Echinopla charernsomi

Echinopla charernsomi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Camponotini
Genus:	Echinopla
Species group:	striata
Species:	E. charernsomi
Binomial name
	Echinopla charernsomi; Tanansathaporn & Jaitrong, 2018

The holotype and one paratype were collected from a shrub/tree in a dry evergreen forest. No nest was found but it is possible this is an arboreal or twig nesting species (Lubertazzi, Nov 2022; W. Jaitrong, pers. comm.).

Identification

Tanansathaporn et al. (2018) - A member of the Echinopla mezgeri group.

Medium-sized, HW 1.40–1.56 mm, head in full-face view broader than long; eye relatively large, moderately convex; dorsum of mesosoma distinctly laterally marginate along its length, armed with numerous teeth; in dorsal view mesosoma with waist-like incision in front of propodeum; promesonotal suture present, narrow and shallow; metanotal groove distinct, deeply impressed; in posterior aspect, dorsal margin of petiole with numerous teeth; lateral margin of petiole with 3-4 large teeth; first gastral tergite globose, its posterior margin without denticles. Dorsa of head, mesosoma and first gastral tergite finely, longitudinally striate; lateral face of pronotum irregularly reticulate-punctate; mesopleuron punctate; lateral face of propodeum irregularly rugose. Dorsa of head, mesosoma, petiole, and first gastral tergite with dense black and long hairs mixed with dense pubescence. Body black; trochanters and tip of gaster reddish brown.

Similar to Echinopla striata and Echinopla lineata by having a longitudinal striation on the dorsal body surface. However, E. charernsomi can be distinguished from E. striata by much smaller size (HW 1.40–1.60 mm in E. charernsomi, HW 1.72–1.85 mm in E. striata), a irregularly reticulatepunctate lateral face of propodeum (smooth and shiny in E. striata), and yellowish brown trochanters (black to dark brown in E. striata). Echinopla charernsomi is separated from E. lineata by the smaller body size (HW 1.40–1.60 mm in E. charernsomi; HW 1.58–1.75 mm in E. lineata) and a punctate and reticulatepunctate sculpturing on the lateral face of the mesosoma (in E. lineata, entirely striate).

Distribution

Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Nayok and Tak provinces, Thailand.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 14.5097° to 14.4372°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: Thailand (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.

charernsomi. Echinopla charernsomi Tanansathaporn & Jaitrong, 2018: 3, figs. 1-3 (w.) THAILAND.

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 5.32, HL 1.28, HW 1.60, SL 1.32, ED 0.28, PW 1.52, MSL 1.96, PL 0.52, PH 0.48, DPW 1.40, GW 1.72, CI 125, EI 18, SI 83, LPI 92, DPI 292. Paratypes (n = 2): TL 4.72–5.28, HL 1.12–1.16, HW 1.40–1.56, SL1.20–1.28, ED 0.28, PW 1.28–1.52, MSL 1.84–1.96, PL 0.56–0.64, PH 0.52– 0.56, DPW 1.24–1.48, GW 1.52–1.80, CI 130–134, EI 18–19, SI 82–84, LPI 88–91, DPI 226–231.

Worker. Head in full-face view trapezoidal, narrowed anteriorly and broader than long, lateral margin weakly convex, posterior margin moderately convex, posterolateral corner roundly convex. Eye relatively large, moderately convex, located close to posterior corner of head. Frontal lobe obliquely elevated, in full-face view covering antennal fossa only in part. Mandible short, subrectangular, and its masticatory margin armed with five teeth. Clypeus broad, anterior margin almost straight. Frontal carina short, not surpassing level of anterior margin of eye. Antennae 12-segmented; scape moderately long and slender, one third of scape length extending beyond posterior margin of head; funicular segments, each longer than broad; antennal segment II slightly narrower and longer than each of III–XI; terminal segment (XII) almost as long as X and XI combined.

Mesosoma stout, dorsum of mesosoma distinctly marginate at sides along entire length, length roughly 1.3 times pronotum width; propodeum slightly larger than promesonotum. In profile dorsal outline of promesonotum weakly convex, while propodeum strongly convex; both promesonotum and propodeum meeting at deep and broad incision, the metanotal groove; promesonotal suture present, narrow and shallow; mesopleuron flat, not clearly demarcated from metapleuron. In dorsal view mesosoma with waist-like incision in front of propodeum; pronotum trapezoidal or subrectangular, anterior margin convex, posterior margin concave, lateral margin straight; pronotum narrower than head; mesonotum clearly shorter and narrower than pronotum; propodeum more or less subglobose, as broad as pronotum, and longer than mesonotum; anterior and lateral margins of mesosoma armed with numerous teeth. Legs relatively long; femora flat, seen from posterior aspect broad at base then gradually narrowed to apex.

Petiole in profile longer than high, and narrowed dorsally. In dorsal view petiole transverse, about as broad as propodeum, each side with strong posteriorly bent spine; anterior face much narrower than posterior face. In posterior aspect dorsal margin with 12-13 denticles; lateral margin with 3-4 large teeth.

First gastral tergite in dorsal view globose, covering remaining tergites, slightly broader than long, posterior margin roundly convex without denticles.

Dorsum and lateral face of head finely, longitudinally striate; antennal scape superficially reticulate with smooth and shiny interspaces; mandible roughly and irregularly rugose. Dorsa of pronotum, mesonotum and propodeum longitudinally striate; lateral face of pronotum irregularly reticulate-punctate; mesopleuron punctate; lateral face of propodeum irregularly rugose; legs reticulate with smooth and shiny interspaces. First gastral tergite densely, finely, longitudinally striate.

Dorsa of head, mesosoma, petiole, and first gastral tergite with dense erect long hairs mixed with dense pubescence. Scape and legs with sub erect long hairs mixed with sparse pubescence.

Entire body black; apex of mandible, antennal segments X-XII, trochanters, and tip of gaster reddish brown; eye grayish brown.

Type Material

Holotype – worker (THNHM-I-01365), NE Thailand: Nakhon Ratchasima province, Wang Nam Khiao district, Sakaerat Environmental Research Station, 14.5097°N, 101.9319°E, 17.VIII 2009, leg. W. Jaitrong (Natural History Museum of the National Science Museum). Paratypes: one worker (THNHM-I-01366), same data as holotype (THNHM); one worker (THNHM-I-01367), Central Thailand: Nakhon Nayok province, Muang Nakhon Nayok, Hin Tang subdistrict, 14.4372°N, 101.3758°E, dry evergreen forest, 25.III 2000, leg. W. Jaitrong (THNHM).

Etymology

The species epithet is dedicated to Dr. Kosol Charernsom of Kasetsart University, who is the most excellent specialist in biodiversity sciences in Thailand and helped and inspired many young taxonomists.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Tanansathaporn S., H. Zettel, N. Pinkaew, M. Kongmee, S. Waengsothorn, and W. Jaitrong. 2018. Two new species of the genus Echinopla Smith, 1857 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae) from Thailand. Far Eastern Entomologist 370: 1-11.