.jpg){kind=logo}
Nesomyrmex minutus
| Nesomyrmex minutus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Crematogastrini |
| Genus: | Nesomyrmex |
| Species group: | brevicornis |
| Species: | N. minutus |
| Binomial name | |
| Nesomyrmex minutus Csösz & Fisher, 2016
| |
This species is known from rainforests of a single locality in the southeastern coast of Madagascar, where it appears to be exclusively associated with the host plant Macphersonia gracilis (Sapindaceae). We know little about the ecology of the association. Unlike other tropical regions, very few ant plant associations are known from Madagascar. The only known ant assocations are from notheastern Madagascar, where three species in the plant genus Gravesia Naudin, 1851 (Melastomataceae) are often occupied by Tetramorium silvicola and Vitsika breviscapa. (Csösz & Fisher 2016)
Identification
A member of the brevicornis species-group.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -23.01583° to -23.01583°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar (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. |
|
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
Castes
Worker
Images from AntWeb
   
| |
| Holotype of Nesomyrmex minutus. Worker. Specimen code casent0071633. Photographer Michele Esposito, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA. |
   
| |
| Worker. Specimen code casent0103114. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by UCDC, Davis, CA, USA. |
Queen
Images from AntWeb
   
| |
| Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0103115. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by UCDC, Davis, CA, USA. |
    
| |
| Paratype of Nesomyrmex minutus. Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0071657. Photographer Erin Prado, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA. |
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- minutus. Nesomyrmex minutus Csösz & Fisher, 2016: 151, figs 34-37 (w.) MADAGASCAR.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Body color: yellow. Body color pattern: body concolorous, first gaster tergite darker. Absolute cephalic size: 469 [405, 530]. Cephalic length vs. maximum width of head capsule (CL/CWb): 1.30 [1.22, 1.36]. Postocular distance vs. cephalic length (PoOc/CL): 0.52 [0.51, 0.54]. Postocular sides of cranium contour frontal view orientation: converging posteriorly. Postocular sides of cranium contour frontal view shape: broadly convex. Vertex contour line in frontal view shape: straight. Vertex sculpture: main sculpture absent, ground sculpture imbricate, shiny. Setal pits on head dorsum: inconspicuous with obscure demarcation. Gena contour line in frontal view shape: convex. Genae contour from anterior view orientation: converging. Gena sculpture: rugoso-reticulate with areolate ground sculpture; ground sculpture areolate, main sculpture costulate. Concentric carinae laterally surrounding antennal foramen: present. Eye length vs. absolute cephalic size (EL/CS): 0.25 [0.22, 0.28]. Frontal carina distance vs. absolute cephalic size (FRS/CS): 0.36 [0.33, 0.39]. Longitudinal carinae on median region of frons: absent. Smooth median region on frons: present. Antennomere count: 12. Scape length vs. absolute cephalic size (SL/CS): 0.57 [0.53, 0.61]. Median clypeal notch: present. Ground sculpture of submedian area of clypeus: present. Median carina of clypeus: absent. Metanotal depression: present. Dorsal region of mesosoma sculpture: imbricate, main sculpture absent. Lateral region of pronotum sculpture: imbricate, main sculpture absent; inconspicious areolate ground sculpture, main sculpture dispersed costate. Mesopleuron sculpture: ground sculpture areolate, main sculpture absent. Metapleuron sculpture: ground sculpture areolate, main sculpture absent. Petiole width vs. absolute cephalic size (PEW/CS): 0.22 [0.20, 0.23]. Dorsal region of petiole sculpture: ground sculpture areolate, main sculpture absent. Postpetiole width vs. absolute cephalic size (PPW/CS): 0.33 [0.30, 0.35]. Dorsal region of postpetiole sculpture: ground sculpture smooth, main sculpture absent. Surface of the first gastral tergite: imbricate sculpture absent.
Type Material
Holotype: CASENT0071633, collection code: BLF14082, Réserve Speciale Manombo 24.5 km 228° Farafangana, -23.01583°, 47.719°, alt 30 m, B.L. Fisher et al., 04.22.2006, (1w, California Academy of Sciences, CASENT0071633); Paratypes: 21 workers, 16 gynes, and one male from the same locality under CASENT codes.
Etymology
The name (minutus) refers to the small tiny appearance of workers of this species.