Melophorus latinotus

Melophorus latinotus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Melophorini
Genus:	Melophorus
Species group:	biroi
Species complex:	biroi
Species:	M. latinotus
Binomial name
	Melophorus latinotus; Heterick, Castalanelli & Shattuck, 2017 Specimen labels

Only the minor worker is known and nothing is known about this species' biology.

Identification

Heterick et al. (2017) - Melophorus latinotus can be placed in the Melophoprus biroi species-group on the basis of characters of the clypeus, propodeum, mandible and palps. The species is placed in the Melophoprus biroi species-complex on the basis of a further suite of characters (viz, metatibia of major worker with only one preapical spur [except rarely in the Melophorus mjobergi clade]; clypeal psammophore placed anteriorly at or just above anterior margin of clypeus in the minor worker and often in the major worker; head dorsoventrally compressed to varying degrees in the minor worker of most species with the eyes placed high on the sides; compact legs, and small body size [excluding mjobergi clade] HW of smallest minor 0.36 mm, average HW of smallest minors 0.46 mm; HW of largest known major 1.29 mm, average HW of largest majors [where known] 1.05 mm). Uniform, minute, net-like microreticulation and a transverse row of short, stout unmodified setae placed across the centre of pronotum distinguish minor workers of this rare ant from similar forms in the M. biroi species-complex. The major worker is unknown.

The species resembles Melophorus biroi but has a few, short, erect setae on the pronotum, and is very dull and matt in appearance with the cuticular pattern on the mesosoma a fine, reticulate mesh.

Distribution

Heterick et al. (2017) - This uncommon ant has a very localized distribution on the Swan Coastal Plain in WA from about Perth to south of Geraldton. Just two collections have been recorded; one from Eneabba and one from Yanchep National Park.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: Australia (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

Known only from the minor worker.

Phylogeny

Melophorus

	Melophorus ludius species group

	Melophorus potteri species group

Melophorus aeneovirens species group

Melophorus biroi species group (biroi species complex)

Melophorus biroi species group (wheeleri species complex)

	Melophorus biroi species group (brevignathus species complex)

	Melophorus biroi species group (fieldi species complex)

Based on Heterick et al., 2017. Only selected species groups/complexes are included.

Nomenclature

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

latinotus. Melophorus latinotus Heterick, Castalanelli & Shattuck, 2017: 190, fig. 38 (w.) AUSTRALIA.

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

Description

Worker

(n = 2): CI 101–103; EI 26–26; EL 0.15–0.17; HL 0.54–0.59; HW 0.56–0.59; ML 0.75–0.78; MTL 0.41–0.45; PpH 0.09–0.08; PpL 0.34–0.35; SI 108–114; SL 0.60–0.68.

Minor. Head. Head square; posterior margin of head planar or weakly convex; frons matt or with weak sheen, microreticulate or microreticulate-shagreenate; pilosity of frons consisting exclusively or almost exclusively of well-spaced, appressed setae only (small, erect setae, if present, usually confined to ocular triangle or posterior margin of head). Eye moderate (eye length 0.20–0.49 length of side of head capsule); in full-face view, eyes set above midpoint of head capsule; in profile, eye set around midline of head capsule; eyes elliptical or slightly reniform. In full-face view, frontal carinae distinctly concave; frontal lobes straight in front of antennal insertion. Anteromedial clypeal margin broadly and evenly convex; clypeal psammophore set below midpoint of clypeus; palp formula 6,4. Five mandibular teeth in minor worker; mandibles triangular, weakly incurved; third mandibular tooth distinctly shorter than apical tooth and teeth numbers two and four; masticatory margin of mandibles approximately vertical or weakly oblique. Mesosoma. Integument of pronotum, mesonotum and mesopleuron matt or with weak sheen and microreticulate throughout; anterior mesosoma in profile rounded anteriad, thereafter pronotum and whole of mesonotum flattened and on a higher plane than propodeum; appearance of erect pronotal setae short, (i.e., longest erect setae shorter than length of eye) and unmodified; in profile, metanotal groove a narrow but deep slit; propodeum matt or with a weak sheen and microreticulate; propodeum angulate, propodeal angle blunt; length ratio of propodeal dorsum to its declivity between 1:1 and 1:2; erect propodeal setae always absent; appressed propodeal setulae short, separated by more than own length and inconspicuous; propodeal spiracle situated on or beside declivitous face of propodeum, and longer (length ≥ 0.50 × height of propodeum).

Petiole. In profile, petiolar node squamiform; in full-face view, shape of petiolar node uniformly rounded; node matt with indistinct microsculpture. Gaster. Gaster matt with faint, indistinct microsculpture; pilosity of first gastral tergite consisting of well-spaced, long, whitish, appressed setae with erect setae (present in at least some workers) confined to margin of the sclerite. General characters. Colour dull brown.

Type Material

Minor worker from Eneabba region 29°24'27"S, 115°06'49"E, Western Australia, 24-28 November 2006, A. Gove/N. McCoy, Melaleuca leuropoma sandplain slope: pitfall trap 2H [JDM32-002004] (Western Australian Museum). Paratypes: 2 minor workers from Eneabba region 29°41'45"S, 115°11'18"E, Western Australia, 24-28 November 2006, A. Gove/N. McCoy, Conospermum triplinerv/ Eremaea beaufortioides, sandplain flat: pitfall trap 23N [JDM32-002003] (WAM); 2 minor workers with same collection data as preceding paratypes (Australian National Insect Collection).

Etymology

Latin latus (‘broad’) plus Latinized Greek notus (Greek notos ‘back’); adjective in the nominative singular.

References