Myrmecia piliventris

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Myrmecia piliventris
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmeciinae
Tribe: Myrmeciini
Genus: Myrmecia
Species group: mandibularis
Species: M. piliventris
Binomial name
Myrmecia piliventris
Smith, F., 1858

Myrmecia piliventris casent0907100 p 1 high.jpg

Myrmecia piliventris casent0907100 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Synonyms

Identification

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -24.83333° to -37.71666667°.

   
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: Australia (type locality).

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

Qian et al. 2012 - Polymorphic microsatellite markers revealed 1 to 4 queens per colony. Queens were estimated to mate with 1–9 inferred and 1.0–11.4 effective mates. This is the first time that the rare co-occurrence of polygyny and high polyandry has been found in the M. pilosula species group. Significant maternity and paternity skews were detected at the population level. We also found an isolation-by-distance pattern, and together with the occurrence of polygynous polydomy, this suggests the occurrence of dependent colony foundation (DCF)

Castes

Queen described as subapterous (Clark 1951)

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Myrmecia piliventris casent0902809 h 1 high.jpgMyrmecia piliventris casent0902809 p 1 high.jpgMyrmecia piliventris casent0902809 p 2 high.jpgMyrmecia piliventris casent0902809 d 1 high.jpgMyrmecia piliventris casent0902809 l 1 high.jpg
Holotype of Myrmecia piliventrisWorker. Specimen code casent0902809. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by NHMUK, London, UK.

Nomenclature

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

  • piliventris. Myrmecia piliventris Smith, F. 1858b: 146 (w.) AUSTRALIA (no state data).
    • Type-material: holotype worker.
    • Type-locality: Australia: (no further data).
    • Type-depository: BMNH.
    • Mayr, 1876: 93 (q.); Clark, 1943: 141 (m.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1971d: 251 (l.); Imai & Taylor, 1986: 59 (k.).
    • Combination in M. (Pristomyrmecia): Emery, 1911d: 21;
    • combination in M. (Promyrmecia): Wheeler, W.M. 1933i: 67;
    • combination in Promyrmecia: Clark, 1943: 140;
    • combination in Myrmecia: Brown, 1953j: 20.
    • Status as species: Roger, 1861a: 36; Mayr, 1862: 727 (in key); Roger, 1863b: 23; Mayr, 1863: 430; Mayr, 1876: 93; Dalla Torre, 1893: 21; Emery, 1911d: 21; Crawley, 1926: 385 (redescription); Clark, 1928c: 39; Wheeler, W.M. 1933i: 67; Clark, 1943: 140 (redescription); Clark, 1951: 156 (redescription); Brown, 1953j: 20; Kugler, C. 1980b: 265; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 14; Taylor, 1987a: 45; Ogata, 1991a: 359; Ogata & Taylor, 1991: 1639 (in key); Bolton, 1995b: 272.
    • Senior synonym of rectidens: Brown, 1953j: 20; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 14; Taylor, 1987a: 45; Ogata & Taylor, 1991: 1630; Bolton, 1995b: 272.
    • Distribution: Australia.
  • rectidens. Myrmecia piliventris var. rectidens Forel, 1910b: 5 (w.) AUSTRALIA (no state data).
    • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
    • Type-locality: Australia: Kingstown (W.W. Froggatt).
    • [Note: Clark, 1951: 161, adds that Kingstown is in New South Wales.]
    • Type-depository: MHNG.
    • Clark, 1951: 160 (subapterous q. ergatoid q.).
    • Combination in M. (Pristomyrmecia): Emery, 1911d: 21;
    • combination in Promyrmecia: Clark, 1943: 141.
    • Subspecies of piliventris: Emery, 1911d: 21; Clark, 1943: 141 (redescription).
    • Status as species: Clark, 1951: 159 (redescription).
    • Junior synonym of piliventris: Brown, 1953j: 20; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 14; Taylor, 1987a: 45; Ogata & Taylor, 1991: 1630; Bolton, 1995b: 273.

Type Material

Description

Karyotype

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  • n = 2, 2n = 4, karyotype = 4ST (Australia) (Imai & Taylor, 1986; Imai et al., 1988a).
  • n = 32, 2n = 64 (Australia) (Imai & Taylor, 1986; Imai et al., 1988a).
  • n = 17, 2n = 34 (Australia) (Imai & Taylor, 1986; Imai et al., 1988a).
  • 2n = 6 (Australia) (Imai & Taylor, 1986; Imai et al., 1988a).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Brown W. L., Jr. 1953. Revisionary notes on the ant genus Myrmecia of Australia. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology
111: 1-35.
  • Taylor R. W., and D. R. Brown. 1985. Formicoidea. Zoological Catalogue of Australia 2: 1-149.