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Nylanderia trageri
| Nylanderia trageri | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Formicinae |
| Tribe: | Lasiini |
| Genus: | Nylanderia |
| Species: | N. trageri |
| Binomial name | |
| Nylanderia trageri Kallal & LaPolla, 2012 | |
Nests are found in leaf litter and in rotten branches. The time of reproductive flight is unknown. Previously, it was noted as a morph of Nylanderia parvula, but the presence of distinct uniformly yellow specimens collected in multiple areas, and preliminary molecular analyses (S.G. Brady, unpublished data) indicate it is a separate species (Kallal & LaPolla, 2012).
Identification
Kallal & LaPolla (2012) - Small (TL: 1.3–2.3), yellow species with no macrosetae on scapes.
Compare with: Nylanderia parvula.
This species is very distinct in its appearance. It lacks scape macrosetae, as does N. parvula, but its uniform yellow coloration contrasts distinctly with the dark brown N. parvula.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Collections have been made at elevations between 200 and 750 m in the central U.S., particularly in the Ouachita highlands and surrounding areas (Kallal & LaPolla, 2012).
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 34.13472222° to 32.88333333°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States (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
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- trageri. Nylanderia trageri Kallal & LaPolla, 2012: 35, figs. 49-51, 73, 157-164, 199 (w.q.m.) U.S.A.
Type Material
- Holotype, worker, Sam Houston National Forest, Walker County, Texas, United States, 30°33′0″N 95°34′0″W / 30.55°N 95.566667°W, 2 July 1999, S.P. Cover, Museum of Comparative Zoology.
- Paratype, 8 workers, Sam Houston National Forest, Walker County, Texas, United States, 30°33′0″N 95°34′0″W / 30.55°N 95.566667°W, 2 July 1999, S.P. Cover, Museum of Comparative Zoology, National Museum of Natural History.
Description
Worker
Measurements (n=9) TL: 1.20–2.27; HW: 0.44–0.52; HL: 0.55–0.61; EL: 0.14–0.17; SL: 0.56–0.67; PW: 0.32–0.39; WL: 0.60–0.76; GL: 0.54–1.05; PH: 0.17–0.32; PFL: 0.43–0.55; PFW: 0.13–0.16. SMC: 0; PMC: 2–4; MMC: 2–3. Indices: CI: 78–85; REL: 25–29; SI: 103–118; FI: 78–91.
Uniform yellow in color, sometimes with lighter mesocoxae, metacoxae, and legs; cuticle smooth and shiny; cephalic pubescence moderate, mesosoma and gastral pubescence absent; pubescence yellow, macrosetae brown. Head relatively quadrate; posterior margin not emarginated medially; scapes surpass posterior margin by first 3–4 funicular segments; ocelli apparent. Pronotal anterior face at approximately 45° or less; pronotum inflected with pronotal anterior face shorter than pronotal dorsal face; anterior margin of mesonotum continuous with pronotal margin; propodeum rounded with longer declivitous face.
Queen
Measurements (n=2) TL: 3.54–4.25; HW: 0.68–0.71; HL: 0.74–0.76; EL: 0.24; SL: 0.78; PW: 0.77–0.83; MW: 0.70–0.84; WL: 1.17–1.27; GL: 1.61–2.24; PH: 0.37–0.38; PFL: 0.67–0.69; PFW: 0.19–0.21. SMC: 0; PMC: 3–5; MMC: 7–8; MtMC: 2–4. Indices: CI: 92–93; REL: 31–33; SI: 102–107; FI: 90–91.
Brown to yellowish-brown, with scapes, mandibles, leg articulations, and tarsi lighter in color; cuticle smooth and shiny; densely pubescent, macrosetae brown. Head less broad than it is long; scapes surpass posterior margins by 3–4 funicular segments. Propodeum with short dorsal face and long declivitous face.
Male
Measurements (n=1) TL: 2.10; HW: 0.48; HL: 0.51; EL: 0.19; SL: 0.56; PW: 0.42; MW: 0.39; WL: 0.73; GL: 0.87; PH: 0.28; PFL: 0.57; PFW: 0.11; PL: 0.20. SMC: 0; MMC: 7; MtMC: 2. Indices: CI: 93; REL: 38; SI: 110; FI: 112.
Brown to brownish yellow with scapes, mandibles, and legs yellowish; cuticle smooth and shiny; cephalic pubescence sparse to moderate; mesonotum with dense pubescence; gastral pubescence virtually absent; macrosetae brown. Head longer than broad; eyes convex, extending beyond the lateral margins of the head in full face view; scapes surpass posterior margin by first 4 funicular segments; inner mandibular margin long and straight; basal angle approximately 90°; masticatory margin with one subapical tooth and large apical tooth. Mesosoma enlarged to accommodate flight muscles; propodeum with longer dorsal face. Genitalia: parameres laterally oriented, triangular, becoming digitiform distally; digiti and cuspides sculptured as N. faisonensis, N. parvula, and others with digiti about as long as aedeagal valves; cuspides about half as long, both with rounded teeth where they meet; aedeagal valves triangular, teeth absent; ninth sternite triangular, posteriorly medially emarginated, becoming broader proximally to nearly flat lateral margins, with short lateral apodemes and long, slender ventral apodeme.
Etymology
Named to honor Dr. James C. Trager, who not only previously treated most of the Nearctic species, but also noted the yellowish morphs of N. parvula which molecular data has indicated are a separate species. His taxonomic work on Nylanderia provides a firm and indispensible foundation to our efforts to monograph the world’s Nylanderia species.
References
- Kallal, R.J. & LaPolla, J.S. 2012. Monograph of Nylanderia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the World, Part II: Nylanderia in the Nearctic. Zootaxa 3508, 1-64.
- MacGown, J.A., Booher, D., Richter, H., Wetterer, J.K., Hill, J.G. 2021. An updated list of ants of Alabama (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with new state records. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 147: 961-981 (doi:10.3157/061.147.0409).
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Kallal R. J, and J. S. Lapolla. 2012. Monograph of Nylanderia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the world, part II: Nylanderia in the Nearctic. Zootaxa 3508: 1-64.