-Sammlung des British Museum in London. Verh. K-K. Zool.-Bot. Ges. Wien 36: 353-368 (page 360, Combination in Monomorium)
• Smith, F. 1858b. Catalogue of hymenopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum. Part VI. Formicidae. London: British Museum, 216 pp. (page 167, queen described)
• Sparks, K.S., Andersen, A.N., Austin, A.D. 2019. A multi-gene phylogeny of Australian Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera : Formicidae) results in reinterpretation of the genus and resurrection of Chelaner Emery. Invertebrate Systematics 33: 225–236 (doi:10.1071/IS16080).
• Wheeler, G. C.; Wheeler, J. 1955c. The ant larvae of the myrmicine tribe Solenopsidini. Am. Midl. Nat. 54: 119-141 (page 123, larva described)
• Wheeler, G. C.; Wheeler, J. 1960b. Supplementary studies on the larvae of the Myrmicinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 62: 1-32 (page 16, see also)
• White, A. 1846. Insects. In: Richardson, J., Gray, J. E. (eds.) The zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Erebus & Terror, under the command of Captain Sir James Clark Ross, R.N., F.R.S., during the years 1839 to 1843. Vol. 2 [part]. London: E. W. Janson, pp. 1-24, pl. 1-6. (negative)
• Wilson, E. O.; Taylor, R. W. 1967b. The ants of Polynesia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Pac. Insects Monogr. 14: 1-109 (page 62, Senior synonym of rapaense)