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Monomorium megalops
| Monomorium megalops | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Solenopsidini |
| Genus: | Monomorium |
| Species: | M. megalops |
| Binomial name | |
| Monomorium megalops Heterick, 2001
| |
Specimen labels note collections from Victoria Desert, Casuarina, and clay soils of a minesite. These vague, eclectic notes are all that is known about the biology of Monomorium megalops.
Identification
Heterick (2001) - A member of the monomorium group. Apart from the shape and size of its eye, M. megalops is virtually identical with Monomorium sordidum, and may eventually prove to be no more than a variant of that widespread species.
Heterick (2009) - Monomorium megalops is identical to Monomorium sordidum, apart from its large, reniform eye.
Keys including this Species
- Key to Australian Monomorium Species
- Key to Monomorium of the southwestern Australian Botanical Province
Distribution
Heterick (2009) - The distribution of this species centres mainly on inland NSW and SA, but there is one record in the SWBP from Westonia, WA in the western goldfields.
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -28.06666667° to -34°.
| 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
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- megalops. Monomorium megalops Heterick, 2001: 406, figs. 40, 117, 118 (w.) AUSTRALIA (South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland).
- Type-material: holotype worker, 15 paratype workers.
- Type-locality: holotype Australia: South Australia, Emu Junction, Victoria Desert, 5.x.1976 (P.J.M. Greenslade); paratypes: 3 workers South Australia, Observatory Hill, 7.x.1976 (P.J.M. Greenslade), 2 workers South Australia, 12 km. W Emu, Victoria Desert, 5-10.x.1976 (P.J.M. Greenslade), 2 workers South Australia, 50 km. E Emu Junction, Victoria Desert, 5.x.1976 (P.J.M. Greenslade), 1 worker South Australia, Koonamore, iv.1973, trap 17 (P.J.M. Greenslade), 1 worker South Australia, 5 km. NE Koonamore Hsd, 26.ii.1973 (P.J.M. Greenslade), 1 worker South Australia, Koonamore, 25.ii.1973 (P.J.M. Greenslade), 2 workers South Australia, 2 km. NE Koonamore Hsd, 26.ii.1973 (P.J.M. Greenslade), 3 workers South Australia, Koonamore, 24-27.ii.1973, pitfall trap (P.J.M. Greenslade).
- Type-depositories: ANIC (holotype); ANIC, BMNH, MCZC (paratypes).
- Status as species: Heterick, 2009: 160.
- 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. HML 1.30; HL 0.51; HW 0.41; CeI 82; SL 0.39; SI 94; PW 0.24. Others. HML 1.18-1.50; HL 0.47-0.58; HW 0.38-0.49; CeI 79-87; SL 0.35-0.43; SI 85-97; PW 0.20-0.27 (20 measured).
As for the worker of Monomorium sordidum, but with the following apomorphies.
Head. Compound eyes reniform, with posterior surface of eye emarginate; Eye large, eye width greater than 1.5x greatest width of antennal scape. Posteromedial clypeal margin extending slightly posteriad of posterior surface of antenna! fossae. Frontal lobes parallel straight.
Alitrunk. Propodeal sculpture present as uniform microreticulation, with few or no striae or costulae. Erect and suberect propodeal setae >5; propodeal setulae decumbent and subdecumbent. Propodeal spiracle lateral and about midway between metanotal groove and declivitous face of propodeum.
General characters. Colour brown or tawny orange (head may be darker than alitrunk), gaster chocolate. Worker caste monomorphic.
Type Material
- Holotype, worker, Emu Junction, Victoria Desert, South Australia, Australia, Greenslade,P.J.M., ANIC32-015666, Australian National Insect Collection.
- Paratype, 2 workers, 12km W Emu, Victoria Desert, South Australia, Australia, Australian National Insect Collection.
- Paratype, 3 workers, Observatory Hill, South Australia, Australia, Australian National Insect Collection.
- Paratype, 2 workers, 2km NE Koonamore Homestead, South Australia, Australia, The Natural History Museum.
- Paratype, 2 workers, 50km E Emu Junction, Victoria Desert, South Australia, Australia, The Natural History Museum.
- Paratype, 1 worker, Koonamore, South Australia, Australia, The Natural History Museum.
- Paratype, 1 worker, 5km NE Koonamore Homestead, South Australia, Australia, Museum of Comparative Zoology.
- Paratype, 4 workers, Koonamore, South Australia, Australia, Museum of Comparative Zoology.
Etymology
Greek: “large-eyed”.
References
- Heterick, B. E. 2001. Revision of the Australian ants of the genus Monomorium (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Invertebr. Taxon. 15: 353-459 (page 406, figs. 40, 117, 118 worker described)
- Heterick, B. E. 2009. A guide to the ants of South-western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 76:1-206.
- Heterick, B.E. 2021. A guide to the ants of Western Australia. Part I: Systematics. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 86, 1-245 (doi:10.18195/issn.0313-122x.86.2021.001-245).
- Heterick, B.E. 2022. A guide to the ants of Western Australia. Part II: Distribution and biology. Records of the Western Australian Museum, supplement 86: 247-510 (doi:10.18195/issn.0313-122x.86.2022.247-510).
- Sparks, K. 2015. Australian Monomorium: Systematics and species delimitation with a focus of the M. rothsteini complex. Ph.D. thesis, University of Adelaide.
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Heterick B. E. 2001. Revision of the Australian ants of the genus Monomorium (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Invertebrate Taxonomy 15: 353-459.