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Myrmica ereptrix
| Myrmica ereptrix | |
|---|---|
| |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Myrmicini |
| Genus: | Myrmica |
| Species: | M. ereptrix |
| Binomial name | |
| Myrmica ereptrix Bolton, 1988
| |
This species is known from only a single holotype queen, which was collected from a Picea forest in India. It is a workerless inquiline in the nest of Myrmica aimonissabaudiae.
| At a Glance | • Workerless Inquiline |
Identification
A member of the smythiesii species group (Bharti et al. 2016). This species is distinctive, it has an extremely wide petiole and postpetiole, both with well-developed, large ventral lobes.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 34.063752° to 34.05°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India (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
Only queens have been found, males and workers are unknown.
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- ereptrix. Myrmica ereptrix Bolton, 1988a: 2, figs. 1, 5 (q.) INDIA. See also: Radchenko & Elmes, 2003a: 236; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 130.
Type Material
- Holotype, queen, Kashmir, Gulmarg, 2800 m, India, 20.vii.1986, P.H. Williams; Picea forest.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Radchenko and Elmes (2003) - Measurements and indices (holotype queen). HL 1.20; HW 1.06; SL 0.86; AL 1.96 mm; FI 0.53; FLI 1.02; SI1 0.72, SI2 0.81; PPI 0.92; ESLI 0.36.
Etymology
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - M. ereptrix: from the feminine form of the Latin word ereptor = thief, to indicate that this species is almost certainly a social parasite.
References
- Bharti, H., Radchenko, A. and S. Sasi. 2016. Socially-parasitic Myrmica species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Himalaya, with the description of a new species. ZooKeys. 605:113–129. (doi:10.3897/zookeys.605.9087).
- Bharti, H., Sasi, S., Radchenko, A. 2016. Biogeography and ecology of Myrmica species (Formicidae: Myrmicinae) in Himalayan regions. Sociobiology 63, 956-975 (DOI 10.13102/sociobiology.v63i3.1145).
- Bolton, B. 1988a. A new socially parasitic Myrmica, with a reassessment of the genus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Syst. Entomol. 13: 1-11. (page 2, fig. 1, 5, queen described)
- Radchenko, A. G.; Elmes, G. W. 2003a. A taxonomic revision of the socially parasitic Myrmica ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Palaearctic region. Ann. Zool. (Warsaw) 53: 217-243.
- Radchenko, A.G. & Elmes, G.W. 2010. Myrmica ants of the Old World. Fauna Mundi 3: 1-789.
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Bolton B. 1988. A new socially parasitic Myrmica, with a reassessment of the genus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Syst. Entomol. 13: 1-11
- Radchenko A. G., and G. W. Elmes. 2003. A taxonomic revision of the socially parasitic Myrmica ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Palaearctic region. Annales Zoologici (Warsaw) 53: 217-243.
- Radchenko A. G., and G. W. Elmes. 2010. Myrmica ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Old World. Fauna Mundi 3. Warsaw: Natura Optima Dux Foundation, 790 pp.
- Radchenko, A. G., and G. W. Elmes. "A taxonomic revision of the ant genus Myrmica Latreille, 1804 from the Himalaya (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)." Entomologica Basiliensia 23 (2001): 237-276.