Chelaner draculai

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

Chelaner draculai is known only from a few workers taken on Mt Lewis in northern Queensland. Label data suggests this may be an arboreal species. (Heterick 2001)

Identification

Heterick (2001) - A member of the rubriceps group. The morphology of the postpetiole, the thickened femora, and the shape of the metapleural lobes enable C. draculai to be placed in the C. rubriceps species-complex, despite its singular appearance.

This spectacular species is remarkable for its smooth and elongate clypeal teeth produced as sharp spines. Among Australian Chelaner this feature is shared only with Chelaner parantarcticus.

Keys including this Species

Key to Australian Monomorium Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -16.46666908° to -16.98333333°.


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.

draculai. Monomorium draculai Heterick, 2001: 423, figs. 47, 86, 88 (w.) AUSTRALIA (Queensland).
- Type-material: holotype worker, 7 paratype workers.
- Type-locality: holotype Australia: Queensland, 2.5 km. N Mt Lewis via Julatten, 1040 m., 3.xi.1983, pyrethrum knockdown, R.F., ANIC ants vial 40-213 (D.K. Yeates & G.I. Thompson); paratypes: 4 workers with same data, 3 workers Queensland, Mt Lewis, 2000 ft, 6.viii.1975, on tree (B.B. Lowery).
- Type-depositories: ANIC (holotype); ANIC, BMNH, MCZC (paratypes).
- Combination in Chelaner: Sparks, et al. 2019: 232.
- Status as species: Sparks, et al. 2019: 232.
- Distribution: Australia.

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

Description

Worker

Holotype. HML 2.40; HL 0.80; HW 0.68; Cel 83; SL 0.62; SI 92; PW 0.46. Others. HML 2.34-2.88; HL 0.79-0.93; HW 0.66-0.85; CeI 83-101; SL 0.59-0.69; SI 76-90; PW 0.41-0.48 (8 measured).

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

Head. Head square or rectangular; vertex convex; frons smooth and shining with combination of appressed setulae and erect and suberect setae. (Viewed laterally) compound eyes set posterior of midline of head capsule; eye moderate, eye width 0.5-1.5x greatest width of antennal scape to large, eye width greater than 1.5 x greatest width of antennal scape. Anteromedial clypeal margin emarginate, clypeal carinae produced as two elongate, parallel spines. Mandibles (viewed from front) triangular and smooth, with piliferous punctures.

Alitrunk. Metanotal groove present as feebly impressed furrow between promesonotum and propodeum. Dorsal propodeal face gently convex; processes absent (propodeum smoothly rounded in profile or with slight hump at propodeal angle). Propodeal angle absent; declivitous face of propodeum flat. Erect and suberect propodeal setae 5-10; propodeal setulae appressed.

Petiole and postpetiole. Petiolar spiracle lateral and slightly anteriad of petiolar node. Petiolar node tumular and inclined posteriad; sculpture absent, petiolar node smooth and shining. Ratio of greatest node breadth (viewed from front) to greatest node width (viewed in profile) near 3:4. Height-length ratio of postpetiole near 4:3 to near 1:1.

General characters. Colour of head, gaster and appendages shining orange, petiole and postpetiole darker orange, alitrunk shining maroon. Worker caste monomorphic.

Type Material

Holotype. Worker (top point), Queensland, 2.5 km N Mt Lewis via Julatten, 3.xi.1983, D. K. Yeates & G. I. Thompson, 1040 m, pyrethrum knockdown, R. F., ANIC ants vial 40-213 (Australian National Insect Collection). Paratypes. Queensland: 2x2 workers, same data as the holotype (ANIC, The Natural History Museum); 3 workers, Mt Lewis, 6.viii.1975, B. B. Lowery, 2000 ft, on tree (Museum of Comparative Zoology).

Holotype, worker, 2.5km N Mt. Lewis via Julatten, Queensland, Australia, Yeates,D.K. & Thompson,G.I., ANIC32-015730, Australian National Insect Collection.
Paratype, 2 workers, 2.5km N Mt. Lewis via Julatten, Queensland, Australia, Australian National Insect Collection.
Paratype, 2 workers, 2.5km N Mt. Lewis via Julatten, Queensland, Australia, The Natural History Museum.
Paratype, 3 workers, Mt Lewis, Queensland, Australia, Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Etymology

Proper name, inspired by the spinose clypeal teeth.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

CSIRO Collection
Van Ingen L. T., R. Campos, and A. N. Andersen. 2008. Ant community structure along an extended rain forest-savanna gradient in tropical Australia. Journal of Tropical Ecology 24: 445-455.