Diacamma viridipurpureum quezonicum

Diacamma viridipurpureum quezonicum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Ponerinae
Tribe:	Ponerini
Genus:	Diacamma
Species:	D. viridipurpureum
Subspecies:	D. viridipurpureum quezonicum
Trinomial name
	Diacamma viridipurpureum quezonicum; Laciny, Pal & Zettel, 2015 Specimen Label

Nothing is known about the biology of Diacamma viridipurpureum quezonicum.

At a Glance

• Gamergate

Identification

Laciny et al. (2015) - Large species (TL 12.6–14.2 mm). Trunk with relatively strong bluish shimmer. Mandibles, antennae and legs dark brown to black. Erect setae abundant; fine pilosity well developed. Trunk strongly striate from genae to gaster tergite 1. Head moderately long, sides posteriorly of eye strongly convex. Posterior of head longitudinally striate until narrowly truncated hind margin; occipital margin ventrally terminating in short, blunt teeth. Eyes rather small. Clypeus with very fine puncturation at base, becoming sparse anteriorly; apex medially rounded or bluntly angled. Mandible with fine striation. Pronotum with transverse-elliptical rugae. Striation on propodeum sides upcurved. Petiole very stout, its teeth moderately short; subpetiolar process strongly concave between acute anterior and posterior corners, with rather long, oblique pilosity. Gaster tergite 1 with coarse semi1-circular striation.

Besides the vivid blue colour that immediately distinguishes D. v. quezonicum from Diacamma viridipurpureum, specimens of the two taxa are extremely similar, so that we decided to give them subspecific rank only. In addition to colour there are slight differences in surface structures and morphometry. In most, but not all specimens of quezonicum the clypeus has a shallow subapical impression, which we never observed in viridipurpureum or the other related taxa (Diacamma generali, Diacamma caeruleum, Diacamma carbonarium). The ventral side of the head is completely striate in quezonicum, but this striation is more or less reduced in the anterior middle part in viridipurpureum. There are also slight differences in length and distance of petiolar spines, but these characters are quite variable in both subspecies and in other Diacamma species as well.

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Philippines (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.

quezonicum. Diacamma viridipurpureum quezonicum Laciny, Pal & Zettel, 2015: 122, figs. 48-51, 56, 62, 63 (w.) PHILIPPINES (Luzon I.).
- Subspecies of viridipurpureum: Zettel, et al. 2016: 167.

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

Description

Worker

Holotype: TL 13.70; HW 2.38; HL 3.13; EL 0.65; SL 3.33; PH 2.00; PL 1.33; PW 1.37; SpD 0.64; SpL 0.38; WL 4.73; MTL 2.66. Indices: CI 76; SI 140; PI 66; SpDI 48; SpLI 29; EI 27. Measurements of paratypes (n = 10): TL 12.59–14.15; HW 2.25–2.43; HL 2.93–3.23; EL 0.63–0.70; SL 3.20–3.49; PH 1.87–2.04; PL 1.20–1.35; PW 0.89–1.02; SpD 0.60–0.74; SpL 0.38–0.45; WL 4.43–4.73; MTL 2.51–2.71. Indices: CI 75–79; SI 139–145; PI 62–68; SpDI 46–53; SpLI 30–33; EI 26–28.

Structures: As in Diacamma viridipurpureum except for the following characters: Ventral side of the head completely striate. Clypeus (Fig. 50) more distinctly punctured at base and anteriorly less reduced, only in some specimens medially without any punctures, in most specimens just behind apex with shallow depression; apex rather variable from rounded to bluntly angled. Striation on propodeum sides upcurved, but curvature often not as strong as in D. v. viridipurpureum. Petiolar spines on average longer and more distant than in D. v. viridipurpureum (SpDI 42–49 vs. 46–53; SpLI 17–33 vs. 29–33).

Pilosity: As in D. v. viridipurpureum, although the short pubescence tends to be slightly less developed.

Colour: Trunk with strong bluish shimmer; apex of gaster brown. Mandibles dark brown. Antennae and legs black; femora and tibiae with delicate bluish to purple shimmer; tarsi dark brown.

Type Material

Holotype (worker, PNMM, CASENT0915973), from Luzon, Quezon Province, Atimonan, Quezon National Park, Old Zigzag Road, 27–28.I.2002, leg. H. Zettel (#300). Paratypes (all from the same area): 12 worker (Herbert and S.V. Zettel, Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna, University of the Philippines Los Baños), same label data as holotype; 1 worker (CZW), 12–13.II.1996, leg. H. Zettel (#79a); 7 workers (CZW), 24–30.III.1998, leg. H. Zettel (#165); 3 workers (CZW, NHMW), 16.III.1999, leg. H. Zettel (#202); 2 workers (CZW), 6.IV.2000, leg. H. Zettel (#253); 14 worker (CZW, NHMW, UPLB), 30–31.I.2001, leg. H. Zettel (#262); 1 worker (NHMW), 14.III.1999, leg. F. Seyfert (#27); 1 worker (NHMW), 22.XI.1992, leg. M.A. Jäch (#11).

References