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Euprenolepis
| Euprenolepis | |
|---|---|
| |
| Euprenolepis negrosensis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Formicinae |
| Tribe: | Lasiini |
| Alliance: | Prenolepis genus group |
| Genus: | Euprenolepis Emery, 1906 |
| Type species | |
| Prenolepis procera, now Euprenolepis procera | |
| Diversity | |
| 8 species (Species Checklist, Species by Country) | |
| Synonyms | |
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Witte and Maschwitz (2008) discovered that Euprenolepis procera are nomadic mushroom harvesters, a previously unknown lifestyle among ants.
Identification
Six diagnostic characters can generally separate Euprenolepis workers from the workers of other formicine genera: 1) basal tooth with a distinct obtuse angle on the inner mandibular margin, 2) apical tooth large and curved toward midline of body, 3) mandalus large and conspicuous, 4) medially clypeus without a prominent keel, 5) anterior clypeal margin medially emarginate, with a medially placed seta, and 6) widely spaced torulae. The reduced segmentation in the palps also helps in diagnosing the genus, except Pseudolasius also exhibits palpal segment reduction. With the exception of Euprenolepis negrosensis, all species appear to have a 3:4 palpal formula. Pseudolasius typically possess 2 or 3 labial palpal segments. Euprenolepis is most likely to be confused with Pseudolasius, however, with the exception of E. negrosensis, Euprenolepis have much larger eyes than Pseudolasius species. Additionally, the six characters listed above provide a means to separate the two genera. (LaPolla 2009)
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See images of species within this genus |
Keys including this Genus
Distribution
Euprenolepis is endemic to southeastern Asia. Most species are presently known from Borneo only, but whether or not this reflects biological reality or collecting bias remains unclear. It is interesting to note that this distribution pattern is essentially the same as Cladomyrma, another Southeast Asian endemic formincine genus. (LaPolla 2009)
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 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Total Species | 2841 | 1736 | 3045 | 932 | 835 | 4379 | 1741 | 2862 |
Fossils
Fossils are known from: Zhangpu amber, Zhangpu County, Fujian Province, China (Miocene) (an unidentified species, Wang et al., 2021).
Biology
Life History Traits
- Mean colony size: 500-5000 (Greer et al., 2021)
- Compound colony type: not parasitic (Greer et al., 2021)
- Nest site: hypogaeic (Greer et al., 2021)
- Diet class: herbivore (Greer et al., 2021)
- Foraging stratum: subterranean/leaf litter (Greer et al., 2021)
- Foraging behaviour: cooperative (Greer et al., 2021)
Castes
It remains unclear how widespread polymorphism is in the genus. Polymorphism is exhibited in Euprenolepis procera, with a minor and major worker caste clearly expressed. However, in no other known species is polymorphism observed. This may reflect collecting bias, because most species are only known from a few localities. However, at least one species, Euprenolepis wittei, has been collected from long nest series and polymorphism has not been found in the workers (V. Witte, pers. comm.). It is worth pointing out that despite E. procera being by far the most commonly encountered Euprenolepis in collections, majors are still relatively uncommon. (LaPolla 2009)
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.
• Antennal segment count: 12 • Antennal club: absent • Palp formula: 3,4 • Spur formula: 1 simple, 1 simple • Eyes: 11-100 ommatidia • Scrobes: absent • Pronotal Spines: absent • Mesonotal Spines: absent • Propodeal Spines: absent • Petiolar Spines: absent • Caste: polymorphic • Sting: absent • Metaplural Gland: present • Cocoon: present
Phylogeny
| Formicinae |
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See Phylogeny of Formicinae for details.
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- EUPRENOLEPIS [Formicinae: Plagiolepidini]
- Euprenolepis Emery, 1906b: 134 [as subgenus of Prenolepis]. Type-species: Prenolepis procera, by original designation.
- Euprenolepis subgenus of Paratrechina: Emery, 1925b: 223.
- Euprenolepis raised to genus and senior synonym of Chapmanella: Brown, 1953h: 6.
- CHAPMANELLA [junior synonym of Euprenolepis]
- Chapmanella Wheeler, W.M. 1930d: 41. Type-species: Chapmanella negrosensis, by original designation.
- Chapmanella junior synonym of Euprenolepis: Brown, 1953h: 6.
Description
LaPolla 2009:
Worker
(minors and majors): 1) Medium sized (measured in this study between 2.9–6.25 mm in total length) yellow to dark brown formicine ants.
2) Euprenolepis procera known to be polymorphic with a minor and major worker castes, unclear if other species are also polymorphic.
3) Antennae 12 segmented; torulae widely separated from each other, not touching posterior clypeal margin.
4) Scapes long, always surpassing posterior margin, and with scattered erect setae.
5) Eyes generally large (one known exception Euprenolepis negrosensis), near midline of head.
6) Mandibles broad with 5 teeth; basal tooth with an obtuse angle on the inner mandibular margin (one known exception E. negrosensis, where basal tooth is usually roughly quadriform relative to inner mandibular margin); apical tooth large and curved toward midline of body.
7) Mandalus large and conspicuous.
8) Maxillary palps 3-segmented; labial palps 4-segmented (except in E. negrosensis which has 4 segmented maxillary palps).
9) Clypeus broad, slightly convex medially, flattening anteriorly; median clypeus without a prominent keel.
10) Anterior clypeal margin medially emarginate, with a medially placed seta.
11) Mesosoma elongate with mesothorax constricted immediately behind pronotum; propodeum high and domed-shaped.
12) Scattered erect setae across entire body.
Queen
(queens are only known from three species, Euprenolepis negrosensis, Euprenolepis procera, and Euprenolepis wittei, so this list must be considered provisional):
1) Generally as in worker with modifications expected for caste.
2) Eyes large; ocelli well developed and prominent.
3) Body covered in a dense layer of pubescence.
Male
(males are only known from three species, E. negrosensis, E. procera, and E. wittei, so this list must be considered provisional):
1) Eyes large, occupying more than half the lateral portion of the head; ocelli prominent.
2) Scapes long, surpassing posterior margin by at least first 3 funicular segments; 13-segmented antennae.
3) Anterior clypeal margin emarginate, as in workers; margin curls up slightly.
4) In Euprenolepis procera, and Euprenolepis wittei mandibles broad with only apical tooth well-developed, remainder of inner mandibular margin smooth, with a distinct basal angle. In E. negrosensis, mandibles broad, with 4 teeth; all but apical teeth are weakly developed.
5) Mesosoma modified as expected for flight muscles; propodeum indistinct.
6) In E. procera and E. wittei, penis valve apodemes terminate dorsally; in lateral view, penis valves project dorsally above parameres; digiti anvil-shaped (weakly anvil-shaped in E. negrosensis), ventrally directed.
7) Digiti and cuspi meet dorsolaterally, about halfway along length of digiti.
8) Parameres and terminal gastral segments with abundant, long setae; apices of parameres bend towards the midline of the body.
References
- Agosti, D. 1991. Revision of the oriental ant genus Cladomyrma, with an outline of the higher classification of the Formicinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Syst. Entomol. 16: 293-310. (page 296, Euprenolepis in Formicinae, Pseudolasius genus group)
- Bolton, B. 1994. Identification guide to the ant genera of the world. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 222 pp. (page 50, Euprenolepis as genus; Euprenolepis in Formicinae, Lasiini)
- Bolton, B. 2003. Synopsis and Classification of Formicidae. Mem. Am. Entomol. Inst. 71: 370pp (page 23, 102, Euprenolepis as genus; in Formicinae, Plagiolepidini)
- Boudinot, B.E., Borowiec, M.L., Prebus, M.M. 2022. Phylogeny, evolution, and classification of the ant genus Lasius, the tribe Lasiini and the subfamily Formicinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Systematic Entomology 47, 113-151 (doi:10.1111/syen.12522).
- Brown, W. L., Jr. 1953h. Characters and synonymies among the genera of ants. Part II. Breviora 18: 1-8 (page 6, Euprenolepis raised to genus, and senior synonym of Chapmaella)
- 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).
- Chapman, J. W.; Capco, S. R. 1951. Check list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Asia. Monogr. Inst. Sci. Technol. Manila 1: 1-327 (page 218, Euprenolepis as subgenus of Paratrechina)
- Dlussky, G. M.; Fedoseeva, E. B. 1988. Origin and early stages of evolution in ants. Pp. 70-144 in: Ponomarenko, A. G. (ed.) Cretaceous biocenotic crisis and insect evolution. Moskva: Nauka, 232 pp. (page 77, Euprenolepis in Formicinae, Lasiini)
- Donisthorpe, H. 1943g. A list of the type-species of the genera and subgenera of the Formicidae. [part]. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(10): 617-688 (page 645, Euprenolepis in Formicinae, Acanthomyopsini; Euprenolepis as subgenus of Paratrechina)
- Emery, C. 1906b. Note sur Prenolepis vividula Nyl. et sur la classification des espèces du genre Prenolepis. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 50: 130-134 (page 134, Euprenolepis as subgenus of Prenolepis)
- Emery, C. 1925d. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Formicinae. Genera Insectorum 183: 1-302 (page 223, Euprenolepis in Formicinae, Lasiini; Euprenolepis as subgenus of Paratrechina)
- Forel, A. 1917. Cadre synoptique actuel de la faune universelle des fourmis. Bull. Soc. Vaudoise Sci. Nat. 51: 229-253 (page 249, Euprenolepis in Camponotinae, Prenolepidini; Euprenolepis as subgenus of Prenolepis)
- Hölldobler, B.; Wilson, E. O. 1990. The ants. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, xii + 732 pp. (page 18, Euprenolepis in Formicinae, Prenolepidini (anachronism))
- LaPolla, J. S. 2009. Taxonomic revision of the Southeast Asian ant genus Euprenolepis. Zootaxa. 2046:1-25.
- Matos-Maraví, P., Clouse, R.M., Sarnat, E.M., Economo, E.P., LaPolla, J.S., Borovanska, M., Rabeling, C., Czekanski-Moir, J., Latumahina, F., Wilson, E.O., Janda, M. 2018. An ant genus-group (Prenolepis) illuminates the biogeography and drivers of insect diversification in the Indo-Pacific. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 123, 16–25 (doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2018.02.007).
- Von Beeren, C., Mair M. & Witte V. 2014. Discovery of a second mushroom harvesting ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Malayan tropical rainforests. Myrmecological News 20: 37-42. (about Euprenolepis wittei)
- Wang, B., Shi, G., Xu, C., Spicer, R. A., Perrichot, V., Schmidt, A. R., Feldberg, K., Heinrichs, J., Chény, C., Pang, H., Liu, X., Gao, T., Wang, Z., Ślipiński, A., Solórzano-Kraemer, M. M., Heads, S. W., Thomas, M. J., Sadowski, E. M., Szwedo, J., Azar, D., Nel, A., Liu, Y., Chen, J., Zhang, Q., Zhang, Q., Luo, C., Yu, T., Zheng, D., Zhang, H., Engel, M. S. 2021. The mid-Miocene Zhangpu biota reveals an outstandingly rich rainforest biome in East Asia. Science advances, 7(18), eabg0625 (doi:10.1126/sciadv.abg0625).
- Wheeler, G. C.; Wheeler, J. 1985b. A simplified conspectus of the Formicidae. Trans. Am. Entomol. Soc. 111: 255-264 (page 258, Euprenolepis in Formicinae, Brachymyrmecini)
- Wheeler, W. M. 1910b. Ants: their structure, development and behavior. New York: Columbia University Press, xxv + 663 pp. (page 143, Euprenolepis in Camponotinae, Formicini; Euprenolepis as subgenus of Prenolepis)
- Wheeler, W. M. 1922i. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VII. Keys to the genera and subgenera of ants. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 45: 631-710 (page 697, Euprenolepis as subgenus of Prenolepis)
- Witte,V. & Maschwitz, U. (2008) Mushroom harvesting ants in the tropical rain forest. Naturwissenschaften, 95(11), 1049–54.