Euprenolepis variegata

Euprenolepis variegata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Lasiini
Genus:	Euprenolepis
Species:	E. variegata
Binomial name
	Euprenolepis variegata; LaPolla, 2009

Nothing is known about the biology of this species.

Identification

Euprenolepis variegata workers are most likely to be confused with Euprenolepis wittei. The two species can be separated based on the fact that E. variegata is lighter in color, has scattered pubescence on the scapes, becoming dense distally, and longer erect setae on the gaster than those of E. wittei. (Lapolla 2009)

Keys including this Species

Key to Euprenolepis Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 5.866670132° to 0.966669977°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Borneo, Indonesia, Malaysia (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

Explore Overview of Euprenolepis biology

Biological details regarding the small number of species within this genus are sparse. The best characterized species is Euprenolepis procera, with the following known details. It has polymorphic workers. Colonies are nomadic and on average stay in any single location less than a week. Nests contain from 500 – 5,000 workers and are opportunistically situated in suitable preformed cavities. Emigrations appear driven by the need to find their almost exclusive source of nutrients, mushrooms. Foraging takes place nocturnally. While knowledge of the remaining species is sparse, there is some indication that that polymorphism is not the norm. It is also unclear if procera is the only species, within this genus and within ants as a whole, that feed directly and almost exclusively on mushrooms.

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Castes

Nomenclature

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

variegata. Euprenolepis variegata LaPolla, 2009: 17, figs. 11A-D (w.) BORNEO.

Type Material

Paratype, 1 worker, Danum Valley, West Trail P1, Sabah, Malaysia, Bruhl,C., ANIC32-051664, Australian National Insect Collection.

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

Description

Worker

Measurements (n=3): TL: 2.98–3.36; HW: 0.77–0.82; HL: 0.81–0.89; SL: 1.07–1.11; WL: 1.1–1.26; GL: 1–1.21. Indices: CI: 91–96; SI: 136–140

Head brown, with scapes and mandibles lighter and funiculi much lighter becoming brownish-yellow; head about as long as broad. Cuticular surface shiny and weakly rugoreticulate, with scattered erect setae, with only small areas of pubescence along clypeal margin. Scapes with scattered pubescence and erect setae; pubescence more abundant distally. Mesosoma light brown, shiny, with legs slightly lighter. Scattered erect setae of varying lengths concentrated on posterior pronotum and anterior mesonotum. Pronotum rises at about 45° toward mesonotum; propodeum dorsum rounded, dome-like; declivity short, but steep. Petiole triangular, inclined forward, with posterior face longer than anterior face; gaster darker brown than mesosoma, with erect setae and no pubescence; cuticular surface shiny and weakly rugoreticulate.

Type Material

Holotype worker, MALAYSIA: Borneo, Sabah, Danum Valley, West Trail P1, 250 m, ii.1999 (C. Brühl) (National Museum of Natural History); 2 paratype workers, same locality as holotype (Australian National Insect Collection; USNM); 1 paratype worker, MALAYSIA: Borneo, Sabah, Sepiok Forest Reserve, 60 m, ii.2000 (C. Brühl) (USNM).

Eymology

The species epithet is Latin for different, in reference to its separation from E. wittei.

References

LaPolla, J. S. 2009. Taxonomic revision of the Southeast Asian ant genus Euprenolepis. Zootaxa. 2046:1-25.
Yamane, S., Tanaka, H.O., Hasimoto, Y., Ohashi, M., Meleng, P., Itioka, T. 2021. A list of ants from Lambir Hills National Park and its vicinity, with their biological information: Part II. Subfamilies Leptanillinae, Proceratiinae, Amblyoponinae, Ponerinae, Dorylinae, Dolichoderinae, Ectatomminae and Formicinae. Contributions from the Biological Laboratory, Kyoto University 31, 87–157.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

CSIRO Collection
Fayle T.M., Bakker, L., Cheah, C., Ching, T.M., Davey, A., Dem, F., Earl, A., Huaimei, Y., Hyland, S., Johansson, B., Ligtermoet, E., Lim, R., Lin, L.K., Luangyotha, P., Martins, B.H., Palmeirim, A.F., Paninhuan, S., Rojas, S.K., Sam, L., Sam, P.T.T., Susanto, D., Wahyudi, A., Walsh, J., Weigl, S., Craze, P.G., Jehle, R., Metcalfe, D. & Trevelyan, R. 2011. A positive relationship between ant biodiversity (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and rate of scavenger-mediated nutrient redistribution along a disturbance gradient in a south-east Asian rain forest. Myrmecological News 14: 5-12.
LaPolla J. S. 2009. Taxonomic revision of the Southeast Asian ant genus Euprenolepis. Zootaxa 2046: 1-25.
Lapolla, J. S.. "Taxonomic Revision of the Southeast Asian Ant Genus Euprenolepis." Zootaxa 2046 (2009): 1-25.
Ohasi M., Y. Maekawa, Y. Hashimoto, Y. Takematsu, S. Hasin, and S. Yamane. 2017. CO2 emission from subterranean nests of ants and termites in a tropical rain forest in Sarawak, Malaysia. Applied Soil Ecology 117–118: 147–155.
Pfeiffer M.; Mezger, D.; Hosoishi, S.; Bakhtiar, E. Y.; Kohout, R. J. 2011. The Formicidae of Borneo (Insecta: Hymenoptera): a preliminary species list. Asian Myrmecology 4:9-58