Melophorus sulconotus
Melophorus sulconotus | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Formicidae |
Subfamily: | Formicinae |
Tribe: | Melophorini |
Genus: | Melophorus |
Species group: | aeneovirens |
Species complex: | aeneovirens |
Species: | M. sulconotus |
Binomial name | |
Melophorus sulconotus Heterick, Castalanelli & Shattuck, 2017 |
Specimens collected from the Victoria Hwy roadside near Kununurra, Western Australia, decorated their nest with flattened pebbles much larger than the ants. (Heterick et al. 2017)
Identification
Heterick et al. (2017) - Melophorus sulconotus is a member of the Melophoprus aeneovirens species-group (in full-face view, the anterior clypeal margin convex, apron-like and covering whole or part of the retracted mandible, except in Melophorus nemophilus, the medial clypeal sector often produced so that it is protrusive when seen in profile; the psammophore frequently with coarse and well-separated ammochaetae, these always placed on or just above anterior margin; in profile, the propodeum elongate and oblique or broadly rounded), and the Melophoprus aeneovirens species-complex (in full-face view, psammophore ranged along or just above anterior margin of clypeus and following the curve of the margin; anterior margin of clypeus broadly medially produced, and often with central notch that may be deeply impressed, but is never acuminate at its midpoint; metatibia with maximum of two rows of preapical spines). In M. sulconotus the tibiae possess fine, appressed pubescence in addition to stout, socketed, appressed to subdecumbent setae No major worker was available for examination. The chief diagnostic feature in the minor worker is the flattened posterior pronotum and mesonotum which descends steeply to the metanotal groove. This species is restricted to the wetter Northern Kimberley distinct and the far north Northern Territory.
Distribution
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
Heterick et al. (2017) - Genetic sequencing indicates the ant may be sister to Melophorus rufoniger.
Castes
Known from the minor and media workers.
Phylogeny
Melophorus |
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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.
- sulconotus. Melophorus sulconotus Heterick, Castalanelli & Shattuck, 2017: 127, fig. 20 (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 97–99; EI 19–20; EL 0.27–0.29; HL 1.38–1.55; HW 1.34–1.53; ML 2.24–2.46; MTL 1.47–1.58; PpH 0.22–0.26; PpL 0.86–0.93; SI 120–127; SL 1.71–1.84.
Minor. Head. Head square; posterior margin of head weakly convex; frons matt or with weak sheen, microreticulate or microreticulate-shagreenate; frons consisting of appressed pubescence, with many short, unmodified, erect setae. Eye small (eye length less than 0.2 × length of side of head capsule); in full-face view, eyes set above midpoint of head capsule; in profile, eye set anteriad of midline of head capsule; eyes elliptical or slightly reniform. In full-face view, frontal carinae straight or weakly convex; frontal lobes straight, elevated. Anteromedial clypeal margin broadly and evenly convex and protrusive; clypeal psammophore set at or just above anterior clypeal margin; 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 smoothly rounded anteriad, thereafter pronotum and whole of mesonotum flattened and on same plane as propodeum; appearance of erect pronotal setae short, (i.e., longest erect setae shorter than length of eye) and unmodified; in profile, metanotal groove deep, ‘V’-shaped; propodeum matt or with a weak sheen and microreticulate; propodeum always smoothly rounded; propodeal dorsum and declivity confluent; erect propodeal setae present and abundant (greater than 12); appressed propodeal setulae minute and closely aligned, creating a silvery sheen; propodeal spiracle situated at least twice its width from the declivitous face of propodeum, and shorter (length < 0.50 × height of propodeum). Petiole. In profile, petiolar node squamiform; in full-face view, shape of petiolar node uniformly rounded; node shining and smooth with vestigial sculpture. Gaster. Gaster shining, shagreenate (‘LP record’ appearance); pilosity of first gastral tergite consisting of thick, appressed setae that form pubescence, interspersed with numerous short, bristly, erect setae. General characters. Colour of foreparts orange, legs light tan, gaster dark brown.
Type Material
Holotype minor worker (middle ant), Kapalga, Alligator Rivers area, Northern Territory, 7-9 September 1993, P.J.M. Greenslade, 8Aii traps, [ANIC32-900071] (Australian National Insect Collection). Paratypes: 2 minor workers on same pin and with same data as holotype (ANIC).
Etymology
Latin sulcus (‘groove’) plus Neo-Latin notus (‘back’); adjective in the nominative singular.
References
- Andersen, A.N., Hoffmann, B.D., Oberprieler, S.K. 2020. Megadiversity in the ant genus Melophorus: The M. rufoniger Heterick, Castalanelli and Shattuck species group in the Top End of Australia’s Northern Territory. Diversity 12, 386 (doi:10.3390/d12100386).
- Heterick, B.E. 2021. A guide to the ants of Western Australia. Part I: Systematics. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 86, 1-245 (doi:10.18195/issn.0313-122x.86.2021.001-245).
- Heterick, B.E. 2022. A guide to the ants of Western Australia. Part II: Distribution and biology. Records of the Western Australian Museum, supplement 86: 247-510 (doi:10.18195/issn.0313-122x.86.2022.247-510).
- Heterick, B.E., Castalanelli, M., Shattuck, S.O. 2017. Revision of the ant genus Melophorus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys 700, 1–420 (doi: 10.3897/zookeys.700.11784).