Odontomachus assiniensis

Odontomachus assiniensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Ponerinae
Tribe:	Ponerini
Genus:	Odontomachus
Species:	O. assiniensis
Binomial name
Odontomachus assiniensis Emery, 1892 Specimen labels
Synonyms
Odontomachus assiniensis aterrimus Wheeler, W.M., 1922 Odontomachus assiniensis caffrorum Santschi, 1914 Odontomachus assiniensis fauconneti Forel, 1910 Odontomachus assiniensis flavescens Bernard, 1953 Odontomachus assiniensis furvior Wheeler, W.M., 1922 Odontomachus assiniensis fuscus Stitz, 1916 Odontomachus assiniensis tropicalis Menozzi, 1922 Odontomachus intermedius Stitz, 1911

Identification

The lone member of the Odontomachus assiniensis group.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Afrotropical Odontomachus species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 6.417222222° to -31.12°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Benin, Cameroun, Central African Republic, Guinea, Ivory Coast (type locality), Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia.

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.

Castes

.	Owned by Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Images from AntWeb

Worker. Specimen code casent0104656. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by AMNH, New York, NY, USA.

Worker. Specimen code casent0178262. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by LACM, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code sam-hym-c002699a. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by SAMC, Cape Town, South Africa.

Worker. Specimen code sam-hym-c002699b. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by SAMC, Cape Town, South Africa.

Male (alate). Specimen code sam-hym-c005434a. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by SAMC, Cape Town, South Africa.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

• assiniensis. Odontomachus assiniensis Emery, 1892d: 558 (w.) IVORY COAST.
  • Type-material: holotype worker.
  • Type-locality: Ivory Coast: Assinie, 1886 (Ch. Alluaud).
  • Type-depository: MSNG.
  • Santschi, 1910c: 350 (q.); Forel, 1913e: 666 (q.m.); Santschi, 1914b: 57 (m.).
  • Status as species: Dalla Torre, 1893: 49; Emery, 1899e: 476; Santschi, 1910c: 350; Stitz, 1910: 130; Emery, 1911d: 113; Forel, 1911d: 362; Forel, 1913b: 309; Forel, 1913e: 666; Santschi, 1914b: 57; Santschi, 1914c: 288; Santschi, 1914d: 332; Stitz, 1916: 372; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 100, 793; Arnold, 1926: 218; Menozzi, 1933a: 101; Santschi, 1937b: 95; Weber, 1943c: 303; Bernard, 1953b: 214; Brown, 1976a: 102, 128; Bolton, 1995b: 295; Hita Garcia, et al. 2013: 220.
  • Senior synonym of aterrimus: Brown, 1976a: 102; Bolton, 1995b: 295.
  • Senior synonym of caffrorum: Brown, 1976a: 102; Bolton, 1995b: 295.
  • Senior synonym of fauconneti: Brown, 1976a: 102; Bolton, 1995b: 295.
  • Senior synonym of flavescens: Brown, 1976a: 102; Bolton, 1995b: 295.
  • Senior synonym of furvior: Brown, 1976a: 102; Bolton, 1995b: 295.
  • Senior synonym of fuscus Stitz, 1916: Brown, 1976a: 102; Bolton, 1995b: 295.
  • Senior synonym of intermedius: Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 101 (in text), 793; Brown, 1976a: 102; Bolton, 1995b: 295.
  • Senior synonym of tropicalis: Brown, 1976a: 102; Bolton, 1995b: 295.
  • Unavailable replacement name oblita referred here by Brown, 1976a: 102.
  • Distribution: Cameroon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Nigeria, São Tomé & Principe, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda.
• aterrimus. Odontomachus assiniensis var. aterrimus Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 102 (w.) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO.
  • Type-material: holotype worker.
  • Type-locality: Democratic Republic of Congo: Niapu, in stomach of a frog (Rana albolabris) (Lang & Chapin).
  • Type-depository: MCZC.
  • Junior synonym of assiniensis: Brown, 1976a: 102; Bolton, 1995b: 295.
• caffrorum. Odontomachus assiniensis st. caffrorum Santschi, 1914e: 14 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.
  • Type-material: holotype worker.
  • Type-locality: South Africa: Zululand, Dukuduku, 8.05 (I. Trägårdh).
  • Type-depository: NHMB.
  • Subspecies of assiniensis: Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 793; Arnold, 1926: 218.
  • Junior synonym of assiniensis: Brown, 1976a: 102; Bolton, 1995b: 295.
• fauconneti. Odontomachus assiniensis subsp. fauconneti Forel, 1910a: 27 (w.) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO.
  • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
  • Type-locality: Democratic Republic of Congo (“Haut Congo”): Bakaie, between Nyangwe and Stanleyville (= Kisangani) (Fauconnet).
  • Type-depository: MHNG.
  • Subspecies of assiniensis: Emery, 1911d: 113; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 793.
  • Junior synonym of assiniensis: Brown, 1976a: 102; Bolton, 1995b: 295.
• flavescens. Odontomachus assiniensis subsp. flavescens Bernard, 1953b: 215 (w.q.) GUINEA.
  • Type-material: 10+ syntype workers, 3 syntype queens.
  • Type-localities: 3 workers, 1 queen Guinea: Kéoulenta, “numerous” workers, 2 queens Guinea: Yalanzou, Nion, Camp IV, 1000 m., workers (number not stated) Guinea: Zouépo, prairie, 1050 m., 6 workers Guinea: crête de Nion, 1300 m., maquis, 1 worker Mont Tô, Camp I, 1600 m. (no collector’s name given, probably Lamotte).
  • Type-depository: MNHN.
  • Junior synonym of assiniensis: Brown, 1976a: 102; Bolton, 1995b: 295.
• furvior. Odontomachus assiniensis var. furvior Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 101 (w.q.) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO.
  • Type-material: 9 syntype workers.
  • Type-locality: Democratic Republic of Congo (“Belgian Congo”): Faradje (Lang & Chapin).
  • Type-depository: MCZC.
  • Subspecies of assiniensis: Weber, 1943c: 303.
  • Junior synonym of assiniensis: Brown, 1976a: 102; Bolton, 1995b: 295.
• fuscus. Odontomachus assiniensis var. fuscus Stitz, 1916: 372 (w.q.) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO.
  • Type-material: 1 syntype worker, 1 syntype queen.
  • Type-locality: Democratic Republic of Congo (“Belgian Congo”): Duma, Ubangi Dist., 10.x.1910 (Schubotz).
  • Type-depository: MNHU.
  • [assiniensis var. oblita Baroni Urbani, 1971b: 360. Unavailable replacement name (variety proposed after 1960) for fuscus Stitz, 1916 (Bolton, 1995b: 296).]
  • Subspecies of assiniensis: Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 793.
  • Junior synonym of assiniensis: Brown, 1976a: 102; Bolton, 1995b: 295.
• intermedius. Odontomachus intermedius Stitz, 1911b: 378 (w.) TANZANIA.
  • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated, “several”).
  • Type-locality: Tanzania: Budduwald (NW Bukoba), vi.1907 (no collector’s name).
  • Type-depository: MNHU.
  • Subspecies of assiniensis: Santschi, 1914e: 14.
  • Junior synonym of assiniensis: Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 101 (in text), 793; Brown, 1976a: 102; Bolton, 1995b: 296.
• tropicalis. Odontomachus assiniensis var. tropicalis Menozzi, 1922a: 352 (w.q.m.) SÃO TOMÉ & PRINCIPE (Principe I.).
  • Type-material: syntype workers, syntype queens, syntype males (numbers not stated).
  • Type-locality: São Tomé & Principe: Principe I., Roça Infante Don Enrique, i-ii.1900 (L. Fea).
  • Type-depositories: IEUB, MSNG.
  • Junior synonym of assiniensis: Brown, 1976a: 102; Bolton, 1995b: 297.

References

• Brown, W. L., Jr. 1976c. Contributions toward a reclassification of the Formicidae. Part VI. Ponerinae, tribe Ponerini, subtribe Odontomachiti. Section A. Introduction, subtribal characters. Genus Odontomachus. Stud. Entomol. 19: 67-171 (page 102, Senior synonym of intermedius, Senior synonym of aterrimus, caffrorum, tropicalis; page 128)
• Emery, C. 1892f [1891]. Voyage de M. Ch. Alluaud dans le territoire d'Assinie (Afrique occidentale) en juillet et août 1886. Formicides. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Fr. 60: 553-574 (page 558, worker described)
• Forel, A. 1913f. Quelques fourmis des Indes, du Japon et d'Afrique. Rev. Suisse Zool. 21: 659-673 (page 666, queen, male described)
• Mbenoun Masse, P.S., Ebolo, G.L.M., Titti, G.E., Mony, R. (2021) Ant species richness, abundance and functional groups along an elevation gradient in Central Cameroon Biodiversity Journal, 2021, 12 1.: 179–194. Biodiversity Journal 12, 179–194 (doi:10.31396/biodiv.jour.2021.12.1.179.194).
• Santschi, F. 1910c [1909]. Formicides nouveaux ou peu connus du Congo français. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Fr. 78: 349-400 (page 350, queen described)
• Santschi, F. 1914b. Voyage de Ch. Alluaud et R. Jeannel en Afrique Orientale, 1911-1912. Résultats scientifiques. Insectes Hyménoptères. II. Formicidae. Paris: Libr. A. Schulz, pp. 41-148. (page 57, male described)
• Satria, R. 2017. Taxonomy of the ant genus Odontomachus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae) in the Indo-Chinese and Indo-Malayan subregions. Ph.D. thesis, Tokyo Metropolitan University.
• Wheeler, W. M. 1922j. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VIII. A synonymic list of the ants of the Ethiopian region. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 45: 711-1004 (page 793, Senior synonym of intermedius)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Arnold G. 1926. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Appendix. Annals of the South African Museum. 23: 191-295.
• Belshaw R., and B. Bolton. 1994. A survey of the leaf litter ant fauna in Ghana, West Africa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research 3: 5-16.
• Bernard F. 1953. La réserve naturelle intégrale du Mt Nimba. XI. Hyménoptères Formicidae. Mémoires de l'Institut Français d'Afrique Noire 19: 165-270.
• Brown W. L., Jr. 1976. Contributions toward a reclassification of the Formicidae. Part VI. Ponerinae, tribe Ponerini, subtribe Odontomachiti. Section A. Introduction, subtribal characters. Genus Odontomachus. Stud. Entomol. 19: 67-171.
• CSIRO Collection
• Deblauwe I., and W. Dekoninck. 2007. Diversity and distribution of ground-dwelling ants in a lowland rainforest in southeast Cameroon. Insect. Soc. 54: 334 – 342.
• Emery C. 1892. Voyage de M. Ch. Alluaud dans le territoire d'Assinie (Afrique occidentale) en juillet et août 1886. Formicides. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 60: 553-574.
• Emery C. 1911. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Ponerinae. Genera Insectorum 118: 1-125.
• Fisher B. L. 2004. Diversity patterns of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) along an elevational gradient on Monts Doudou in southwestern Gabon. Memoirs of the California Academy of Sciences 28: 269-286.
• 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., G. Fischer, M.K. Peters, R.R. Snelling and H.W. Wagele. 2009. A preliminary checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Kakamega Forest (Kenya). Journal of East African Natural HIstory 98(2): 147-165.
• IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection
• Levieux J. 1972. Etude du peuplement en fourmis terricoles d'une savane preforestiere de Cote d'Ivoire. Revue d'Ecologie et de Biologie du Sol 10(3): 381-428.
• Lévieux J. 1972. Les fourmis de la savane de Lamto (Côte d'Ivoire): éléments de taxonomie. Bulletin de l'Institut Fondamental d'Afrique Noire. Série A. Sciences Naturelles 34: 611-654.
• Lévieux J. 1977. La nutrition des fourmis tropicales: V- Elements de synthèse. Les modes d'exploitation de la biocenose. Insectes Sociaux 24(3): 235-260.
• Menozzi C. 1932. Raccolte mirmecologiche dell'Africa orientale conservate nel Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria di Genova. Parte II. Formiche dell'Uganda e delle isole Sesse raccolte dal Dr. E. Bayon. [part]. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria. 56: 93-112.
• Ross S. R. P. J., F. Hita Garcia, G. Fischer, and M. K. Peters. 2018. Selective logging intensity in an East African rain forest predicts reductions in ant diversity. Biotropica 1-11.
• Santschi F. 1910. Formicides nouveaux ou peu connus du Congo français. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 78: 349-400.
• Santschi F. 1914. Formicides de l'Afrique occidentale et australe du voyage de Mr. le Professeur F. Silvestri. Bollettino del Laboratorio di Zoologia Generale e Agraria della Reale Scuola Superiore d'Agricoltura. Portici 8: 309-385.
• Santschi F. 1914. Meddelanden från Göteborgs Musei Zoologiska Afdelning. 3. Fourmis du Natal et du Zoulouland récoltées par le Dr. I. Trägårdh. Göteborgs Kungliga Vetenskaps och Vitterhets Samhälles Handlingar. 15: 1-44.
• Stitz H. 1910. Westafrikanische Ameisen. I. Mitteilungen aus dem Zoologischen Museum in Berlin 5: 125-151.
• Stitz H. 1916. Formiciden. Ergebnisse der Zweiten Deutschen Zentral-Afrika Expedition 1: 369-405.
• Watt, A.D., N.E. Stork and B.Bolton. 2002. The diversity and abundance of ants in relation to forest disturbance and plantation establishment in southern Cameroon. Journal of Applied Ecology 39(1):18-30.
• Weber N. A. 1943. The ants of the Imatong Mountains, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 93: 263-389.
• Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. II. The ants collected by the American Museum Congo Expedition. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 39-269.
• Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VIII. A synonymic list of the ants of the Ethiopian region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 711-1004