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Mesostruma exolympica
| Mesostruma exolympica | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Mesostruma |
| Species: | M. exolympica |
| Binomial name | |
| Mesostruma exolympica Taylor, 1973
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This is one of the most commonly collected species in the genus.
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Identification
This species can be recognised by the combination of the form of sculpturing on the dorsum of the mesosoma, the relatively broad head and narrow pronotum, and the configuration of the propodeal lamellae.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -32.81666667° to -35.31666946°.
| 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. |
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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. |
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Biology
Castes
Worker
Images from AntWeb
  
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| Holotype of Mesostruma exolympica. Worker. Specimen code casent0172472. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by ANIC, Canberra, Australia. |
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| Holotype of Mesostruma exolympica. Worker. Specimen code casent0172473. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by ANIC, Canberra, Australia. |
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- exolympica. Mesostruma exolympica Taylor, 1973: 35, pl. 6 (w.q.) AUSTRALIA. See also: Shattuck, in Bolton, 2000: 50.
Type Material
- Holotype, worker, Mt. Ainslie, ACT, Australia, 16 December 1966, B.B. Lowery, Australian National Insect Collection.
- Paratype, 2 workers, Caswell Drive, Canberra, ACT, Australia, The Natural History Museum.
- Paratype, 2 workers, Mt. Ainslie, ACT, Australia, 16 December 1966, B.B. Lowery, Museum of Comparative Zoology.
- Paratype, 2 workers, Black Mountain, ACT, Australia, South Australian Museum.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Shattuck (2000) - TL 3.3 - 4.2, HL 0.70 - 0.86, HW 0.65 - 0.82, CI 92 - 96, ML 0.30 - 0.35, MI 41 - 46, SL 0.43 - 0.48, SI 59 - 64, PW 0.44 - 0.58, AL 0.79 - 1.00. Head relatively broad (CI > 90), its posterior margin shallowly concave. Pronotum relatively narrow (about 0.58-0.62 times mesosoma length), in dorsal view its anterolateral corners rounded. Dorsum of mesosoma with scattered, shallow foveolate punctures which are spaced more than their width apart, the area between the punctures smooth and lacking sculpturing. Propodeal lamellae with the dorsal margins flat to weakly concave, the posterior margins strongly concave, the angles between these margins acute, less than 90 degrees. Sculpturing on the metapleural gland bulb consisting of a mosaic of indistinct rugae, punctures and small smooth areas. Postpetiole expanded laterally and wing-like. First gastral segment immediately posterior of the postpetiole with short, indistinct rugae. Body yellow-red to red-brown, appendages slightly lighter, gaster with a dark band across the posterior section of the first tergite (more obvious in lightly coloured individuals, less distinct in darker individuals).
References
- Bolton, B. 2000. The ant tribe Dacetini. Mem. Am. Entomol. Inst. 65: 1-1028 (page 50, see also)
- Shattuck, S. O. 2000. Genus Colobostruma. Genus Mesostruma. Genus Epopostruma. Pp. 31-67 in: Bolton, B. The ant tribe Dacetini. Mem. Am. Entomol. Inst. 65: 1-1028 (page 63, worker, queen described)
- Taylor, R. W. 1973. Ants of the Australian genus Mesostruma Brown (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J. Aust. Entomol. Soc. 12: 24-38 (page 35, pl. 6 worker, queen described)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Taylor R. W. 1973. Ants of the Australian genus Mesostruma Brown (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 12: 24-38.
- Taylor R. W. 1991. Nomenclature and distribution of some Australasian ants of the Myrmicinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 30: 599-614.
- Taylor R. W., and D. R. Brown. 1985. Formicoidea. Zoological Catalogue of Australia 2: 1-149.