Meranoplus

Meranoplus
Meranoplus mayri
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Crematogastrini
Alliance:	Crematogaster genus group
Genus:	Meranoplus Smith, F., 1853
Type species
Cryptocerus bicolor, now Meranoplus bicolor
Diversity
91 species (Species Checklist, Species by Country) Meranoplus mayri Specimen Label
Synonyms
Tricytarus Donisthorpe, 1947

Evolutionary Relationships

Rostromyrmex Cardiocondyla Ocymyrmex Nesomyrmex Xenomyrmex Terataner Atopomyrmex Cataulacus Carebara Diplomorium Melissotarsus Rhopalomastix Calyptomyrmex Strongylognathus, Tetramorium Cyphoidris Dicroaspis Aretidris Vollenhovia Dacetinops Indomyrma Crematogaster Meranoplus Lophomyrmex Adlerzia Recurvidris Stereomyrmex Trichomyrmex Eutetramorium Royidris Malagidris Vitsika Huberia Podomyrma Liomyrmex Metapone Kartidris Mayriella Tetheamyrma Dacatria Proatta Dilobocondyla Secostruma Acanthomyrmex Myrmecina Perissomyrmex Pristomyrmex some Lordomyrma Propodilobus Lasiomyrma [some Lordomyrma Ancyridris some Lordomyrma Paratopula Poecilomyrma Romblonella Rotastruma Gauromyrmex Vombisidris Temnothorax Harpagoxenus Formicoxenus Leptothorax

Based on Ward et al. (2014) and Blaimer et al. (2018).

Hita Garcia, Wiesel and Fischer (2013) - An genus with more than 80 species that are found in the Old World tropics. The African species of this genus nest in the ground, in rotten wood, or under stones (Bolton, 1981b). Foraging is performed primarily on the ground or in the leaf litter whereas only very few species may additionally climb up trees or shrubs (Bolton, 1981b). Anderson (2006) indicated that the Australian species of this genus are either omnivorous, opportunistically feeding on seeds, or specialised granivores. When disturbed they show a special ‘faking-death’ behaviour. They retract their antennae into the scrobes, tuck their legs under the promesonotal shield and remain motionless (Hölldobler, 1988).

Identification

Boudinot and Fisher (2013) - The delineation of the genus Meranoplus is relatively straightforward; the genus is highly derived and unambiguously defined by several synapomorphies. The genus has been revised and reviewed across its entire distribution over the past few decades (Australasian region: Anderson 2006, Schödl 2004, 2007, Taylor 1990, 2006; Ethiopian region: Bolton 1981; and Oriental region: Schödl 1998, 1999). The genus is diagnosed by the compact mesosoma, which is dorsolaterally and often posterodorsally produced, and by the nine-segmented antenna with a three-segmented club (Bolton 2003).

Meranoplus diversus group

See images of species within this genus

Keys including this Genus

• Key to Australian Genera of Myrmicinae
• Key to Vietnamese Myrmicinae Genera

 

Keys to Species in this Genus

• Key to Meranoplus of India
• Key to Meranoplus workers of Madagascar
• Key to Meranoplus queens of Madagascar
• Key to Meranoplus diversus group workers
• Key to Afrotropical Meranoplus species
• Key to Meranoplus of the southwestern Australian Botanical Province
• Key to Oriental Meranoplus

Distribution

Species by Region

Number of species within biogeographic regions, along with the total number of species for each region.

	Afrotropical Region	Australasian Region	Indo-Australian Region	Malagasy Region	Nearctic Region	Neotropical Region	Oriental Region	Palaearctic Region
Species	9	52	16	4	0	0	13	3
Total Species	2839	1735	3036	932	834	4378	1708	2836

Fossils

Fossils are known from: Zhangpu amber, Zhangpu County, Fujian Province, China (Miocene) (an unidentified species, Wang et al., 2021).

Biology

Schodle 2007. Plate 1.

Boudinot and Fisher (2013) - Species of this genus are predominantly ground-nesting and, when disturbed, will display thanatosis enhanced by crypsis, i.e., individuals will accumulate dirt in their pilosity and play dead (Dornhaus & Powell 2010). With respect to diet, most species are omnivores and facultative granivores, while others, including the whole Meranoplus diversus species group, are specialist granivores (Anderson 2000, 2006). At least one species, the Malaysian rainforest-dwelling Meranoplus mucronatus, is known to have a trophobiotic relationship with hemipterans (Maschwitz et al. 1987). Meranoplus species are known to be active both day and night (Gross et al. 1991), and to recruit via pheromone trails laid from the base of the sting using secretions from their extremely large Dufour glands (Hölldobler 1988; Billen et al. 2009; Billen & Taylor 1993). The function of the spatulate sting is still unknown (Kugler 1979). The only species of Meranoplus for which mating has been reported is Meranoplus peringueyi, in which mating swarms occurred after a rain and where males patrolled for the outnumbered females in a zig-zag manner (Robertson & Villet 1989; Schulmeister 2001).

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Flight Period

All Flight Records for Genus

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Taxon	Month	Source	Notes
Meranoplus bicolor	Jan • Feb • Apr • May • Jun • Aug • Sep • Oct • Nov • Dec	antkeeping.info

Life History Traits

• Mean colony size: 150 (Greer et al., 2021)
• Compound colony type: not parasitic (Greer et al., 2021)
• Nest site: hypogaeic (Greer et al., 2021)
• Diet class: omnivore (Greer et al., 2021)
• Foraging stratum: subterranean/leaf litter (Greer et al., 2021)
• Foraging behaviour: solitary (Greer et al., 2021)

Morphology

Worker Morphology

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• Antennal segment count: 9 • Antennal club: 3 • Palp formula: 5,3 • Total dental count: 3-5 • Spur formula: 1 simple, 1 simple; 0, 0 • Eyes: >100 ommatidia • Pronotal Spines: dentiform; present • Mesonotal Spines: present • Propodeal Spines: present • Petiolar Spines: absent • Caste: none or weak • Sting: present • Metaplural Gland: present • Cocoon: absent

Male Morphology

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 • Antennal segment count 13 • Antennal club 0 • Palp formula 5,3 • Total dental count 1 • Spur formula 0, 1 simple; 0, 0

Karyotype

Species Uncertain

• Meranoplus sp.(ANIC-4): 2n = 22 (Australia) (Imai et al., 1977).
• Meranoplus sp.(ANIC-5): 2n = 22 (Australia) (Imai et al., 1977).
• Meranoplus: 2n = 22 (Australia) (Crozier, 1970b) ('Meranoplus hirsutus group).
• Meranoplus: n = 10 (Australia) (Crozier, 1966) ('Meranoplus oceanicus group).

All Karyotype Records for Genus

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Taxon	Haploid	Diploid	Karyotype	Locality	Source	Notes
Meranoplus		22		Australia	Imai et al., 1977
Meranoplus		22		Australia	Crozier, 1970b	'Meranoplus hirsutus'' group
Meranoplus	10			Australia	Crozier, 1966	'Meranoplus oceanicus'' group
Meranoplus bicolor		16		India; Indonesia	Imai et al., 1984; Imai et al., 1985
Meranoplus minor		22		Australia	Imai et al., 1977

Nomenclature

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

• MERANOPLUS [Myrmicinae: Meranoplini]
  • Meranoplus Smith, F. 1853: 224. Type-species: Cryptocerus bicolor, by subsequent designation of Bingham, 1903: 166.
• TRICYTARUS [junior synonym of Meranoplus]
  • Tricytarus Donisthorpe, 1947d: 187. Type-species: Tricytarus parviumgulatus, by original designation.
  • Tricytarus unidenifiable taxon. Male-based genus, description inadequate. Type-material not present in California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, U.S.A., nor in The Natural History Museum, London, U.K., presumed lost: Bolton, 2003: 254.
  • Tricytarus junior synonym of Meranoplus: Boudinot, 2014: 96.

References

• Andersen, A.N. 2006. A systematic overview of Australian species of the myrmicine ant genus Meranoplus F. Smith, 1853. Myrmecologische Nachrichten 8: 157-170.
• Arnold, G. 1917. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Part III. Myrmicinae. Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 14: 271-402 (page 363, Meranoplus in Myrmicinae, Meranoplini)
• Ashmead, W. H. 1905c. A skeleton of a new arrangement of the families, subfamilies, tribes and genera of the ants, or the superfamily Formicoidea. Can. Entomol. 37: 381-384 (page 384, Meranoplus in Cryptoceridae, Cataulacinae)
• Bingham, C. T. 1903. The fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma. Hymenoptera, Vol. II. Ants and Cuckoo-wasps. London: Taylor and Francis, 506 pp. (page 166, Type-species: Cryptocerus bicolor, by subsequent designation )
• Blaimer, B.B., Ward, P.S., Schultz, T.R., Fisher, B.L., Brady, S.G. 2018. Paleotropical diversification dominates the evolution of the hyperdiverse ant tribe Crematogastrini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Insect Systematics and Diversity 2(5): 3; 1-14 (doi:10.1093/isd/ixy013).
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• Boudinot, B.E. & Fisher, B.L. 2013. A taxonomic revision of the Meranoplus F. Smith of Madagascar (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) with keys to species and diagnosis of the males. Zootaxa 3635, 301-339.
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