Microdaceton tibialis

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Microdaceton tibialis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Microdaceton
Species: M. tibialis
Binomial name
Microdaceton tibialis
Weber, 1952

Microdaceton tibialis casent0005916 profile 1.jpg

Microdaceton tibialis casent0005916 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

Identification

Bolton (2000) - A number of features vary in this species. In Ghanaian material alone colour of the legs shows notable variation. They may be entirely ivory to dull yellow or the femora may show differing degrees of infuscation. The extreme femoral apices may be pale to medium brown, or this colour may extend through the distal third to two-thirds of the segment. In a few workers the entire femur is brown. When most of the femur is darkly coloured the pale tibia contrasts strongly.

The postpetiole disc may be entirely smooth, or have scattered minute punctures, or be superficially granulate; in a few there are vestigial traces of costulae on the central third. The first gastral tergite may be smooth and shining with widely scattered minute punctulae, or finely reticulate-punctate over part, most, or all of the sclerite; usually in these cases the tergite is more strongly sculptured basally than apically. Rarely there may be extremely fine scratch-like costular vestiges at the extreme base, among the reticulate-punctate sculpture.

All of these features are considered to represent variation within a single species.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 6.417222222° to -2.234166667°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo (type locality), Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Sudan, Uganda.

Distribution based on AntMaps

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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

Microdaceton tibialis casent0178295 head 1.jpgMicrodaceton tibialis casent0178295 profile 1.jpgMicrodaceton tibialis casent0178295 dorsal 1.jpgMicrodaceton tibialis casent0178295 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0178295. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by LACM, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Microdaceton tibialis casent0402199 head 1.jpgMicrodaceton tibialis casent0402199 profile 1.jpgMicrodaceton tibialis casent0402199 dorsal 1.jpgMicrodaceton tibialis casent0402199 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0402199. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Queen

Images from AntWeb

Microdaceton tibialis casent0402200 head 1.jpgMicrodaceton tibialis casent0402200 profile 1.jpgMicrodaceton tibialis casent0402200 dorsal 1.jpgMicrodaceton tibialis casent0402200 label 1.jpg
Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0402200. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Nomenclature

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

  • tibialis. Microdaceton tibialis Weber, 1952a: 30, fig. 25 (w.) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO. See also: Bolton, 1983: 403; Bolton, 2000: 29.

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

Description

Worker

Bolton (1983) - TL 3.2-3.8, HL 0.88-0.98, HW 0.80-0.90, CI 88-92, ML 0.56-0.66, MI 63-69, SL 0.62-0.72, SI 75-81, PW 0.38-0.47, AL 0.78-0.90 (10 measured).

Answering to the description of Microdaceton exornatum in all major features, Microdaceton tibialis is distinguished as follows.

exornatum tibialis
Mandibles relatively shorter, MI 55-61. Mandibles relatively longer, MI 63-69.
Scapes relatively shorter, SI 66-70. Scapes relatively longer, SI 75-81.
Postpetiole in dorsal view spanning almost the entire basal width of the first gastral tergite. Postpetiole in dorsal view spanning 0.70 or less of the basal width of the first gastral tergite.
Width of postpetiole in dorsal view 0.60-0.65 X maximum width of first gastral tergite. Width of postpetiole in dorsal view 0.46-0.56 X maximum width of first gastral tergite.
Basigastral costulae usually dense and distinct, rarely reduced in intensity. Basigastral costulae absent, at most with faint shagreening near gastral base.
Body colour yellow. Body colour black to blackish brown.
Laterodorsal cephalic tubercles large and conspicuous. Laterodorsal cephalic tubercles vestigial to absent.
Petiolar armament spiniform. Petiolar armament dentiform.
Propodeal dorsum with reticulate-punctate sculpture. Propodeal dorsum without reticulate-punctate sculpture.

Bolton (2000) - TL 3.2-4.0, HL 0. 82-0.98, HW 0.71-0.90, CI 86-92, ML 0.54-0.66, MI 63-73, SL 0.56-0.72, SI 75-82, PW 0.33-0.47, AL 0.74-0.90 (20 measured).

Anterior clypeal margin with a small median impression. Eyes anterolateral, large and conspicuous. Occipital lobe with 2 tubercles of variable size, the first laterodorsal, the second at the posteriormost point of the dorsum and conspicuous in profile. Head without specialised or standing hairs of any description. Pronotum unarmed, humeri rounded. Mesonotum with a pair of acute conical teeth or tubercles. Propodeum with a pair of strong spines that are of moderate length , not exceptionally long and needle-like. Propodeal lobes long and stout, slightly upcurved. Posteroventral face of metapleuron, below propodeal lobe and above posterior margin of hind coxa, with a posteriorly directed patch of ivory or pale yellow cuticle that is much lighter in colour than the surrounding cuticle. Short simple hairs that arise from centres of foveolate sculpture usually appressed but may be slightly elevated; elongate specialised standing pilosity entirely absent from body and appendages. Petiole node in profile large when compared to postpetiole but not grossly inflated. Basigastral costulae vestigial to absent; base of gaster smooth or shagreenate. First gastral sternite usually smooth basally, but with weak superficial reticulation in some. Head , alitrunk and gaster blackish brown to black.

Type Material

Bolton (1983) - Holotype worker, ZAIRE: 37 km N. of Stanleyville (=Kisangani), lat. 0045'N, long. 25°15'E, 15.iii.1948, rain forest, no. 2218 (N. A. Weber) (American Museum of Natural History) [examined].

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Belshaw R., and B. Bolton. 1994. A survey of the leaf litter ant fauna in Ghana, West Africa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research 3: 5-16.
  • Belshaw R., and B. Bolton. 1994. A survey of the leaf litter ant fauna in Ghana, West Africa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research. 3: 5-16.
  • Bolton B. 1983. The Afrotropical dacetine ants (Formicidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology 46: 267-416.
  • Bolton, B. 2000. The Ant Tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65
  • Fisher B. L. 2004. Diversity patterns of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) along an elevational gradient on Monts Doudou in southwestern Gabon. Memoirs of the California Academy of Sciences 28: 269-286.
  • Hita Garcia, F., G. Fischer, M.K. Peters, R.R. Snelling and H.W. Wagele. 2009. A preliminary checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Kakamega Forest (Kenya). Journal of East African Natural HIstory 98(2): 147-165.
  • IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection
  • Ross S. R. P. J., F. Hita Garcia, G. Fischer, and M. K. Peters. 2018. Selective logging intensity in an East African rain forest predicts reductions in ant diversity. Biotropica 1-11.
  • Weber N. A. 1952. Studies on African Myrmicinae, I (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). American Museum Novitates 1548: 1-32.
  • Yeo K., and A. Hormenyo. 2007. A Rapid Survey of Ants in Ajenjua Bepo and Mamang River Forest Reserves, Eastern Region of Ghana. Pp 27-29. In McCullough, J., P. Hoke, P. Naskrecki, and Y. Osei-Owusu (eds.). 2008. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Ajenjua Bepo and Mamang River Forest Reserves, Ghana. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 50. Conservation International, Arlington, VA, USA.