Holcoponera epinotalis

Holcoponera epinotalis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Ectatomminae
Tribe:	Ectatommini
Genus:	Holcoponera
Species:	H. epinotalis
Binomial name
	Holcoponera epinotalis; (Emery, 1897) Specimen Labels

E.O. Wilson collected this species from irregular soil galleries under a stone.

Identification

Lattke (2004) - Holcoponera epinotalis and Holcoponera luzonensis are both among the smallest Holcoponera, but H. epinotalis has a metanotal sulcus that is lacking in H. luzonensis. The propodeum of H. luzonensis may have partially effaced sculpture, but longitudinal strigulae and foveolae are usually present. Sutures around the katepisternum in H. luzonenis, and most other species of the epinotalis group, tend to be wider and deeper compared with other Old World Holcoponera clades and with a slight elevation of the katepisternum over the anepisternum and metapleuron. The petiolar node in H. epinotalis seems to be more bluntly convex in shape than in other species of the epinotalis group. The dense layer of short hairs on the body is rare for Old World Holcoponera, though Holcoponera sila almost approaches the condition in H. epinotalis.

Distribution

Only known from New Guinea

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -5.333° to -5.333°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: New Guinea (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

Castes

Males are unknown.

Worker


.	Owned by Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Nomenclature

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

epinotalis. Rhopalopone epinotalis Emery, 1900c: 331 (w.q.) NEW GUINEA (Papua New Guinea).
- Type-material: 4 syntype workers, 1 syntype queen.
- Type-localities: workers Papua New Guinea: Seleo I., nr Berlinhafen (= Aitepe) (L. Biró), queen Papua New Guinea: Paumomu River (L. Loria).
- Type-depository: MSNG (perhaps also in HNHM).
- [Rhopalopone epinotalis Emery, 1897d: 550. Nomen nudum.]
- Combination in Gnamptogenys: Brown, 1958g: 228;
- combination in Holcoponera: Camacho, Franco, Branstetter, et al. 2022: 11.
- Status as species: Emery, 1911d: 35; Wheeler, W.M. 1924b: 242 (in key); Chapman & Capco, 1951: 26; Brown, 1958g: 228, 302; Bolton, 1995b: 209; Lattke, 2004: 167 (redescription); Camacho, Franco, Branstetter, et al. 2022: 11.
- Distribution: Papua New Guinea.

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

Lattke (2004) - General color yellowish brown. Mesosoma with abundant short, erect standing hairs in lateral view; metanotal sulcus present; sutures surrounding katepisternum narrow and fine; katepisternum, lateral propodeal face, and most of metapleuron with fine, longitudinal, parallel carinulae; metapleuron mostly longitudinally striate to costulate; propodeal declivity mostly smooth with sparse punctae and posterolateral low rounded lobes. Petiolar node with bluntly convex dorsal margin in lateral view.

Description

Worker

Lattke (2004) - Metrics (n = 3): HL 0.50-0.58, HW 0.41-0.45, ML 0.24-0.25, SL 0.33-0.41, ED 0.04-0.04, WL 0.62-0.76 mm. CI 0.78-0.82, SI 0.80-0.91, MI 0.54-0.59, OI 0.09-0.09. Head with subparallel lateral margins in frontal view, anterior margin of clypeus generally convex, lamella bluntly angular laterally with slight median convex projection; clypeus longitudinally strigulose with median longitudinal smooth area. Pronotum densely punctate along dorsal half in lateral view, ventral half mostly smooth with sparse punctae and brief longitudinal strigulae present along posterior margin; pronotal dorsum with rugulae arching around anterior margin, medially longitudinal; anepisternum longitudinally strigulose anterad, posterad mostly smooth; katepisternum strigulose, not significantly elevated over surrounding cuticle, circumscribing sutures very fine; metapleuron mostly longitudinally striate to costulate; mesosoma with very broadly convex to almost flat dorsal margin in lateral view, metanotal sulcus well impressed and scrobiculate; mesosomal dorsum posterad of mesonotum medially mostly smooth, laterally and toward posterior propodeum strigulose-punctate; dorsal propodeal margin meeting declivitous margin through convexity, becoming relatively straight afterward at spiracular height; lateral propodeal face strigulose-punctate, propodeal declivity mostly smooth with sparse punctae and posterolateral low rounded lobes. Petiolar node with flat dorsal margin in lateral view; postpetiole laterally densely punctate, sternite strigulose-punctate, posteriorly thinning out somewhat; abdominal tergite 4 laterally punctulate, punctulae becoming less dense posterad, sternite smooth with some punctae. Dorsum of thorax, and abdominal segments 1-4 with dense mat of short, erect standing hairs, besides longer, scattered erect to subdecumbent hairs. Coloration yellowish brown.

Queen

Lattke (2004) - Metrics (n = 1): HL 0.60, HW 0.48, ML 0.26, SL 0.42, ED 0.13, WL 0.83 mm. CI 0.79, SI 0.88, MI 0.56, OI 0.28. Pronotum laterally punctate, mostly smooth posterad; mesometapleuron longitudinally strigulose; mesoscutum with longitudinal, parallel strigulae and rows of punctae especially laterally; scutellum mostly smooth medially, laterally strigulose, axillae strigulose-punctate; lateral propodeal face strigulose-punctate; propodeal declivity mostly smooth with some transverse strigulae medially.

Type Material

Lattke (2004) - Syntype workers, queen: New Guinea, Paumomu River (Loria) (MCSN) [Examined].

References

Brown, W. L., Jr. 1958g. Contributions toward a reclassification of the Formicidae. II. Tribe Ectatommini (Hymenoptera). Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 118: 173-362 (page 228, Combination in Gnamptogenys)
Camacho, G.P., Franco, W., Branstetter, M.G., Pie, M.R., Longino, J.T., Schultz, T.R., Feitosa, R.M. 2022. UCE phylogenomics resolves major relationships among Ectaheteromorph ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ectatomminae, Heteroponerinae): A new classification for the subfamilies and the description of a new genus. Insect Systematics and Diversity 6(1): 5; 1–20 (doi:10.1093/isd/ixab026).
Emery, C. 1897d. Viaggio di Lamberto Loria nella Papuasia orientale. XVIII. Formiche raccolte nella Nuova Guinea dal Dott. Lamberto Loria. [part]. Ann. Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. 38[=(2(18): 546-576 (page 550, worker, queen described)
Lattke, J. E. 2004. A Taxonomic Revision and Phylogenetic Analysis of the Ant Genus Gnamptogenys Roger in Southeast Asia and Australasia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae). University of California Publications in Entomology 122: 1-266 (page 167, fig. 41 worker, queen described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Brown W. L., Jr. 1958. Contributions toward a reclassification of the Formicidae. II. Tribe Ectatommini (Hymenoptera). Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 118: 173-362.
Emery C. 1900. Formicidarum species novae vel minus cognitae in collectione Musaei Nationalis Hungarici quas in Nova-Guinea, colonia germanica, collegit L. Biró. Publicatio secunda. Természetrajzi Füzetek 23: 310-338.
Emery C. 1911. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Ponerinae. Genera Insectorum 118: 1-125.
Janda M., G. D. Alpert, M. L. Borowiec, E. P. Economo, P. Klimes, E. Sarnat, and S. O. Shattuck. 2011. Cheklist of ants described and recorded from New Guinea and associated islands. Available on http://www.newguineants.org/. Accessed on 24th Feb. 2011.
Lattke J. E. 2004. A taxonomic revision and phylogenetic analysis of the ant genus Gnamptogenys Roger in Southeast Asia and Australasia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae). University of California Publications in Entomology 122: 1-266.
Viehmeyer H. 1912. Ameisen aus Deutsch Neuguinea gesammelt von Dr. O. Schlaginhaufen. Nebst einem Verzeichnisse der papuanischen Arten. Abhandlungen und Berichte des Königlichen Zoologischen und Anthropologische-Ethnographischen Museums zu Dresden 14: 1-26.
Wilson Edward O. 1959. Adaptive Shift and Dispersal in a Tropical Ant Fauna. Evolution 13(1): 122-144