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Monomorium mediocre
| Monomorium mediocre | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Solenopsidini |
| Genus: | Monomorium |
| Species: | M. mediocre |
| Binomial name | |
| Monomorium mediocre Santschi, 1920
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Nothing is known about the biology of Monomorium mediocre.
Identification
Bolton (1987) - A member of the M. mediocre complex in the M. salomonis species group. This small yellowish species with very reduced sculpture and pilosity appears to be closely related to the Namibian Monomorium esharre and Monomorium nirvanum. The last named is easiest distinguished by its retention of a pair of hairs on the petiole node, which is absent in the other two. M. mediocre and esharre are separated by their differences in cephalic index, eye size, and relative position of eyes which in esharre are slightly in front of the midlength of the sides.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -19.51667° to -32.29483°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Namibia, South Africa (type locality), Zimbabwe.
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
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- mediocre. Monomorium mediocre Santschi, 1920d: 376, fig. 13 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.
- Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
- Type-locality: South Africa: Kimberley (G. Arnold).
- Type-depositories: BMNH, NHMB (probably also in SAMC).
- [Note: Santschi says that the material came from the South African Museum.]
- Status as species: Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 863; Arnold, 1944: 11; Bolton, 1987: 349 (redescription); Bolton, 1995b: 264.
- Distribution: South Africa, Zimbabwe.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Bolton (1987) - TL 1.9-2.0, HL 0.50-0.54, HW 0.41-0.43, CI 80-84, SL 0.37-0.39, SI 90-93, PW 0.26-0.27, AL 0.54-0.56 (7 measured).
Median portion of clypeus with the anterior margin transverse to shallowly convex. With the head in full-face view the sides more or less evenly shallowly convex and the occipital margin shallowly concave medially. Eyes at midlength of sides, the maximum diameter of the eye 0.21-0.24 x HW and with 6-8 ommatidia in the longest row. Promesonotal dorsal outline convex in profile, sloping posteriorly to the metanotal groove which is feebly or not impressed. Dorsum of head without standing hairs behind level of the frontal lobes. Dorsal alitrunk without standing hairs. Petiole node lacking hairs but postpetiole with a single backward directed pair. First gastral tergite hairless except for the apical transverse row. Dorsum of head with extremely faint superficial reticular patterning, which is almost effaced. Pronotum with superficial reticular patterning, which is almost effaced. Pronotum with superficial reticular patterning, the mesonotum posteriorly somewhat more strongly reticulate and the propodeum very finely granulate to weakly punctulate-shagreenate. First gastral tergite only superficially marked with faint reticular patterning. Colour uniformly yellow to very light brown, frequently the gastral tergites behind the first darker in shade than the first.
Type Material
Bolton (1987) - Syntype workers, South Africa: Kimberley (G. Arnold) (The Natural History Museum) [examined].
References
- Bolton, B. 1987. A review of the Solenopsis genus-group and revision of Afrotropical Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology. 54: 263-452. (page 349, see also)
- Santschi, F. 1920d [1919]. Formicides africains et américains nouveaux. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Fr. 88: 361-390 (page 376, fig. 13 worker described)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection