Eurhopalothrix coronata

Eurhopalothrix coronata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Eurhopalothrix
Species:	E. coronata
Binomial name
	Eurhopalothrix coronata; Taylor, 1990 Specimen Labels

The type specimens were collected from Berlese funnel and Winkler bag extractions of rainforest leaf mould.

Identification

Keys including this Species

Key to Old World Basicerotini

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 4.966666667° to -5.066666667°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Borneo (type locality), Indonesia, Malaysia.

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 Eurhopalothrix biology

Little is known about the biology of most species in this genus. Nests are rarely found, and queens and males have not been collected for many species. Longino (2013) summarized their biology "Eurhopalothrix specimens are encountered almost exclusively in samples from mass extraction techniques that recover small arthropods in sifted litter, rotten wood, and soil. Densities, at least in the northern Neotropics, are usually low, with workers occurring in < 10% of quantitative samples of 1 m2 litter plots, but occasionally may reach densities as high as 40% of samples. Live colonies of Old World Eurhopalothrix were observed by Wilson (1956) and Wilson and Brown (1984), and a Costa Rican colony of Basiceros manni was observed by Wilson and Hölldobler (1986). All basicerotines, including Eurhopalothrix, are thought to be predators in tropical leaf litter, relying on stealth or sit-and-wait techniques. Sampled specimens are often coated with a thin layer of clay, especially on the face, which is thought to function as camouflage, enhancing crypsis (Hölldobler & Wilson, 1986). Highly specialized spatulate setae may be instrumental in acquisition and adherence of the clay layer (Hölldobler & Wilson, 1986)."

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Castes

Nomenclature

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

coronata. Eurhopalothrix coronata Taylor, 1990b: 407, figs. 8-12, 46 (w.) BORNEO.

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

Description

Worker

General features as illustrated. All Class A attributes present, with those of Class B, unless otherwise indicated. Dimensions (holotype, mm): HL 0.51; HW 0.50; CI 102; ML 0.09; MI 21; SL 0.30; SI 60; PW 0.25; WL 0.50. Both the paratypes have HW 0.52 mm. Outer mandibular borders more-or-less continuously (feebly) convex in frontal view. Face of clypeus between frontal lobes divided by a relatively very distinct, obtuse, transversely arched ridge. Eyes small but distinct, 4- or 5-faceted. Occipital border broadly but shallowly emarginate, the outline an even arc. Mesosomal profile not a continuous curve, its outline shallowly depressed at the promesonotal/propodeal junction; mesometanotal suture, however, represented only as a narrow depression without an incised groove severing the underlying sculpture. Petiolar node in dorsal view distinctly wider than long.

Specialised enlarged hairs well differentiated from those of ground pilosity; each globose, expanded at about half its height, with a relatively thick basal stem. Distributed (when complement is complete) as follows: 16 on frons, in 3 transverse rows. The middle and posterior rows each with 4 hairs, the anterior with 8; 2 pairs on promesonotum (lateral and posterolateral), and a single posterolateral pair each on the petiolar node and postpetiole. About 18 such hairs on dorsum of first gastral tergite, arranged roughly in 4 longitudinal rows of 4, 5, 5 and 4. The accompanying scattered hairs of the ground pilosity relatively large, about t to ! the height of the specialised major hairs, and generally of similar structure, but relatively a little less inflated; ground pilosity elsewhere well developed, as illustrated.

Type Material

Type Locality: Malaysia: Sabah: Quoin Hill Research Station, near Tawau (04°16'N.,117°54'E.). Malaysia: Sarawak: First Division: Kampong Segu, near Kuching, 1 paratype worker {RWT ace 68.249, 4.iv.1968); Sabah: Quoin Hill Research Station, (type locality), 750 ft, holotype worker (RWT ace 68.614, 16-69 vi.J968); Indonesia: Sumatra: Liwa (05°04'S.,104°03'E.), 1 paratype worker (M. S. Harvey, 5.ix.1984). All specimens from Berlese funnel or Winkler bag extractions of rainforest leaf mould. All types in Australian National Insect Collection (type No. 7777). The holotype gold-palladium coated for SEM study.

References

Taylor, R. W. 1990c. New Asian ants of the tribe Basicerotini, with an on-line computer interactive key to the twenty-six known Indo-Australian species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Invertebr. Taxon. 4: 397-425 (page 407, figs. 8-12, 46 worker described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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
Taylor R. W. 1990. New Asian ants of the tribe Basicerotini, with an on-line computer interactive key to the twenty-six known Indo-Australian species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Invertebrate Taxonomy 4: 397-425.
Woodcock P., D. P. Edwards, T. M. Fayle, R. J. Newton, C. Vun Khen, S. H. Bottrell, and K. C. Hamer. 2011. The conservation value of South East Asia's highly degraded forests: evidence from leaf-litter ants. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B. 366: 3256-3264.