Mycetomoellerius opulentus

Mycetomoellerius opulentus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Mycetomoellerius
Species:	M. opulentus
Binomial name
Mycetomoellerius opulentus (Mann, 1922) Specimen Labels
Synonyms
Sericomyrmex wheeleri Weber, 1937 Sericomyrmex wheeleri pakeelai Weber, 1937

Colonies form nests in the ground, with an entrance in the form of a soil turret that can be up to 15 cm high.

Identification

Mayhé-Nunes & Brandão (2002) - M. opulentus differs from Mycetomoellerius dichrous, Mycetomoellerius compactus and Mycetomoellerius relictus in the strongly projecting and hornlike apex of the antennal scrobe. The strongly spinous antero-inferior corner of pronotum and the straight, not excised postero-dorsal border of the postpetiole separate it at once from M. dichrous and M. compactus. Additional differences from M. relictus consist in the low and tumuliform lateral pronotal projections, shorter than the anterior mesonotal ones, in the very short propodeal spines, and in the practically unarmed dorsum of the petiolar node.

Variation: A worker from Guiana (= junior synonym Sericomyrmex wheeleri) differs slightly from the syntypes from Honduras by the vestigial third pair of mesonotal projections, the bigger hom-like projections at the apex of the antennal scrobes, and the smaller propodeal spines. These characters also shown some variation in the other samples examined. Workers from the Venezuelan samples have less produced antennal scrobes apices.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Trachymyrmex opulentus species group workers

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 18.5851° to -64.36°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Costa Rica, Guyana (type locality), Honduras (type locality), Mexico, Panama.

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.

Biology

Explore Fungus Growing  For additional details see Fungus growing ants. A handful of ant species (approx. 275 out of the known 15,000 species) have developed the ability to cultivate fungus within their nests. In most species the fungus is used as the sole food source for the larvae and is an important resource for the adults as well. Additionally, in a limited number of cases, the fungus is used to construct part of the nest structure but is not as a food source. These fungus-feeding species are limited to North and South America, extending from the pine barrens of New Jersey, United States, in the north (Trachymyrmex septentrionalis) to the cold deserts in Argentina in the south (several species of Acromyrmex). Species that use fungi in nest construction are known from Europe and Africa (a few species in the genera Crematogaster, Lasius). The details of fungal cultivation are rich and complex. First, a wide variety of materials are used as substrate for fungus cultivating. The so-called lower genera include species that prefer dead vegetation, seeds, flowers, fruits, insect corpses, and feces, which are collected in the vicinity of their nests. The higher genera include non leaf-cutting species that collect mostly fallen leaflets, fruit, and flowers, as well as the leafcutters that collect fresh leaves from shrubs and trees. Second, while the majority of fungi that are farmed by fungus-feeding ants belong to the family Lepiotaceae, mostly the genera Leucoagaricus and Leucocoprinus, other fungi are also involved. Some species utilise fungi in the family Tricholomataceae while a few others cultivate yeast. The fungi used by the higher genera no longer produce spores. Their fungi produce nutritious and swollen hyphal tips (gongylidia) that grow in bundles called staphylae, to specifically feed the ants. Finally, colony size varies tremendously among these ants. Lower taxa mostly live in inconspicuous nests with 100–1000 individuals and relatively small fungus gardens. Higher taxa, in contrast, live in colonies made of 5–10 million ants that live and work within hundreds of interconnected fungus-bearing chambers in huge subterranean nests. Some colonies are so large, they can be seen from satellite photos, measuring up to 600 m3. Based on these habits, and taking phylogenetic information into consideration, these ants can be divided into six biologically distinct agricultural systems (with a list of genera involved in each category): Nest Construction A limited number of species that use fungi in the construction of their nests. some Crematogaster some Lasius Lower Agriculture Practiced by species in the majority of fungus-feeding genera, including those thought to retain more primitive features, which cultivate a wide range of fungal species in the tribe Leucocoprineae. some Apterostigma Cyatta (1 species) some Cyphomyrmex Kalathomyrmex (1 species) Mycocepurus (6 species) Myrmicocrypta (31 species) Mycetarotes (4 species) Mycetosoritis (2 species) Mycetophylax (21 species) Paramycetophylax (1 species) Xerolitor (1 species) Coral Fungus Agriculture Practiced by species in the Apterostigma pilosum species-group, which cultivate fungi within the Pterulaceae. some Apterostigma Yeast Agriculture Practiced by species within the Cyphomyrmex rimosus species-group, which cultivate a distinct clade of leucocoprineaceous fungi derived from the lower attine fungi. some Cyphomyrmex Generalized Higher Agriculture Practiced by species in several genera of non-leaf-cutting "higher attine" ants, which cultivate a distinct clade of leucocoprineaceous fungi separately derived from the lower attine fungi. Mycetomoellerius (31 species) Paratrachymyrmex (9 species) Sericomyrmex (11 species) Trachymyrmex (9 species) Leaf-Cutter Agriculture A subdivision of higher attine agriculture practiced by species within several ecologically dominant genera, which cultivate a single highly derived species of higher attine fungus. Acromyrmex (56 species) Amoimyrmex (3 species) Atta (20 species) Note that the farming habits of Mycetagroicus (4 species) are unknown. Also, while species of Pseudoatta (2 species) are closely related to the fungus-feeding genus Acromyrmex, they are social parasites, living in the nests of their hosts and are not actively involved in fungus growing. ‎

Mayhé-Nunes & Brandão (2002) - The first information is from Mann (1922:49) on the type series: “... large colony. The nest was in the ground, alongside a trail in thick woods. The entrance was in the form of a turret, loosely constructed of earth and about 6 inches in height; a foot beneath the surface was a large cavity, containing a fungus garden, pendulous and 4 or 5 inches in diameter.” Gabriel A. R. Melo has collected in Manaus three workers following a forage trail, carrying dry leaves (personal communication, recorded in Mayhe's notebook #105). Antonio Mayhe and Jose V. Hernandez found two nests in Aroa, Venezuela, in a secondary forest, at 865m of altitude. The entrance of the first (Mayhe’s notebook #143) was at the side of a human trail and presented a turret made by rigid earth coming out of the litter, 1cm diameter and 3 cm height; the unique chamber was 20 cm deep. The second one (Mayhe's notebook #152) presents also a turret, although smaller, and its unique irregular chamber was 16 cm deep, with the fungus garden hanging from the roof. Due to the intricate root system around both nests, it was impossible to study their architecture. The ants feign death when disturbed, in a conspicuous cryptic behavior.

Castes

Images from AntWeb

Syntype of Trachymyrmex wheeleri. Worker. Specimen code casent0912533. Photographer Will Ericson, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by NHMB, Basel, Switzerland.

Phylogeny

Mycetomoellerius	Mycetomoellerius urichii Mycetomoellerius papulatus Mycetomoellerius papulatus Mycetomoellerius holmgreni Mycetomoellerius cirratus Mycetomoellerius kempfi Mycetomoellerius iheringi Mycetomoellerius sp. near cirratus
	Mycetomoellerius ruthae Mycetomoellerius jamaicensis Mycetomoellerius atlanticus Mycetomoellerius near haytianus Mycetomoellerius opulentus Mycetomoellerius dichrous Mycetomoellerius relictus Mycetomoellerius turrifex Mycetomoellerius zeteki

Based on Micolino et al., 2020 (selected species only).

Nomenclature

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

• opulentus. Sericomyrmex opulenta Mann, 1922: 48, fig. 21 (w.) HONDURAS.
  • Mayhé-Nunes & Brandão, 2002: 683 (q.).
  • Combination in Trachymyrmex: Weber, 1958b: 51.
  • Status as species: Weber, 1958b: 51; Kempf, 1972a: 253; Bolton, 1995b: 421; Mayhé-Nunes & Brandão, 2002: 680 (redescription).
  • Senior synonym of pakeelai: Mayhé-Nunes & Brandão, 2002: 680.
  • Senior synonym of wheeleri: Mayhé-Nunes & Brandão, 2002: 680.
  • Combination in Mycetomoellerius: Solomon et al., 2019: 948.
• pakeelai. Sericomyrmex wheeleri subsp. pakeelai Weber, 1937: 398, fig. 9 (w.) GUYANA.
  • Combination in Trachymyrmex: Weber, 1958b: 54.
  • Subspecies of wheeleri: Weber, 1946b: 144; Kempf, 1972a: 254; Bolton, 1995b: 421.
  • Junior synonym of wheeleri: Weber, 1958b: 54.
• wheeleri. Sericomyrmex wheeleri Weber, 1937: 396, fig. 8 (w.q.) GUYANA.
  • Wheeler, G.C. 1949: 670 (l.).
  • Combination in Trachymyrmex: Weber, 1958b: 54.
  • Status as species: Weber, 1946b: 143; Weber, 1958b: 54; Kempf, 1972a: 254; Bolton, 1995b: 421.
  • Senior synonym of pakeelai: Weber, 1958b: 54.
  • Junior synonym of opulentus: Mayhé-Nunes & Brandão, 2002: 680.

Type Material

Mayhé-Nunes & Brandão (2002) - Worker; Honduras: San Juan Pueblo. Worker lectotype and 11 workers paralectotypes of T. opulentus, Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo (here designated, examined); worker syntype (“cotype”) of T. wheeleri, MZSP (examined). Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Mayhé-Nunes & Brandão (2002) - TL 5.1-5.8; HL 1.03-1.27; HW 1.03-1.19; IFW 0.65-0. 76; ScL 0.89-1.00; TRL1.59-1.87; HfL 1.40-1.59. Uniformly ferruginous. Integument finely reticulate-punctate, opaque. Long, dense, flexuous hairs abundant on head, alitrunk and waist, where they are more or less strongly curved throughout, curved only at base but more or less decumbent on gaster, oblique to subdecumbent on scapes and legs. Dense, very short and fine pubescence of lighter color curved or inclined on head, alitrunk, waist and gaster, appressed on scapes and on legs, on the latter also on the extensor face.

Head. Mandibles either finely striate, except on apical third which is smooth and shining or nearly smooth; masticatory with apical tooth and approximately 9 teeth, gradually smaller towards the mandibular base. Frontal lobes subsemicircular at apex, but anteriorly more or less narrowed and drawn out forward along the posterior half of median apron of clypeus. Frontal carinae diverging caudad, fading out just in front of the horn-like and projecting apex of antennal scrobe. Preocular carinae not curving mesad above eyes, continuing straight backwards, and becoming faint on posterior third but nearly reaching the apex of scrobe which is distinctly delimited both mesially and laterally except by the horn-like apex. Supraocular tumulus usually well developed, tumuliform. Occiput in full-face view distinctly notched in the middle. Paired carinae of vertex blunt but distinct, curving laterad in front, joining the frontal carinae. The longitudinal impression between these carinae extends laterad in front, forming a transverse groove across the frons just behind the frontal lobes. Occipital tooth usually inconspicuous in the form of a very low and blunt tumulus. Eyes moderately convex, with about 12 facet rows across the greatest diameter. Antennal scapes shorter than length of head capsule. but their apex either attaining or distinctly surpassing the horn-like tip of the scrobe when lodged in the same. All funicular segments distinctly longer than broad.

Alitrunk. Pronotum with an inconspicuous humeral tumulus on each side; the antero-inferior corner strongly spinous; the lateral spines of the pronotal dorsum in the form of low and blunt tumuli; the mesial teeth vestigial or absent. Mesonotum with a pair of stout anterior conical spines, facing obliquely laterad, followed by a pair of much lower, multituberculate tuberosities facing caudad, the third pair of mesonotal projections similar to the second but much smaller and lower. Alitrunk shallowly impressed at metanotal groove. Basal face of propodeum narrow, bordered at each side by a low denticulate ridge; propodeal spines very low, pointed or subrectangular. Hind femora shorter than length of alitrunk.

Waist and gaster. Petiole pedunculate, the node proper as seen from above slightly longer than broad, the dorsal face with a pair of very faint, longitudinal and tuberculate ridges, practically unarmed; supetiolar process absent. Postpetiole broader than long, its dorsum shallowly excavate both postero-mesially and postero-laterally between two very broad and blunt, posteriorly diverging ridges; the posterodorsal border straight. Gaster opaque; tergum I with a shallow sagittal groove flanked by a pair of broad, low, and rather indistinct median ridges, the sides distinctly marginate by lateral ridges, shallowly excavate below these ridges; the dorsal surface rather densely covered with piligerous tubercles, connecting rugulae between these tubercles either absent or vestigial or quite distinct.

Queen

Mayhé-Nunes & Brandão (2002) - TL6.4; HL 1.35; HW 1.27; IFW 0.81; ScL 0.95; TRL2.03; HfL 1.62. Color, sculpture, pilosity, pubescence, and diagnostic characters as in worker. The following should be noted: Ocelli small, the antero-median ocellus just behind the transverse groove in front of the strong, paired vertical ridges; the lateral ocelli placed on the outside of these ridges, facing laterad. Occipital tubercle well developed and of approximately the same size as the supraocular tubercle. Tip of antennal scapes not quite attaining the apex of the hornlike posterior projection of the scrobe, when lodged in the same. Pronotum with a pair of low and truncated subtriangular scapular spines, tumuliform with blunt apex directed out and forwards. Mesoscutum without notable dorsal projections. With the alitrunk in oblique dorsal view, shallow parapses delimited by the parapsidial furrows; mesothoracic paraptera impressed. Mesonotal scutellum with a longitudinal groove, the posterior end distinctly bidentate, the blunt teeth directed backwards with parallel sides. Propodeal spiracles orifices visible, spines short, toothlike; the basal face longitudinally excavate between the teeth and subcontinuous with the declivous face. Petiolar node proper distinctly broader than long. Dorsum of tergum I of gaster coarsely reticulate-rugose. Wings unknown.

References

• Albuquerque, E., Prado, L., Andrade-Silva, J., Siqueira, E., Sampaio, K., Alves, D., Brandão, C., Andrade, P., Feitosa, R., Koch, E., Delabie, J., Fernandes, I., Baccaro, F., Souza, J., Almeida, R., Silva, R. 2021. Ants of the State of Pará, Brazil: a historical and comprehensive dataset of a key biodiversity hotspot in the Amazon Basin. Zootaxa 5001, 1–83 (doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5001.1.1).
• Mann, W. M. 1922. Ants from Honduras and Guatemala. Proc. U. S. Natl. Mus. 61: 1-54 (page 48, fig. 21 worker described)
• Mayhé-Nunes, A. J. and Brandão, C. 2002. Revisionary studies on the attine ant genus Trachymyrmex Forel. Part 1: definition of the genus and the opulentus group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology. 40:667-698. (page 680, Senior synonym of wheeleri, and its junior synonym pakeelai)
• Solomon, S.E., Rabeling, C., Sosa-Calvo, J., Lopes, C.T., Rodrigues, A., Vasconcelos, H.L., Bacci Jr, M., Mueller, U.G., Schultz, T.R. 2019. The molecular phylogenetics of Trachymyrmex Forel ants and their fungal cultivars provide insights into the origin and coevolutionary history of ‘higher-attine’ ant agriculture. Systematic Entomology 44: 939-956 (doi:10.1111/syen.12370).
• Weber, N. A. 1958b. Nomenclatural changes in Trachymyrmex (Hym.: Formicidae). Entomol. News 69: 49-55 (page 51, Combination in Trachymyrmex)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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• Cabra-Garcia J., C. Bermudez-Rivas, A. M. Osorio, and P. Chacon. 2012. Cross-taxon congruence of a and b diversity among five leaf litter arthropod groups in Colombia. Biodivers Conserv. 21: 1493–1508.
• Chacon de Ulloa P., A. M. Osorio-Garica, R. Achury, and C. Bermudez-Rivas. 2012. Hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) del Bosque seco tropical (Bs-T) de la cuenca alta del rio Cauca, Colombia. Biota Colombiana 13(2): 165-181.
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• Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
• Franco W., N. Ladino, J. H. C. Delabie, A. Dejean, J. Orivel, M. Fichaux, S. Groc, M. Leponce, and R. M. Feitosa. 2019. First checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of French Guiana. Zootaxa 4674(5): 509-543.
• Groc S., J. H. C. Delabie, F. Fernandez, M. Leponce, J. Orivel, R. Silvestre, Heraldo L. Vasconcelos, and A. Dejean. 2013. Leaf-litter ant communities (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in a pristine Guianese rainforest: stable functional structure versus high species turnover. Myrmecological News 19: 43-51.
• Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
• Klingenberg, C. and C.R.F. Brandao. 2005. The type specimens of fungus growing ants, Attini (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae) deposited in the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil. Papeis Avulsos de Zoologia 45(4):41-50
• Longino J. T. 2013. Ants of Honduras. Consulted on 18 Jan 2013. https://sites.google.com/site/longinollama/reports/ants-of-honduras
• Longino J. T. L., and M. G. Branstetter. 2018. The truncated bell: an enigmatic but pervasive elevational diversity pattern in Middle American ants. Ecography 41: 1-12.
• Longino J. T., and R. K. Colwell. 2011. Density compensation, species composition, and richness of ants on a neotropical elevational gradient. Ecosphere 2(3): 16pp.
• Longino J. et al. ADMAC project. Accessed on March 24th 2017 at https://sites.google.com/site/admacsite/
• Mayhe-Nunes A. J., and C. R. F. Brandao. 2002. Revisionary studies on the Attine ant genus Trachmyrmex Forel. Part 1: Definition of the Genus and the Opulentus Group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology 40(3): 667-698.
• Mayhe-Nunes A. J., and K. Jaffe. 1998. On the biogeography of attini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Ecotropicos 11(1): 45-54.
• Nakayama Miranda P., M. A. Oliveira, F. B. Baccaro, E. F. Morato, and J. H. C. Delabie. 2012. Check list of ground-dwelling ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the eastern Acre, Amazon, Brazil. Check List 8(4): 722–730
• Solomon S. E., C. Rabeling, J. Sosa-Calvo, C. Lopes, A. Rodrigues, H. L. Vasconcelos, M. Bacci, U. G. Mueller, and T. R. Schultz. 2019. The molecular phylogenetics of Trachymyrmex Forel ants and their fungal cultivars provide insights into the origin and coevolutionary history of ‘higher-attine’ ant agriculture. Systematic Entomology 44: 939–956.
• de Souza J. L. P., F. B. Baccarob, V. L. Landeirob, E. Franklinc, and W. E. Magnussonc. 2012. Trade-offs between complementarity and redundancy in the use of different sampling techniques for ground-dwelling ant assemblages. Applied Soil Ecology 56: 63– 73.