Colobostruma nancyae

Colobostruma nancyae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Colobostruma
Species:	C. nancyae
Binomial name
	Colobostruma nancyae; Brown, 1965 Specimen Label

Colobostruma nancyae occurs in dry sclerophyll and heath habitats.

Identification

This distinctive species is immediately recognisable by its low, rounded mesosoma and reduced propodeal declivity. It is unlikely to be confused with other species in the genus.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Restricted to south-western Australia.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -31.25° to -33.84999847°.


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

Explore Overview of Colobostruma biology

Beyond what is stated in the introduction at the top of this page, little is know about the biology of Colobostruma nancyae. Until further studies reveal more about this species we can infer that its natural history and biology should be similar to other species in this genus. In general Colobostruma can be locally common although they are often overlooked. Most species have small colonies with less than 100 workers, and workers will lie motionless when disturbed. Nests can occur in soil usually under rocks, in cracks in rocks or in rotten logs. Only a single rainforest species is known to nest arboreally. Foraging is usually on the ground at night but occasionally they are found foraging on mallee. They are also commonly found in leaf litter.

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Castes

Nomenclature

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

nancyae. Colobostruma nancyae Brown, 1965b: 22, figs. 1-3 (w.) AUSTRALIA (Western Australia).
- Type-material: holotype worker, paratype workers (number not stated).
- Type-locality: holotype Australia: Western Australia, 100 km. E Esperance, ca 8 km. NE (old) Thomas River Station, 28-29.i.1955 (E.O. Wilson); paratypes: workers with same data, 1 worker Western Australia, 15 km. (reported as 25 km.) S Mt Ragged, 31.i.1955 (E.O. Wilson & C.P. Haskins).
- Type-depository: MCZC.
- Status as species: Taylor & Brown, 1985: 60; Taylor, 1987a: 22; Bolton, 1995b: 146; Shattuck, in Bolton, 2000: 45 (redescription); Heterick, 2009: 145.
- Distribution: Australia.

Type Material

Holotype, worker, 100 km. E of Esperance, about 8 km. NE of (old) Thomas River Station, Western Australia, Australia, 28-29 January 1955, E.O. Wilson, Museum of Comparative Zoology.
Paratype, 1 worker, 15km [reported as 25km] S Mt. Ragged, Western Australia, Australia, 31 January 1955, Wilson & Haskins, Museum of Comparative Zoology.
Paratype, 3 workers, 100 km. E of Esperance, about 8 km. NE of (old) Thomas River Station, Western Australia, Australia, 28-29 January 1955, E.O. Wilson, Museum of Comparative Zoology.

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

Description

Worker

Shattuck (2000) - TL 2.9 - 3.7, HL 0.81 - 0.92, HW 0.84 - 1.08, CI 102 - 119, ML 0.18 - 0.20, MI 21 - 22, SL 0.38 - 0.51, SI 43 - 53, PW 0.66 - 1.02, AL 0.81 - 0.99 (4 measured). Anterior region of head rounding gradually from the dorsal to lateral surfaces, not phragmotic. In full-face view ridge immediately in front of eye weakly concave. Frontal lobes and lateral margins of clypeus smooth relative to the surrounding surface of the head. Mandibles triangular. Hairs absent from dorsum of head. Posterior margin of head weakly concave. Antenna with 6 segments, the scape strongly elbowed and with a weak lobe at the elbow. Anterior region of the pronotum expanded laterally as a weak flange. Propodeum low, its declivitous face greatly reduced and approximately the same height as the petiolar peduncle, the lamellae reduced to short, thickened ridges; in profile the dorsum of the alitrunk strongly convex. Petiole node low. Lateral postpetiole tapering gradually into a thin, semi-transparent flange. First gastral tergite with closely spaced fine longitudinal striations (absent from a narrow medial band) and with a narrow band of low, closely spaced carinae immediately posterior of the postpetiolar insertion . Body colour yellow brown, dorsum of head slightly darker.

References

Bolton, B. 2000. The ant tribe Dacetini. Mem. Am. Entomol. Inst. 65: 1-1028 (page 45, see also)
Brown, W. L., Jr. 1965b. Colobostruma nancyae species nov. Pilot Regist. Zool. Card No. 22. (page 22, worker described)
Heterick, B. E. 2009. A guide to the ants of South-western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 76:1-206.
Heterick, B.E. 2021. A guide to the ants of Western Australia. Part I: Systematics. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 86, 1-245 (doi:10.18195/issn.0313-122x.86.2021.001-245).
Heterick, B.E. 2022. A guide to the ants of Western Australia. Part II: Distribution and biology. Records of the Western Australian Museum, supplement 86: 247-510 (doi:10.18195/issn.0313-122x.86.2022.247-510).
Shattuck, S. O. 2000. Genus Colobostruma. Genus Mesostruma. Genus Epopostruma. Pp. 31-67 in: Bolton, B. The ant tribe Dacetini. Mem. Am. Entomol. Inst. 65: 1-1028.