Meranoplus angustinodis

Meranoplus angustinodis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Crematogastrini
Genus:	Meranoplus
Species:	M. angustinodis
Binomial name
Meranoplus angustinodis Schödl, 2007 Specimen Labels

Widely distributed throughout south-eastern Australia.

Identification

Schödl (2007) - M. angustinodis is a very distinctive species, which is easily separated from others by the narrowly triangular petiole and the elongate large-toothed postpetiole.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Meranoplus diversus group workers

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -33.36666667° to -33.36666667°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

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.

Castes

Images from AntWeb

Paratype of Meranoplus angustinodis. Worker. Specimen code casent0919714. Photographer Anna Pal, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by NHMW, Vienna, Austria.

Nomenclature

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

• angustinodis. Meranoplus angustinodis Schödl, 2007: 401, figs. 42, 43, 73, 81 (w.) AUSTRALIA (South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales).
  • Type-material: holotype worker, 10 paratype workers.
  • Type-locality: holotype Australia: South Australia, Collinsville, 4.5 km. SW, 33°22’S, 139°17’E, 19-23.x.1992, South Olery Plains Survey; paratypes with same data.
  • Type-depositories: SAMA (holotype); ANIC, NHMW, SAMA (paratypes).
  • Distribution: Australia.

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

Description

Worker

Holotype. TL 5.60, HL 1.29, HW 1.48, FC 1.25, CS 1.38, SL 0.84, SI1 57, SI2 61, PML 1.12 PW 1.40, PMD 1.62, PMI2 116, ML 1.33, PTLL 0.35, PTLH 0.63, PTDW 0.49, PPLL 0.36, PPLH 0.68, PPI 54, PPDW 0.55, PT/PP 89.

Mandible with four teeth. In full face view clypeus anteriorly with deep oblique concavity, markedly exceeding anterolateral frontal corners and distinctly carinulate. Head wider than long (CI 115), preoccipital margin moderately concave. Frontal carinae broad, only moderately narrower than head width (FI 118), evenly narrowing towards clypeus. With head in profile antennal scrobe reaching distinctly beyond middle of lateral side of head, transversely carinulae at rear, well defined posteriorly against remainder of head. Genae evenly carinate, ventrolateral sides of head and posterolateral lobes reticulate. Eyes medium sized (EL 0.33, REL 0.26, with 18 ommatidia in the longest row), situated at about middle of lateral sides of head, the dorsal ocular margin reaching the ventral scrobal margin. Dorsal surface of head coarsely rugoreticulate, interspaces glossy.

Promesonotal shield moderately wider than long (PMI 127), with a somewhat overall square impression, with mesonotal projections well developed, posterolateral spines curved and with distinct translucent fusion between projections. Propodeal spines not very long (PSL 0.45), narrow and acute, in dorsal view moderately arcuate.

Petiole in lateral view narrowly triangular, distinctly higher than long (PTI 56), with anterior face more or less straight, meeting convex rugose posterior face in a crest, ventral face sinuate. Postpetiole elongately nodiform with large antero-basal tooth.

First gastral tergite entirely microreticulate. Dorsal surfaces covered with shorter decumbent and longer erect and more stiff hairs.

Distinctly bicolored with the gaster and appendages yellow, the femora basally fuscous. Remainder of body piceous, except frontal carinae anterolaterally and translucent areas on promesonotal shield brighter.

(n = 17). TL 4.95-6.05, HL 1.13-1.35, HW 1.28-1.55, FC 1.08-1.23, FI 113-123, CI 111-119, CS 1.20-1.43, SL 0.75-0.88, SI1 56-60, SI2 60-64, PML 0.93-1.13, PW 1.18-1.53, PMI 125-145, PMD 1.30-1.66, PMI2 107-116, ML 1.10-1.38, PSL 0.39-0.48, PTLL 0.33-0.39, PTLH 0.58-0.68, PTI 55-61, PTDW 0.44-0.54, PPLL 0.33-0.38, PPLH 0.59-0.71, PPI 48-58, PPDW 0.45-0.76, PT/PP 66-97, EL 0.27-0.35, REL 0.22-0.26, with 15-18 ommatidia in the longest row.

Type Material

• Holotype, worker, 4.5km SW Collinsville, South Australia, Australia, 33°22′0″S 139°17′0″E, 19-23 October 1992, South Olary Plains Survey, South Australian Museum.
• Paratype, 11 workers, 4.5km SW Collinsville, South Australia, Australia, 33°22′0″S 139°17′0″E, 19-23 October 1992, South Olary Plains Survey, South Australian Museum; (9 paratypes present November, 2008).

Etymology

The names refers to the narrow shape of the nodes.

References

• Schödl, S. 2007. Revision of Australian Meranoplus: the Meranoplus diversus group. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 80:370-424.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Schödl S. 2007. Revision of Australian Meranoplus: the Meranoplus diversus group. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 80: 370-424.