Chelaner capito

Chelaner capito
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Solenopsidini
Genus:	Chelaner
Species group:	longinodis
Species:	C. capito
Binomial name
	Chelaner capito; (Heterick, 2001)

The one known specimen of this interesting ant comes from a remote area of Western Australia, where very little collecting has been done (Heterick 2001).

Identification

Heterick (2001) - A member of the longinodis group. Chelaner capito has three teeth, as opposed to two in Chelaner bifidus, and four or five in the smaller-headed Chelaner flavoniger and Chelaner longinodis.

Keys including this Species

Key to Australian Monomorium Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -27.2° to -27.2°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: Australia (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.

capito. Monomorium capito Heterick, 2001: 391, figs. 30, 64 (w.) AUSTRALIA.
- Combination in Chelaner: Sparks et al., 2019: 232.

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

Description

Worker

HML 3.60; HL 1.38; HW 1.33; Cel 97; SL 0.91; SI 66; PW 0.64.

As for the worker of Chelaner longinodis, but with the following apomorphies.

Head. Vertex of head capsule strongly concave; frons longitudinally striate with combination of appressed setulae and erect and suberect setae. (Viewed laterally) compound eyes set anterior of midline of head capsule; eye large, eye width greater than 1.5x greatest width of antennal scape. Antennal club gradually tapering and barely discernible. Anteromedial clypeal margin emarginate, median clypeal carinae produced apically as pair of pronounced teeth. Longest lateral anterior clypeal setae short, not reaching dorsal margin of closed mandibles. Venter of head capsule with elongate, basketshaped setae. Palp formula unknown. Maximum number of mandibular teeth and denticles: three.

Alitrunk. Dorsal promesonotal face evenly convex; erect and suberect promesonotal setae >5. Dorsal propodeal face strongly convex; processes absent (propodeum smoothly rounded in profile or with slight hump at propodeal angle. Erect and suberect propodeal setae absent or very sparse; propodeal setulae appressed. Propodeal spiracle lateral and nearer declivitous face of propodeum than metanotal groove.

Petiole and postpetiole. Petiolar spiracle ventral and slightly anteriad of petiolar node. Petiolar sculpture present in form of microreticulation. Ratio of greatest node breadth (viewed from front) to greatest node width (viewed in profile) near 3:4. Anteroventral process vestigial in specimen seen. Height ratio of petiole to postpetiole near 3:4. Sculpture present in form of microreticulation. Ventral process absent or vestigial.

General characters. Colour crimson; legs brown.

Type Material

Holotype, worker, 182km NE by E Cosmo Newberry, Western Australia, Australia, Feehan,J.E., ANIC32-015720, Australian National Insect Collection.

Etymology

Latin: “big head”.

References