Manica bradleyi

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Manica bradleyi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Myrmicini
Genus: Manica
Species: M. bradleyi
Binomial name
Manica bradleyi
(Wheeler, W.M., 1909)

Manica bradleyi casent0005697 profile 1.jpg

Manica bradleyi casent0005697 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

Synonyms

Manica bradleyi is a high-elevation specialist found in mountains of the north-western United States. It commonly makes round crater nests in soil but can occasionally be found nesting under stones in open areas. Workers infected by the cestode Raillietina sp. were originally thought to represent a separate parasitic species (M. parasitica) but their true status was discovered by Prebus et al. (2023).

Identification

This species may be readily distinguished from all other species of Manica by its black or dark brown head and gaster with a light brown to reddish yellow thorax and its glabrous and much more slender petiole and postpetiole. The propodeum of bradleyi is more angular than invidia.

He et al. (2024) - Head and gaster blackish brown to black, while mesosoma yellow. In lateral view, postpetiole as broad as its long, with an evenly convex anterior margin and an inconspicuous posterior margin; ventral surface flat, lacking any pointed protuberance. Petiole and postpetiole smooth and shining.

M. bradleyi and Manica yessensis are easily distinguishable from all other species of Manica due to their distinctive characteristics. They both feature a black or dark brown head and gaster, contrasted with a light brown to reddish yellow mesosoma. Furthermore, M. bradleyi can be easily identified from M. yessensis by its postpetiole, which is as long as its high in lateral view, with a distinctly conically protuberant anteroventral corner; the dorsal face of the postpetiole is evenly and slightly convex, while both the petiole and postpetiole exhibit a smooth and shining appearance (Fig. 2C, D).

  • He et al. (2024), Figure 2. Manica bradleyi worker. (Syntype, images cited from https://www.antweb.org/, CASENT0907664, imaged by Alexandra Westrich). A, head in full-face view. B, label. C, body in dorsal view. D, body in lateral view.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

  • He et al. (2024), Figure 1. Global map showing the type localities of †M. andrannae, M. bradleyi, M. hunteri, M. invidia, †M. iviei, M. parasitica, M. rubida, M. shanyii and M. yessensis (Source: Esri, Maxar, GeoEye, Earthstar geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community).

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 44.62175° to 34.28672°.

   
North
Temperate 		North
Subtropical 		Tropical South
Subtropical 		South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Nearctic Region: United States (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

AntMapLegend.png

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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Habitat

Montane, coniferous forest. Ranging from 4,000 feet to 10,000 feet in elevation.

Biology

Manica bradleyi, a montane forest species, may use the abundant mycorrhizal roots associated with their nests for food and the larvae may do the actual feeding, returning some of the digested food to the workers.

Commenting on cestode infections in this species, Prebus (2023) were uncertain of the details of parasite transmission, but speculated that workers collect bird feces containing cestode eggs while foraging and feed these to its larvae via trophallaxis, which has been observed in other ants (Horsfall, 1938). Development of infected individuals is likely disrupted by nutrient deficiency, potentially causing the morphological modifications observed in infected workers.

Castes

Images from AntWeb

Manica parasitica casent0005974 head 1.jpgManica parasitica casent0005974 profile 1.jpgManica parasitica casent0005974 dorsal 1.jpgManica parasitica casent0005974 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0005974. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by USNM, Washington, DC, USA.


  • Manica parasitica syntype.
  • Manica parasitica paratype.
  • Manica parasitica paratype.
  • Paratype specimen label.

Nomenclature

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

  • bradleyi. Myrmica bradleyi Wheeler, W.M. 1909e: 77 (w.) U.S.A. (California).
    • Type-material: 15 syntype workers.
    • Type-locality: U.S.A.: California, Tulare County, Alta Meadow, 9500 ft (J.C. Bradley).
    • Type-depository: MCZC.
    • Cole, 1957c: 210 (q.m.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1960b: 6 (l.).
    • Combination in Myrmica (Oreomyrma): Wheeler, W.M. 1914d: 120;
    • combination in M. (Neomyrma): Emery, 1915d: 69 (footnote); Forel, 1915c: 364;
    • combination in M. (Manica): Emery, 1921f: 43;
    • combination in Manica: Weber, 1947: 440.
    • Status as species: Wheeler, W.M. 1910g: 566; Wheeler, W.M. 1914d: 120; Forel, 1915c: 364; Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 506; Emery, 1921f: 43; Essig, 1926: 862; Creighton, 1950a: 108; Smith, M.R. 1951a: 791; Cole, 1957c: 210; Smith, M.R. 1967: 351; Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1970a: 145 (redescription); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1978: 391; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1352; Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1986g: 25; Bolton, 1995b: 249; Ward, 2005: 33.
    • Senior synonym of calderoni: Wheeler, W.M. 1915a: 50; Emery, 1921f: 43; Creighton, 1950a: 109; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1352; Bolton, 1995b: 249.
    • Distribution: U.S.A.
  • calderoni. Aphaenogaster (Neomyrma) calderoni Forel, 1914a: 275 (w.) U.S.A. (Nevada).
    • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
    • Type-locality: U.S.A.: Nevada, Lake Tahoe, 1912 m. (6275 ft) (Calderon).
    • Type-depository: MHNG.
    • Combination in Myrmica (Neomyrma): Emery, 1915d: 69 (footnote).
    • Junior synonym of bradleyi: Wheeler, W.M. 1915a: 50; Emery, 1921f: 43; Creighton, 1950a: 109; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1352; Bolton, 1995b: 249.
  • parasitica. Myrmica (Manica) parasitica Creighton, 1934: 185 (w.) U.S.A. (California).
    • Type-material: 13 syntype workers.
    • Type-locality: U.S.A.: California, Yosemite Nat. Park, Tenaya Lake on Tioga Pass road, Polly Dome (ca 8600 ft) (W.S. Creighton).
    • Type-depositories: LACM, MCZC.
    • Combination in Manica: Weber, 1947: 440.
    • Status as species: Creighton, 1950a: 109; Smith, M.R. 1951a: 791; Kutter, 1968b: 203; Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1970a: 159; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1352; Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1986g: 25 (in key); Bolton, 1995b: 249; Ward, 2005: 33.
    • Junior synonym of bradleyi: Prebus et al., 2023: 6.
    • Distribution: U.S.A.

Type Material

Description

Worker. - Length 4-7mm.

Allied to Manica rubida Latreille and Manica invidia Bolton. Head rectangular, as broad as long, with subparallel sides and straight posterior border. Mandibles moderately convex, pointed, with minutely denticulate blades. Clypeus somewhat convex in the middle, with nearly straight anterior border. Frontal area distinct. Antennal scapes simple, curved and feebly compressed at the base; funicular joints all longer than proad; club 5-jointed. Thorax rather slender, with pronounced mesoepinotal constriction; pro- and mesonotum evenly rounded i profile; propodeum unarmed, base slightly convex, passing through a distinct, but obtuse angle into the somewhat shorter, straight and sloping declivity. Petiole slender, fully three times as long as broad, in profile with a well-developed, cylindrical peduncle, armed with a small, acute, antero-ventral tooth, and surmounted by a low rounded node just behind the middle. Anterior slope of node concave, posterior more convex. Post-petiole fully one and one-half times as long as broad, subcampanulate; in profile with its upper surface rising in a gentle curve towards the posterior edge of the segment and then abruptly descending. Gaster elliptical, rather large.

Shining; head and thorax subopaque, petiole, postpetiole, gaster and legs glabrous. Mandibles densely striato-punctate. Clypeus, frontal area and head finely, longitudinally rugose, the rugae somewhat curved and diverging on the front but straight on the posterior portion of the head. Cheeks and posterior corners also coarsely punctate. Thorax finely rugose like the head, the rugae being transverse on the pronotum and base of epinotum, longitudinal on the pleurae and mesonotum. On the epinotal declivity they are faint or obsolete, and the surface is densely and finely punctate.

Hairs golden yellow, long, abundant and pointed, suberect or reclinate, covering the body and appendages throughout.

Mandibles, thorax, petiole and postpetiole brownish-yellow; head, mandibular denticles, gaster, legs and antennal scapes black; trochanters, bases of femora, knees, tips of tibiae, tarsi and antennal funiculi, except their clubs, yellowish-brown. In some specimens the mandibles are more or less infuscated, with paler masticatory borders; in certain individulas, also, the coxae are more or less yellowish like the thorax. Venter and sting brown or yellowish.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Des Lauriers J., and D. Ikeda. 2017. The ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California, USA with an annotated list. In: Reynolds R. E. (Ed.) Desert Studies Symposium. California State University Desert Studies Consortium, 342 pp. Pages 264-277.
  • Longino, J.T. 2010. Personal Communication. Longino Collection Database
  • Mallis A. 1941. A list of the ants of California with notes on their habits and distribution. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences 40: 61-100. 
  • Wheeler G. C., and J. Wheeler. 1986. The ants of Nevada. Los Angeles: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, vii + 138 pp.
  • Wheeler W. M. 1909. A decade of North American Formicidae. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 17: 77-90.
  • Wheeler W. M. 1915. Neomyrma versus Oreomyrma. A correction. Psyche (Camb.) 22: 50
  • Wheeler W. M. 1917. The mountain ants of western North America. Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 52: 457-569.
  • Wheeler, G.C. and J. Wheeler. 1970. The natural history of Manica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Kansas Entomological Society 43(2):129-162
  • Wheeler, G.C. and J. Wheeler. 1978. Mountain ants of Nevada. Great Basin Naturalist 35(4):379-396
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