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Dolopomyrmex
| Dolopomyrmex | |
|---|---|
| |
| Dolopomyrmex pilatus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Solenopsidini |
| Genus: | Dolopomyrmex Cover & Deyrup, 2007 |
| Type species | |
| Dolopomyrmex pilatus | |
| Diversity | |
| 1 species (Species Checklist, Species by Country)
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The only species of the genus is found in desert habitats and in areas that are transitional between desert and mountain foothills.
| At a Glance | • Monotypic |
Identification
Within the Solenopsidini Dolopomyrmex appears to be closer to two exclusively Old World solenopsidine genera, Anillomyrma and Bondroitia. A comparison of the workers is instructive and striking. All three genera share a closely similar structure of the clypeus, frontal lobes, and antennae, strongly oblique mandibular cutting margins with 4 teeth (3 teeth in one Anillomyrma species), and similar petiolar structures, most notably having the spiracle located anterolaterally on the side of the node, reduced palpal counts, and vestigial or absent compound eyes. The only truly discordant note is the absence of a median clypeal seta in Dolopomyrmex, present in Anillomyrma, Bondroitia, and most other Solenopsidine genera. The presence of a median clypeal seta was once thought to be a diagnostic character for the Solenopsidini (Bolton, 1987), but is presently seen to be more variable and less important than previously thought. Bolton’s (2003) recent redefinition of the tribe reflects this change. (Cover and Deyrup 2007)
| Genus | Palp formula: number of maxillary palps, number of labial palps | Number of mandible teeth | Distance between frontal lobes | Median clypeal seta | Number of antennal segments | Compound eyes | Metanotal groove | Propodeal spiracle size | Petiolar peduncle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anillomyrma | 2,2 | 3-4 | narrow | present | 10 | absent | weak transverse striation | small | shorter than node |
| Bondroitia | 2,2 | 4 | narrow | present | 11 | absent | deep impression | large | longer than node |
| Dolopomyrmex | 3,2 | 4 | narrow | absent | 11 | absent | deep impression | small | shorter than node |
| Unicumyrmex | 2,2 | 4-5 | narrow | present | 11 | absent | deep impression | small | shorter than node |
| Data sources: Anillomyrma - Eguchi & al. (2009), Bondroitia - Bolton (1987), Dolopomyrmex - Cover & Deyrup (2007), Unicumyrmex - Chung et al. (2025). | |||||||||
| Genus | Palp formula: number of maxillary palps, number of labial palps | Number of mandible teeth | Distance between antennal socket | Antennal socket | Number of antennal segments | Antennal scape exceeding lateral margin of compound eyes | Head shape | Lower metapleuron | Petiole and postpetiole with laterally projecting spins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anillomyrma | 4,3 | 1/3 | apart from each other | exposed | 13 | absent | rectangular | not fused | absent |
| Bondroitia | 2,2 | 2-3 | apart from each other | exposed | 12-13 | absent | rectangular | not fused | absent |
| Dolopomyrmex | 2,1 | 4 | apart from each other | partially covered by frontal lobe | 11 | present | rectangular | not fused | present |
| Epelysidris | – | 3 | closely approximated | exposed | 13 | absent | rounded | fused with propodeum | absent |
| Erromyrma | 5,3 | 4 | apart from each other | partially covered by frontal lobe | 13 | absent | triangular | fused with propodeum | absent |
| Monomorium | 1,1/2,2 | 1-4 | apart from each other | partially covered by frontal lobe | 11-13 | absent | rectangular | fused with propodeum | absent |
| Solenopsis | 1,2 | 1-3 | apart from each other | partially covered by frontal lobe | 12-13 | absent | triangular | fused with propodeum | absent |
| Unicumyrmex | 2,2 | 1-2 | closely approximated | exposed | 12 | absent | triangular | fused with propodeum | absent |
| Data sources: Anillomyrma - Yamane & Jaitrong (2019), Bondroitia - Bolton (1987), Dolopomyrmex - Cover & Deyrup (2007), Epelysidris - Ito & Yamane (2014), Erromyrma - Ramamonjisoa & al. (2023), Monomorium - DuBois (1986), Solenopsis - Pitts & al. (2018), Unicumyrmex - Chung et al (2025). | |||||||||
Chung et al. (2025), Fig. 28: Workers of Unicumyrmex and three morphologically resembled genera. The illustrations were accessed from AntWeb (2023). A - C, Unicumyrmex fushanensis (NCUESIL002532); D - F, Anillomyrma decamera (Emery, 1901) (CASENT0235147, Shannon Hartman); G - I, Bondroitia sp. (CASENT0104322, April Nobile); J - L, Dolopomyrmex pilatus (CASENT0178567, April Nobile).
Chung et al. (2025), Fig. 29 Male ants. The illustrations were accessed from AntWeb (2023). A - C, Unicumyrmex fushanensis (NCUESIL002538); D - F, Anillomyrma decamera (Yamane & Jaitrong 2019; TH18-SKY-262, specimen from S. Yamane); G - I, Bondroitia sp. (CASENT0104321, April Nobile); J - L, Dolopomyrmex pilatus (CASENT0178566, April Nobile).
Chung et al. (2025), Fig. 31: Forewings of male ants. A, Unicumyrmex fushanensis illustration newly drawn in this study; B, Anillomyrma decamera, illustration newly drawn in this study, specimen from S. Yamane (TH18-SKY-262); C, Bondroitia lujae, illustration redrawn from Bolton (1987); D, Dolopomyrmex pilatus, illustration redrawn from the original publication (Cover & Deyrup 2007); E, Epelysidris brocha, illustration drawn from the image of Ito & Yamane (2014); F, Erromyrma latinodis, illustration drawn from the image (CASENT0788835) of Ramamonjisoa & al. (2023); G, Monomorium chinense, illustration newly drawn in this study; H, Solenopsis geminata, illustration newly drawn in this study.
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See images of species within this genus |
Keys including this Genus
- Key to North American Genera of Myrmicinae
- Key to genera of Solenopsidini with 11 antennal segments
- Key to males of Solenopsidini genera
Distribution
Distribution and Richness based on AntMaps
Species by Region
Number of species within biogeographic regions, along with the total number of species for each region.
| Afrotropical Region | Australasian Region | Indo-Australian Region | Malagasy Region | Nearctic Region | Neotropical Region | Oriental Region | Palaearctic Region | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total Species | 2851 | 1736 | 3047 | 932 | 840 | 4391 | 1767 | 2925 |
Biology
For details see Dolopomyrmex pilatus.
Flight Period
All Flight Records for Genus
Explore: Show all Flight Month data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.
| Taxon | Month | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dolopomyrmex pilatus | Mar | antkeeping.info |
Castes
Worker
Head view
Side view
Top view
Specimen labels
Queen
Head view
Side view
Top view
Specimen labels
Male
Head view
Side view
Top view
Specimen labels
Morphology
Worker Morphology
- Explore: Show all Worker Morphology data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.
• Eyes: 0-1 ommatidia • Pronotal Spines: absent • Mesonotal Spines: absent • Propodeal Spines: absent • Petiolar Spines: absent • Caste: none or weak • Sting: present • Metaplural Gland: present • Cocoon: absent
Phylogeny
| Myrmicinae |
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See Phylogeny of Myrmicinae for details.
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- DOLOPOMYRMEX [Myrmicinae: Solenopsidini]
- Dolopomyrmex Cover & Deyrup, 2007: 90. Type-species: Dolopomyrmex pilatus, by original designation.
- [Dolopomyrmex Fisher & Cover, 2007: 83. Unavailable name.]
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Diagnosis of Worker. Monomorphic subterranean myrmicine ants with the following combination of characters:
1) Palp formula 3,2
2) Mandible with 4 teeth and strongly oblique cutting margin, the largest gap between mandibular teeth separating the basal tooth from the third subapical tooth.
3) Clypeus ecarinate. Median clypeal seta absent, instead anterior margin with pair of long, ventrally curved setae, one on each side of the midpoint, flanked laterally by fringe of 5-6 long, forward-projecting setae on each side of the clypeal margin.
4) Median portion of clypeus narrow, strongly elevated, antennal insertions closely approximated.
5) Frontal lobes small, subtriangular, fully covering condylar bulbs of antennae. Frontal carinae absent.
6) Eyes vestigial or entirely absent, when present, consisting only of the remnant of a single ommatidium.
7) Antennae 11 segmented, with an enormous 3 segmented apical club longer than the remainder of the funiculus.
8) Mesosoma elongate, in profile, compressed laterally at promesonotal juncture with propodeum giving it a distinctive hourglass shape in dorsal view.
9) Metanotal impression present, propodeum lacking teeth or spines, in profile dorsally convex, with flat posterior face in side view.
10) Propodeal spiracle circular, of moderate size. Metapleural gland well-developed. Metapleural lobes small, rounded and inconspicuous.
11) Petiole with short, indistinct peduncle, node low, rounded, suborbicular in dorsal view. Subpetiolar process absent. Spiracle circular, located laterally on the anterior slope of the node.
12) Postpetiole low and rounded in profile, lacking a ventral projection or tooth, suborbicular in dorsal view.
13) Tergite and sternite of the fourth abdominal segment meeting to produce an angulate corner on each side of the postpetiole seen in dorsal view, as in the unrelated myrmicine genus Pheidole.
14) Sting simple, robust.
15) Outer surfaces of middle and hind tibiae and tarsomeres with abundant stiff, spine-like, erect to suberect setae.
Queen
Diagnosis of Queen. As in worker except:
1) Enormous in comparison with worker caste. ML always > TL of largest workers.
2) Mandible with strongly oblique cutting margin and 4 teeth that decrease progressively in size from apical to basal.
3) Submedian ventrally curved setae on anterior clypeal margin not clearly separable from other setae present.
4) Ventral surface of head with abundant, curved, delicate erect setae.
5) Compound eyes large, with scattered very short, stubble-like, erect setae. Ocelli well-developed but small.
6) Antennae 11 segmented as in worker, 3 segmented apical club present, but less pronounced.
7) Body in general somewhat flattened, probably as an adaptation for subterranean life.
8) Mesosoma massive, with full complement of sclerites associated with the presence of wings.
9) Petiolar node subrectangular, wider than long, in dorsal view. Postpetiole subelliptic in dorsal view.
10) Spine-like erect setae abundant on outer surface of hind tibia, especially abundant on the outer tibial surface of the middle leg.
Male
Diagnosis of Male.
1) Palpal formula 2,1. Palps very short.
2) Mandible strap-like, with strongly oblique cutting margin and 4 teeth, decreasing progressively in size from the apex. Rarely, 1-2 teeth may be absent, leaving only the apical and subapical teeth present.
3) As in worker caste, clypeus ecarinate, median clypeal seta absent, paired submedian ventrally curved setae present.
4) Median portion of clypeus narrow, elevated, antennal insertions closely approximated.
5) Frontal lobes small, only partly covering the condylar bulbs, frontal carinae absent.
6) Compound eyes large, with short erect setae as in queen. Ocelli well-developed but small.
7) Antennae 11 segmented, with large 3 segmented club. First antennal segment greatly enlarged to form distinct scape longer than the apical club.
8) Mesosoma massive, alate, wing venation as in Fig. 3. Propodeum lacking teeth or spines, spiracle lenticular, metapleural lobes very small.
9) Petiolar node low and rounded in profile, peduncle absent. Petiolar spiracles located at the tips of large, laterally projecting connules.
10) Postpetiole unique, as in Fig. 3. Attachment to fourth abdominal segment extraordinarily broad, spiracles as in petiole, located at the tips of large, laterally projecting connules.
11) Erect or suberect setae present on outer surfaces of middle and hind tibiae, but neither stiff and spine-like, nor as abundant as in the female castes.
References
- Cantone S. 2018. Winged Ants, The queen. Dichotomous key to genera of winged female ants in the World. The Wings of Ants: morphological and systematic relationships (self-published).
- Chung, F.-Y., Hsu, P.-W., Hsu, F.-C., Lin, C.-C. 2025. A new genus in a hyperdiverse ant lineage (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) revealed by integration of morphological and molecular evidence. Myrmecological News 35: 29-60 (doi:10.25849/MYRMECOL.NEWS_035:029).
- Cover, S. P., Deyrup, M. 2007. A new ant genus from the southwestern United States, pp. 89-99. In Snelling, R. R., B. L. Fisher, and P. S. Ward (eds). Advances in ant systematics (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): homage to E. O. Wilson – 50 years of contributions. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute, 80.