Eurhopalothrix spectabilis

Eurhopalothrix spectabilis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Eurhopalothrix
Species:	E. spectabilis
Binomial name
	Eurhopalothrix spectabilis; Kempf, 1962 Specimen Labels

The holotype dealate queen was collected in a Berlese sample from Santa Catarina State. Subsequently Kempf described the worker from several series collected by K. Lenko in Barueri, São Paulo. These were from "sifted nest material of Camponotus rufipes (F.)," from three different nests.

Identification

This is a highly distinctive species. The clypeus is smooth, highly polished and glassy; the face is uniformly punctate but with the same highly polished integument; the basal lobes of the scape are very strongly developed; the ventral surface of the head has a pair of longitudinal carinae, particularly prominent in the queen; the face, dorsal mesosoma, petiole, postpetiole, and first gastral tergite are completely devoid of specialized setae and ground pilosity is similarly obsolete; the propodeal spines are acute but still subtended by a broad foliaceous crest; and the posterior margin of the petiolar node is strongly carinate. (Longino 2013)

Presence (black arrowheads) and absence of large, spatulate setae on dorsum of body. A, E. spectabilis (UFVLABECOL-008985); B, Eurhopalothrix reichenspergeri (UFV-LABECOL-000725). (Chaul, 2022, Fig. 5)

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Brazil (Sao Paulo, Santa Catarina), Paraguay

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -14.79861111° to -27.818°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Brazil (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 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

Eurhopalothrix ufv-01 (ANTWEB1038061), the putative male of E. spectabilis. A, profile view of body; B, dorsal view of the body; C, detail of mandibles in anterodorsal view; D, mesothorax in dorsal view. Scale bars are 0.1 mm. Abbreviations (according to Boudinot, 2015): pl, parapsidal line; tscl, transcutal line; sss, scutoscutellar suture. (Chaul, 2022, Fig. 14)

Nomenclature

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

spectabilis. Eurhopalothrix spectabilis Kempf, 1962b: 27, figs. 25-27 (q.) BRAZIL. Kempf, 1968b: 398 (w.).

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

Description

Worker

Kempf, (1968) - Total length 2.8 mm; head length 0.71 mm; head width 0.64 mm; scape length 0.45 mm; thorax length 0.77 mm; cephalic index 91. Ferruginous. Legs and funiculi of antennae medium brown. Outline of head and body shown in Figs. 12 and 13.

Mandibles very sparsely and finely punctate, almost smooth and quite shining; basal tooth represented by a broadly truncate lamella, followed apicad by approximately 9 small triangular denticles. Clypeus sparsely, rest of head more densely foveolate, intervals smooth and shining. Antennal scrobe with a prominent foliaceous and lamellate inferior border. Gular face of head bordered on each side by another carina (feebler than in female and not lamellate) running parallel to, and mesad of, the inferior border of the scrobe. Impressed and densely punctate area on occipital lobes, present in female, absent in worker.

Thorax densely foveolate-punctate, except on bottom half of sides and declivous face of epinotum, where the sculpture becomes feebler and almost obsolete; integument quite shining. Mesoepinotal suture distinct and impressed. Epinotal teeth compressed, lamelliform, the infradental lamelia very broad and foliaceolls, not receding below the tooth. Bulla of metasternal gland greatly projecting. Legs densely punctate and subopaque. Tibiae and metatarsi of hind legs somewhat broadened and compressed.

Petiole and postpetiole as in female, densely foveolate-punctate. Subpetiolar tooth elongate, fingerlike. Node of petiole excavate beneath posterior dorsal border, which is carinate and shows up as a tooth in side-view. Postpetiole postero-dorsally with a pair of weak tumuli separated by a short, shallow, median furrow. Gaster somewhat more coarsely foveolate, but a bit shinier than pedicel. Tergum I with a transverse carinuae on anterior border. Sting well developed.

Ground pilosity of body consisting of minute, decumbent and inconspicuous setulae, rising from the foveolae. Edge of inferior border of antennal scrobe, dorsal face of scape, legs and apical half of gastric sternum with small, decumbent, spatulate hairs. Larger, squamate or spatulate hairs present only on extensor face of tibiae, tarsi, apical half of gaster and leading edge of scape.

Type Material

Longino (2013) - Holotype queen: Brazil, Santa Catarina: Nova Teutonia, May 1960, sifted from leaf mold (F. Plaumann) Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo (not examined).

References

Chaul, J.C.M. 2022. Redescription of Eurhopalothrix reichenspergeri (Santschi, 1923) stat. rev. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), a Brazilian Atlantic Forest endemic species. Zootaxa 51821, 1-20 (doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5182.1.1).
Kempf, W. W. 1962b. Miscellaneous studies on neotropical ants. II. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Stud. Entomol. 5: 1-38 (page 27, figs. 25-27 queen described)
Kempf, W. W. 1968b. Miscellaneous studies on Neotropical ants. IV. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Stud. Entomol. 11: 369-415 (page 398, worker described)
Longino J. T. 2013. A review of the Central American and Caribbean species of the ant genus Eurhopalothrix Brown and Kempf, 1961 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), with a key to New World species. Zootaxa 3693: 101-151 (doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3693.2.1).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Favretto M. A., E. Bortolon dos Santos, and C. J. Geuster. 2013. Entomofauna from West of Santa Catarina State, South of Brazil. EntomoBrasilis 6 (1): 42-63.
Kempf W. W. 1962. Miscellaneous studies on neotropical ants. II. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Studia Entomologica 5: 1-38.
Kempf W. W. 1968. Miscellaneous studies on Neotropical ants. IV. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Studia Entomologica 11: 369-415.
Kempf W. W. 1978. A preliminary zoogeographical analysis of a regional ant fauna in Latin America. 114. Studia Entomologica 20: 43-62.
Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
Longino J. T. 2013. A review of the Central American and Caribbean species of the ant genus Eurhopalothrix Brown and Kempf, 1961 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), with a key to New World species. Zootaxa 3693(2): 101-151.
Mentone T. O., E. A. Diniz, C. B. Munhae, O. C. Bueno, and M. S. C. Morini. 2011. Composition of ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) at litter in areas of semi-deciduous forest and Eucalyptus spp., in Southeastern Brazil. Biota Neotrop. 11(2): http://www.biotaneotropica.org.br/v11n2/en/abstract?inventory+bn00511022011.
Oliveira Mentone T. de, E. A. Diniz, C. de Bortoli Munhae, O. Correa Bueno and M. S. de Castro Morini. 2012. Composition of ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) at litter in areas of semi-deciduous forest and Eucalyptus spp., in Southeastern Brazil. Biota Neotrop 11(2): 237-246.
Pacheco, R., R.R. Silva, M.S. de C. Morini, C.R.F. Brandao. 2009. A Comparison of the Leaf-Litter Ant Fauna in a Secondary Atlantic Forest with an Adjacent Pine Plantation in Southeastern Brazil. Neotropical Entomology 38(1):055-065
Rosa da Silva R. 1999. Formigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) do oeste de Santa Catarina: historico das coletas e lista atualizada das especies do Estado de Santa Catarina. Biotemas 12(2): 75-100.
Silva R.R., and C. R. F. Brandao. 2014. Ecosystem-Wide Morphological Structure of Leaf-Litter Ant Communities along a Tropical Latitudinal Gradient. PLoSONE 9(3): e93049. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0093049
Suguituru S. S., D. R. de Souza, C. de Bortoli Munhae, R. Pacheco, and M. S. de Castro Morini. 2011. Diversidade e riqueza de formigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) em remanescentes de Mata Atlântica na Bacia Hidrográfica do Alto Tietê, SP. Biota Neotrop. 13(2): 141-152.