Cyphomyrmex hamulatus

Cyphomyrmex hamulatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Cyphomyrmex
Species:	C. hamulatus
Binomial name
Cyphomyrmex hamulatus Weber, 1938 Specimen Labels
Synonyms
Cyphomyrmex rimosus trinitatis Weber, 1938

Little is known about the biology of this species.

Identification

Mera-Rodriguez, et al. (2020) - Frontal carina quite sinuous; all carina very sharp and somewhat foliaceous; promesonotal tubercles acutely pointed; hind femur angulates at basal third, posteroventral border with a narrow foliaceous crest; postpetiole with a shallow mid-dorsal impression, hairs on head and gaster recurvate or hook-like, not appressed; and tubercles on mesosoma sharply pointed (Kempf 1965).

Distribution

Mera-Rodriguez, et al. (2020) - Cyphomyrmex hamulatus is distributed throughout Bolivia, Brazil (Amazonas and Pará), Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, and Venezuela (Brandão 1991; Snelling and Longino 1992; Fernández and Sendoya 2004).

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 3.6° to -2.687467°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Bolivia (type locality), Brazil, Colombia, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela.

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 Fungus Growing  For additional details see Fungus growing ants. A handful of ant species (approx. 275 out of the known 15,000 species) have developed the ability to cultivate fungus within their nests. In most species the fungus is used as the sole food source for the larvae and is an important resource for the adults as well. Additionally, in a limited number of cases, the fungus is used to construct part of the nest structure but is not as a food source. These fungus-feeding species are limited to North and South America, extending from the pine barrens of New Jersey, United States, in the north (Trachymyrmex septentrionalis) to the cold deserts in Argentina in the south (several species of Acromyrmex). Species that use fungi in nest construction are known from Europe and Africa (a few species in the genera Crematogaster, Lasius). The details of fungal cultivation are rich and complex. First, a wide variety of materials are used as substrate for fungus cultivating. The so-called lower genera include species that prefer dead vegetation, seeds, flowers, fruits, insect corpses, and feces, which are collected in the vicinity of their nests. The higher genera include non leaf-cutting species that collect mostly fallen leaflets, fruit, and flowers, as well as the leafcutters that collect fresh leaves from shrubs and trees. Second, while the majority of fungi that are farmed by fungus-feeding ants belong to the family Lepiotaceae, mostly the genera Leucoagaricus and Leucocoprinus, other fungi are also involved. Some species utilise fungi in the family Tricholomataceae while a few others cultivate yeast. The fungi used by the higher genera no longer produce spores. Their fungi produce nutritious and swollen hyphal tips (gongylidia) that grow in bundles called staphylae, to specifically feed the ants. Finally, colony size varies tremendously among these ants. Lower taxa mostly live in inconspicuous nests with 100–1000 individuals and relatively small fungus gardens. Higher taxa, in contrast, live in colonies made of 5–10 million ants that live and work within hundreds of interconnected fungus-bearing chambers in huge subterranean nests. Some colonies are so large, they can be seen from satellite photos, measuring up to 600 m3. Based on these habits, and taking phylogenetic information into consideration, these ants can be divided into six biologically distinct agricultural systems (with a list of genera involved in each category): Nest Construction A limited number of species that use fungi in the construction of their nests. some Crematogaster some Lasius Lower Agriculture Practiced by species in the majority of fungus-feeding genera, including those thought to retain more primitive features, which cultivate a wide range of fungal species in the tribe Leucocoprineae. some Apterostigma Cyatta (1 species) some Cyphomyrmex Kalathomyrmex (1 species) Mycocepurus (6 species) Myrmicocrypta (31 species) Mycetarotes (4 species) Mycetosoritis (2 species) Mycetophylax (21 species) Paramycetophylax (1 species) Xerolitor (1 species) Coral Fungus Agriculture Practiced by species in the Apterostigma pilosum species-group, which cultivate fungi within the Pterulaceae. some Apterostigma Yeast Agriculture Practiced by species within the Cyphomyrmex rimosus species-group, which cultivate a distinct clade of leucocoprineaceous fungi derived from the lower attine fungi. some Cyphomyrmex Generalized Higher Agriculture Practiced by species in several genera of non-leaf-cutting "higher attine" ants, which cultivate a distinct clade of leucocoprineaceous fungi separately derived from the lower attine fungi. Mycetomoellerius (33 species) Paratrachymyrmex (9 species) Sericomyrmex (11 species) Trachymyrmex (9 species) Leaf-Cutter Agriculture A subdivision of higher attine agriculture practiced by species within several ecologically dominant genera, which cultivate a single highly derived species of higher attine fungus. Acromyrmex (51 species) Amoimyrmex (3 species) Atta (20 species) Note that the farming habits of Mycetagroicus (4 species) are unknown. Also, while species of Pseudoatta (2 species) are closely related to the fungus-feeding genus Acromyrmex, they are social parasites, living in the nests of their hosts and are not actively involved in fungus growing. ‎

Castes

This species is only known from the workers.

Nomenclature

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

• hamulatus. Cyphomyrmex rimosus subsp. hamulatus Weber, 1938b: 190 (w.) BOLIVIA.
  • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated, “a few”).
  • [Note: Kempf, 1966: 197, cites 4w syntypes.]
  • Type-locality: Bolivia: Beni, Cachuela Esperanza, iii.1922 (W.M. Mann).
  • Type-depositories: MCZC, MZSP, USNM.
  • Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1983: 608 (l.).
  • Status as species: Kempf, 1966: 197 (redescription); Kempf, 1972a: 92; Brandão, 1991: 339; Snelling, R.R. & Longino, 1992: 490; Bolton, 1995b: 168; Fernández & Serna, 2019: 850.
  • Senior synonym of trinitatis: Snelling, R.R. & Longino, 1992: 490; Bolton, 1995b: 168.
  • [Note: Snelling, R.R. & Longino, 1992: 490, select hamulatus as available name on first reviser principle.]
  • Distribution: Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Guyana, Panama, Trinidad, Venezuela.
• trinitatis. Cyphomyrmex rimosus subsp. trinitatis Weber, 1938b: 189 (w.q.) TRINIDAD.
  • Type-material: syntype workers, syntype queen(s) (numbers not stated, “one colony”).
  • Type-locality: Trinidad (“British West Indies”): Northern Range, El Tucuché (3072 ft), 16.xii.1934 (N.A. Weber).
  • Type-depository: MCZC.
  • Subspecies of rimosus: Weber, 1940a: 412 (in key); Weber, 1941b: 103; Weber, 1945: 14; Weber, 1946b: 120; Kempf, 1966: 162; Kempf, 1972a: 94.
  • Junior synonym of hamulatus: Snelling, R.R. & Longino, 1992: 490; Bolton, 1995b: 168.
  • [Note: Snelling, R.R. & Longino, 1992: 490, select hamulatus as available name on first reviser principle.]

Description

Worker

Kempf (1966) - Total length 2.7 mm; head length 0.66 mm; head width 0.63-0.66 mm; thorax length 0.88-0.93 mm; hind femur length 0.72-0.75 mm. Ferruginous, with head and gaster somewhat infuscated. Very close to Cyphomyrmex rimosus but presenting the following particularities:

Frontal carinae quite sinuous (fig 9). Antennal scape surpassing the occipital corner - which bears a minute acute denticle - by a distance equalling its maximum width. Funicular segments II and III combined as long as segment I. Eyes with 7-8 facets across the greatest diameter. All carinae very sharp and somewhat foliaceous. Promesonotal tubercles acutely pointed (fig 22). Basal face and upper half of declivous face of epinotum laterally carinate. Hind femora (fig 47) angulate at basal third, postero-ventral border with a narrow foliaceous crest. Petiolar node rather transverse, strongly constricted behind. Postpetiole with a shallow and broad postero-median impression, flanked by a pair of low and inconspicuous lateral ridges, terminating behind in a low rounded tubercle, not very prominent in profile; postero-lateral impressions rather deep. Tergum I of gaster with a very short and vestigial antero-median impression; sides of same tergum rather sharply marginate. Hairs short, simple and hooked, those of gaster are produced on distinct tubercles.

• 

  Kempf (1966) Figs. 14-26

• 

  Kempf (1966) Figs. 27-50

Type Material

Kempf (1966) - A few workers taken in March 1922 by W. M. Mann at Cachuela Esperanza on the lower Beni River in Bolivia. Four specimens (syntypes: NAW, MCZ, WWK) examined.

References

• Albuquerque, E., Prado, L., Andrade-Silva, J., Siqueira, E., Sampaio, K., Alves, D., Brandão, C., Andrade, P., Feitosa, R., Koch, E., Delabie, J., Fernandes, I., Baccaro, F., Souza, J., Almeida, R., Silva, R. 2021. Ants of the State of Pará, Brazil: a historical and comprehensive dataset of a key biodiversity hotspot in the Amazon Basin. Zootaxa 5001, 1–83 (doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5001.1.1).
• Kempf, W. W. 1966 [1965]. A revision of the Neotropical fungus-growing ants of the genus Cyphomyrmex Mayr. Part II: Group of rimosus (Spinola) (Hym., Formicidae). Stud. Entomol. 8: 161-200 (page 197, Raised to species)
• Mera-Rodríguez, D., Serna, F., Sosa-Calvo, J., Lattke, J., Rabeling, C. 2020. A checklist of the non-leaf-cutting fungus-growing ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from Colombia, with new biogeographic records. Check List 16, 1205–1227 (doi:10.15560/16.5.1205).
• Narváez-Vásquez, A., Gaviria, J., Vergara-Navarro, E.V., Rivera-Pedroza, L., Löhr, B. 2021. Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) species diversity in secondary forest and three agricultural land uses of the Colombian Pacific Coast. Revista Chilena de Entomologia 47, 441–458 (doi:10.35249/rche.47.3.21.01).
• Snelling, R. R.; Longino, J. T. 1992. Revisionary notes on the fungus-growing ants of the genus Cyphomyrmex, rimosus group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Attini). Pp. 479-494 in: Quintero, D., Aiello, A. (eds.) Insects of Panama and Mesoamerica: selected stu (page 490, Senior synonym of trinitatis)
• Weber, N. A. 1938b. The biology of the fungus-growing ants. Part IV. Additional new forms. Part V. The Attini of Bolivia. Rev. Entomol. (Rio J.) 9: 154-206 (page 190, worker described)
• Wheeler, G. C.; Wheeler, J. 1983a. Supplementary studies on ant larvae: Myrmicinae. Trans. Am. Entomol. Soc. 108: 601-610 (page 608, larva described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Brandao, C.R.F. 1991. Adendos ao catalogo abreviado das formigas da regiao neotropical (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Rev. Bras. Entomol. 35: 319-412.
• Favretto M. A., E. Bortolon dos Santos, and C. J. Geuster. 2013. Entomofauna from West of Santa Catarina State, South of Brazil. EntomoBrasilis 6 (1): 42-63.
• Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
• Kempf W. W. 1966. A revision of the Neotropical fungus-growing ants of the genus Cyphomyrmex Mayr. Part II: Group of rimosus (Spinola) (Hym., Formicidae). Studia Entomologica 8: 161-200.
• Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
• Rosa da Silva R. 1999. Formigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) do oeste de Santa Catarina: historico das coletas e lista atualizada das especies do Estado de Santa Catarina. Biotemas 12(2): 75-100.
• Snelling R. R., and J. T. Longino. 1992. Revisionary notes on the fungus-growing ants of the genus Cyphomyrmex, rimosus group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Attini). Pp. 479-494 in: Quintero, D.; Aiello, A. (eds.) 1992. Insects of Panama and Mesoamerica: selected studies. Oxford: Oxford University Press, xxii + 692 pp.
• Weber N. A. 1938. The biology of the fungus-growing ants. Part IV. Additional new forms. Part V. The Attini of Bolivia. Rev. Entomol. (Rio J.) 9: 154-206.
• Weber N. A. 1941. The biology of the fungus-growing ants. Part VII. The Barro Colorado Island, Canal Zone, species. Rev. Entomol. (Rio J.) 12: 93-130.
• Weber N. A. 1945. The biology of the fungus-growing ants. Part VIII. The Trinidad, B. W. I., species. Revista de Entomologia (Rio de Janeiro) 16: 1-88.
• Weber N. A. 1946. The biology of the fungus-growing ants. Part IX. The British Guiana species. Revista de Entomologia (Rio de Janeiro) 17: 114-172.