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Nesomyrmex cataulacoides
| Nesomyrmex cataulacoides | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Crematogastrini |
| Genus: | Nesomyrmex |
| Species group: | cataulacoides |
| Species: | N. cataulacoides |
| Binomial name | |
| Nesomyrmex cataulacoides (Snelling, R.R., 1992)
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Based on the few collections available, this species is strictly arboreal
Identification
Snelling (1992) - A member of the cataulacoides species-group. Worker separable from all previously known sub-Saharan species by the 11-segmented antenna and presence of lateral spines on both petiolar and postpetiolar nodes.
In addition to the characteristics cited in the diagnosis preceding the description this species may be also recognized by the lack of obvious erect hairs on the head and mesosoma, the laterally projecting mesonotum, and the anterior spines on the propodeal dorsum. Because of the laterally subangulate vertex, sharp pronotal humeri, laterally marginate pronotal dorsum, projecting mesonotum and bispinose propodeum, L. catalaucoides is very suggestive of the genus Cataulacus.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -0.317° to -0.317°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Cameroun (type locality), Kenya.
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
Images from AntWeb
   
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| Worker. Specimen code casent0178300. Photographer Erin Prado, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by LACM, Los Angeles, CA, USA. |
   
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| Worker. Specimen code casent0178301. Photographer Erin Prado, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by LACM, Los Angeles, CA, USA. |
Nesomyrmex.png)
X-ray micro-CT scan 3D model of Nesomyrmex cataulacoides (worker) prepared by the Economo lab at OIST.
Heavily armoured arboreal ant species from Kakamega Forest in Western Kenya. See on Sketchfab. See list of 3D images.
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- cataulacoides. Leptothorax catalaucoides Snelling, R.R. 1992a: 99, figs. 6-8 (w.) CAMEROUN. Spelling emended to cataulacoides by Bolton, 1995b: 237 (as Snelling misspells the genus-group name Cataulacus as Catalaucus throughout the paper). Combination in Nesomyrmex: Bolton, 2003: 272.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
(mm): HL 0.58-0.60; HW 0.54-0.56; SL 0.38; WL 0.65-0.68; TL 1.73-1.85. Indices: CI 93-98; OI 18-20; SI 65-67.
Mandible with fine, strong longitudinal rugulae. Apical clypeal margin evenly convex and concealing basal tooth of closed mandibles; median clypeal carina weak, no stronger than carinae on either side. Frontal carinae virtually absent, merging with general sculpture before attaining level of middle of eyes. Antennal scrobes absent; antenna 11-segmented, scape relatively short and, when laid back along front of head, ending well below margin of vertex, SL about 0.67 HL. Eye small, greatest diameter about 0.12 mm and about 0.20 HW, with about 10 or 11 ommatidia in longest row. With head in full frontal view, sides above eyes subparallel; margin of vertex broadly and shallowly concave, subangulate laterally.
Pronotal humeri sharply angulate, sides distinctly marginate and convergent behind in dorsal view. Metanotal area, in profile, broadly and very shallowly concave. Propodeum, in dorsal view, with short subbasal spine on each side and long spine-pair at summit of declivity.
Petiole without anterior peduncle; bluntly rounded subpetiolar process present; node in dorsal view, with long spine on each side; node of postpetiole with much thicker spine on each side.
Front and side of head opaque, densely and minutely shagreened between sparse, shallow, obscure foveae, but midline distinctly less sculptured, moderately shiny. Promesonotal dorsum dull, densely shagreened, anteriorly with some short, very weak, more or less longitudinal rugulae; side of mesosoma slightly shiny, especially mesepisternum, surface distinctly, though shallowly, punctulate. Nodes of petiole and postpetiole similar to dorsum of propodeum but slightly shinier. Gastral terga and sterna shiny and smooth except for scattered minute hair pits.
Suberect or erect hairs are short, fine, and inconspicuous, limited to several along ventral margin of mandible and posterior margins of apical gastral segments.
Type Material
Holotype and 16 paratype workers from CAMEROON, Southwest Province: Big Ngwandi, Rumpi Hills, 14-15 November, 1989, collected by D. McKey from internodes of the myrmecophyte, Leonardoxa africana. Holotype and most paratypes in Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History; paratypes also in The Natural History Museum and Museum of Comparative Zoology.
Etymology
The specific name combines the suffix –oides (resembling) to the name Cataulacus because of the superficial resemblance to ants of that genus.
References
- Bolton, B. 2003. Synopsis and Classification of Formicidae. Mem. Am. Entomol. Inst. 71: 370pp (page 272, Combination in Nesomyrmex)
- Hita Garcia, F., Mbanyana, N., Audisco, T.L. & Alpert, G.D. 2017. Taxonomy of the ant genus Nesomyrmex Wheeler (Formicidae, Myrmicinae) in the Afrotropical region, with a review of current species groups and description of a new species of the N. angulatus group from Mozambique. European Journal of Taxonomy 258: 1–31 (DOI:10.5852/ejt.2017.258).
- Snelling, R. R. 1992a. Two unusual new myrmicine ants from Cameroon (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Psyche (Camb.) 99: 95-101 (page 99, figs. 6-8 worker described)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Garcia F.H., Wiesel E. and Fischer G. 2013.The Ants of Kenya (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)Faunal Overview, First Species Checklist, Bibliography, Accounts for All Genera, and Discussion on Taxonomy and Zoogeography. Journal of East African Natural History, 101(2): 127-222
- Hita Garcia F., Mbanyana N., Audisio T. L., and G. D. Alpert. 2017. Taxonomy of the ant genus Nesomyrmex Wheeler (Formicidae, Myrmicinae) in the Afrotropical region, with a review of current species groups and description of a new species of the N. angulatus group from Mozambique. European Journal of Taxonomy 258: 1–31.