Mayriella granulata

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Mayriella granulata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Mayriella
Species: M. granulata
Binomial name
Mayriella granulata
Dlussky & Radchenko, 1990

Nests of M. granulata are found in rotting twigs, under stones and in the litter layer (Eguchi et al. 2011)

Identification

This species is similar to Mayriella transfuga and can be separated from it by the presence of relatively short and broad propodeal spines (the spines are at most about as long as the width of their bases while they are at least 1.5 times the width of the base in M. transfuga). It can be separated from the remaining species in the genus by the presence of well developed sculpturing in the posterior section of the scrobe, the large, closely spaced pits on the mesosomal dorsum, the parallel lateral surfaces of the postpetiole and the strongly angular petiolar node. This species may be a slight variant of transfuga but without additional material to assess the variation this form is retained as a good species. (Shattuck and Barnett 2007)

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 21° to 21°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: Vietnam (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.
pChart

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.
pChart

Biology

Species of Mayriella show strong preference for moist, forested areas. Most specimens have been collected from rainforest or wet sclerophyll woodlands with relatively few collections from dry sclerophyll or scrub habitats (and these are restricted to Australia). Nests are normally found in soil under stones or with a small mound of loose dirt at the entrance. They have also been found nesting in rotten logs and occasionally arboreally. The number of workers in nests averages between 50 and 100 and about one-half of the nest series containing queens contain more than one, suggesting that species are polygynous. Foraging workers are most commonly collected from litter samples. Nests appear to be locally abundant although patchily distributed on a larger scale. For example, in the Brindabella Ranges near Canberra, ACT, Mayriella ebbei is infrequently encountered and is known from only a few localities. However, near Baroomba Rocks (located on the eastern slope of the Brindabella Ranges) M. ebbei occurs commonly under rocks in an area covering several hundred square meters. This population appears limited to this small area as nests could not be found in areas with similar geography and vegetation located several kilometers away. However, observations are limited and additional data will be required to determine if these habits are widespread and/or occur in other species. Additionally, while Taylor (1961) made similar observations for Mayriella abstinens, these were based on the introduced population found in New Zealand and should be confirmed for naturally occurring populations of the genus.

Castes

Nomenclature

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

  • granulata. Mayriella granulata Dlussky & Radchenko, 1990: 123, figs. 1-3 (w.) VIETNAM.
    • Type-material: holotype worker, 2 paratype workers.
    • Type-locality: holotype Vietnam: Quang Ninh Prov., Bayatylong Archipelago, Dongho I., 23.iii.1987. no. A-57-87 (A. Radchenko); paratypes with same data.
    • Type-depository: SIZK.
    • Status as species: Shattuck & Barnett, 2007: 445 (redescription).
    • Distribution: Vietnam.

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

Description

Worker

Shattuck and Barnett (2007) - Sculpturing in posterior section of antennal scrobe well developed and distinct; sculpturing on dorsal surface of mesosoma consisting of large, closely spaced pits; propodeal spines relatively long and broad; dorsal surface of petiole in lateral profile uniformly convex, without distinct dorsal and posterior faces and forming a sharp angle with the anterior face; in dorsal view, postpetiole with the anterior and posterior regions approximately the same width (the region connecting them either flat or weakly convex); postpetiole and gaster lacking erect hairs dorsally.

Measurements. Holotype - CI 0.98; HL 0.43; HTL 0.22; HW 0.42; ML 0.45; PW 0.30; SI 0.57; SL 0.24.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Dlussky G. M.; Radchenko A. G. 1990. The ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Vietnam. Subfamily Pseudomyrmicinae. Subfamily Myrmicinae (tribes Calyptomyrmecini, Meranoplini, Cataulacini). Pp. 119-125 in: Akimov, I. A.; Emelianov, I. G.; Zerova, M. D. et al. (eds.) 1990. News of faunistics and systematics. [In Russian.]. Kiev: Naukova Dumka, 184 pp.
  • Eguchi K.; Bui T. V.; Yamane S. 2011. Generic synopsis of the Formicidae of Vietnam (Insecta: Hymenoptera), part I — Myrmicinae and Pseudomyrmecinae. Zootaxa 2878: 1-61.
  • Shattuck S. O., N. J. Barnett. 2007. Revision of the ant genus Mayriella. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 80: 437-458.
  • Zryanin V. A. 2011. An eco-faunistic review of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). In: Structure and functions of soil communities of a monsoon tropical forest (Cat Tien National Park, southern Vietnam) / A.V. Tiunov (Editor). – M.: KMK Scientific Press. 2011. 277 р.101-124.