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Nylanderia brevisetula
| Nylanderia brevisetula | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Formicinae |
| Tribe: | Lasiini |
| Genus: | Nylanderia |
| Species: | N. brevisetula |
| Binomial name | |
| Nylanderia brevisetula LaPolla & Fisher, 2011
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No information about the biology of Nylanderia brevisetula has been published.
Identification
LaPolla et al. (2011) - Head and mesosoma brown to reddish brown, with darker brown gaster; suberect setae on pronotum and mesonotum distinctly short.
Compare with: Nylanderia mendica
This is an unusual Nylanderia species with macrosetae on the pronotum and mesonotum both short and suberect. It may be confused with N. mendica, because N. brevisetula has a rugulose head similar to that of N. mendica and the macrosetae on the pronotum and mesonotum of N. mendica are also fairly short, though not as short as in N. brevisetula. N. mendica also has distinct striations both dorsally and ventrally on the gaster, whereas N. brevisetula only occasionally has faint striations dorsally on its gaster. Finally, N. mendica has a pronotum with lateral striations whereas N. brevisetula has a smooth pronotum laterally. We suspect based on the rugulose cuticles (generally an unusual condition in Nylanderia), similarly shaped heads, and the short macrosetae observed in both N. brevisetula and N. mendica that these two species are closely related.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 5.411944444° to -2.384444444°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Cameroun, Central African Republic, Gabon (type locality), Ivory Coast.
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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| Holotype of Nylanderia brevisetula. Worker. Specimen code casent0179575. Photographer Erin Prado, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA. |
   
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| Paratype of Nylanderia brevisetula. Worker. Specimen code casent0317036. Photographer Estella Ortega, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA. |
   
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| Paratype of Nylanderia brevisetula. Worker. Specimen code casent0317037. Photographer Estella Ortega, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA. |
   
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| Paratype of Nylanderia brevisetula. Worker. Specimen code casent0317038. Photographer Estella Ortega, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA. |
 
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| Specimen code casent0317387. . | |
 
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| Specimen code casent0317388. . | |
    
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| Worker. Specimen code casent0906551. Photographer Estella Ortega, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA. |
The queen and male castes are currently unknown for this species.
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- brevisetula. Nylanderia brevisetula LaPolla & Fisher, in LaPolla, Hawkes & Fisher, 2011: 15, figs. 7-9, 75 (w.) GABON.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Measurements (n = 6): TL: 2.40–2.80; HW: 0.50–0.70; HL: 0.67–0.71; EL: 0.14–0.18; SL: 0.80–0.90; PW: 0.39–0.45; WL: 0.85–0.92; GL: 0.88–1.16
Indices: CI: 85–92; REL: 19–26; SI: 137–142
Head and mesosoma brown to reddish brown, with gaster dark brown, yellowish around acidopore; mandibles, antennae, trochanters, joints of legs and tarsi yellowish. Head rugulose; pronotum smooth and shining, with a few specimens faintly rugulose; gaster faintly striated; mesonotum, mesopleuron, and propodeum faintly rugulose in places. Posterior margin of head broadly rounded, with distinctly rounded posterolateral corners; medially posterior margin slightly emarginate. Scapes surpass posterior margin by about the length of the first 3–4 funicular segments; scapes with erect macrosetae (SMC ≥ 25) and an abundant layer of decumbent pubescence. Pronotum and mesonotum with scattered, distinctly short, erect to suberect macrosetae (PMC = 2–3; MMC = 2–4); pronotum gently rounded toward mesonotum; mesonotum distinctly rugulose; metanotal area elongate and rugulose; dorsal face of propodeum rounded, although lower than mesonotum; dorsal face shorter than declivitous face. Dorsally gastral segments with short, erect to appressed macrosetae, with macrosetae becoming slightly longer posteriorly; gaster with a layer of pubescence and appressed macrosetae.
Type Material
Holotype worker, GABON: Ogooue-Maritime: Aire d'Exploit. Rationnelle de Faune des Monts Doudou, 24.3 km 307° NW Doussala, 02°13'35"S 010°24'35" E, elev. 375 m, 6.iii.2000 (B.L. Fisher) (California Academy of Sciences) (CASENT0179575); 6 paratype workers, same label data as holotype (CASC, National Museum of Natural History)
Etymology
The species epithet brevisetula is a combination of brevi (L. = short) and seta (L. = bristle) with a Latin diminutive ending (ula), referring to the unusually short dorsal macrosetae of the workers.
References
- LaPolla, J.S., Hawkes, P.G. & Fisher, B.L. (2011) Monograph of Nylanderia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the World, Part I: Nylanderia in the Afrotropics. Zootaxa 3110: 10–36.
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- LaPolla J. S.; P.G. Hawkes, and B.L. Fisher. 2011. Monograph of Nylanderia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the World, Part I: Nylanderia in the Afrotropics. Zootaxa 3110: 10-36.