Eutetramorium monticellii

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Eutetramorium monticellii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Eutetramorium
Species: E. monticellii
Binomial name
Eutetramorium monticellii
Emery, 1899

Eutetramorium monticellii casent0007114 profile 1.jpg

Eutetramorium monticellii casent0007114 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

An inhabitant of rotten logs, both in rainforest and tropical dry forest.

Identification

Eutetramorium monticellii is easily separated from Eutetramorium mocquerysi as, apart from the keyed characters, monticellii is smaller, has slightly shorter scapes, distinctly smaller eyes (compare measurements), has the first gastral tergite glassy smooth, and has different cephalic and mesosomal sculpture. (Bolton and Fisher 2014)

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -20.06666667° to -20.06666667°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Comoros.
Malagasy Region: Madagascar (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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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.
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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.
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Biology

Castes

Males have yet to be collected.

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Eutetramorium monticellii casent0145852 head 1.jpgEutetramorium monticellii casent0145852 profile 1.jpgEutetramorium monticellii casent0145852 dorsal 1.jpgEutetramorium monticellii casent0145852 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0145852. Photographer Erin Prado, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Eutetramorium monticellii casent0102077 profile 1.jpgEutetramorium monticellii casent0102077 dorsal 1.jpgEutetramorium monticellii casent0102077 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0102077. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by MSNG, Genoa, Italy.

Queen

Images from AntWeb

Eutetramorium monticellii casent0019386 head 1.jpgEutetramorium monticellii casent0019386 profile 1.jpgEutetramorium monticellii casent0019386 profile 2.jpgEutetramorium monticellii casent0019386 dorsal 1.jpgEutetramorium monticellii casent0019386 label 1.jpg
Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0019386. Photographer Erin Prado, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Eutetramorium monticellii casent0102076 head 1.jpgEutetramorium monticellii casent0102076 profile 1.jpgEutetramorium monticellii casent0102076 profile 2.jpgEutetramorium monticellii casent0102076 dorsal 1.jpgEutetramorium monticellii casent0102076 label 1.jpg
Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0102076. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by MSNG, Genoa, Italy.

Nomenclature

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

  • monticellii. Eutetramorium monticellii Emery, 1899f: 283 (w.q.) MADAGASCAR.

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

Description

Worker

Bolton and Fisher (2014) - TL 7.8–8.0, HL 1.66–1.74, HW 1.40–1.52, CI 82–87, SL 1.02–1.08, SI 70–74, PW 1.00–1.06, WL 2.12–2.24 (6 measured).

Palp formula 4,3. Mandible finely and densely longitudinally costulate. Cephalic dorsum coarsely longitudinally costate medially, the costae weakly diverging posteriorly and with reticulation developed close to the posterior margin; spaces between costae with superficial ground sculpture. Sides of head reticulate-rugose, without shagreenate sculpture. Eyes at to slightly behind midlength of head in full-face view, EL 0.24–0.26 (EL/ HW 0.17–0.19). Sides of head without projecting setae, but short appressed pubescence usually present behind the eye. Mesotibia and metatibia each with a conspicuous simple spur. MfL 1.52–1.64 (MfL/HW 1.04–1.14). Legs covered with fine superficial reticular sculpture, superimposed upon which are scattered larger, shallow, semi-effaced punctures. Mesonotum in profile with a short truncation posteriorly, descending abruptly to the metanotal groove. Mesopleuron with only a vestige of a transverse sulcus, the area sculptured. Dorsum of promesonotum with subdecumbent to decumbent setae; without such setae on propodeum. Dorsa of petiole and postpetiole with setae similar to those on promesonotum. Side of pronotum and entire dorsum of mesosoma rugose to reticulate-rugose. Propodeal spines short, in profile the spine 1.15–1.50 × longer than the maximum width of the propodeal lobe. Petiole in profile with a low, carina-like anteroventral process, spiracle located just anterior of the level of the ascending face of the node. Postpetiole node 0.58–0.62 wide; dorsum of postpetiole reticulate-rugose. First gastral tergite with numerous decumbent setae, the surface of the sclerite glassy smooth except for setal pits. Full adult colour black.

Queen

Bolton and Fisher (2014) - (gyne). Alate, larger than worker. TL 9.0–9.4, HL 1.92–2.04, HW 1.72–1.84, CI 89–90, SL 1.16–1.24, SI 66–67, PW 1.28–1.34, WL 2.67–2.72, MfL 1.80–1.88 (MfL/HW 1.02–1.05), EL 0.48 (EL/HW 0.26–0.28) (2 measured). Similar to worker but with a full complement of flight sclerites and well developed ocelli. The sculpture of the queen has a somewhat different orientation to that seen in the worker. The pronotum is transversely costate to rugose dorsally, near vertically so on the sides. On the propodeal dorsum the sculpture is strongly transverse, and on the mesoscutum is mostly reticulate, but has a distinct longitudinal component posteromedially.

Type Material

Holotype worker, MADAGASCAR: Antongil, 1897–1898 (A. Mocquerys) (Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Genoa) [examined].

Etymology

La specie e dedicata al prof. F. S. Monticelli.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Bolton B., and B. L. Fisher. 2014. The Madagascan endemic myrmicine ants related to Eutetramorium (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): taxonomy of the genera Eutetramorium Emery, Malagidris nom. n., Myrmisaraka gen. n., Royidris gen. n., and Vitsika gen. n. Zootaxa 3791(1): 1-99.
  • Fisher B. L. 1997. Biogeography and ecology of the ant fauna of Madagascar (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Natural History 31: 269-302.
  • Fisher B. L. 2003. Formicidae, ants. Pp. 811-819 in: Goodman, S. M.; Benstead, J. P. (eds.) 2003. The natural history of Madagascar. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, xxi + 1709 pp.
  • Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. IX. A synonymic list of the ants of the Malagasy region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 1005-1055