Ooceraea decamera

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Ooceraea decamera
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Dorylinae
Genus: Ooceraea
Species: O. decamera
Binomial name
Ooceraea decamera
Bharti, Rilta & Dhadwal, 2021

Identification

Ooceraea decamera and Ooceraea joshii are distinctly separated from the other valid congeners by having 10-segmented antennae. Furthermore, these two species are well distinguished from each other by a combination of the following characters

  • head shape (almost as long as broad in O. joshii, rectangular, distinctly longer than broad in O. decamera)
  • presence of ommatidia (present in O. joshii and absent in O. decamera)
  • propodeal lobes (reduced versus roundly produced)
  • petiolar node in lateral view (hemiglobular versus rectangular)
  • subpetiolar process (anteroventral part sickle-shaped versus forming a rectangular and semitransparent lobe)
  • pilosity (head and body comparatively more pilose in O. joshii)
  • sculpturation (head, mesosoma, petiolar, postpetiolar node, and gaster with more pronounced foveolate sculpture in O. joshii)


Keys including this Species

Distribution

Known only from the type locality. The place has been transformed into agricultural land and is prone to anthropogenic activities. Thus, this reinforces the concept that important biodiversity components, which are already rare, are imperiled due to local extinctions.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: India (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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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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Biology

Castes

Nomenclature

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

  • decamera. Ooceraea decamera Bharti, Rilta & Dhadwal, 2021: 171, figs. 5-9 (w.) INDIA.

Description

Worker

Head in full-face view rectangular, distinctly longer than broad (CI 74), with lateral sides weakly convex, with posterior margin concave medially, with occipital lobes/corners angulate. Anterior clypeal margin slightly projecting forward. Eyes absent. Parafrontal ridge prominent and elevated. Mandibles edentate but weakly serrate. Antennae with 10 segments; scape short, clavate, slightly surpassing the mid-length of head. Frontal lobes reduced. Antennal sockets fully exposed from above.

Mesosoma in lateral view almost flat; promesonotal suture and metanotal groove absent. Pronotum in dorsal view with anterior margin weakly and roundly convex, with humeral corner rounded. Propodeum in dorsal view with posterior margin concave; propodeal declivity in lateral view almost straight, with lateral margin marginate; propodeal lobe roundly produced. Petiolar node in dorsal view subtrapezoidal, distinctly broader than long, in lateral view rectangular with anterior and posterior margins almost straight and dorsal margin weakly convex. Subpetiolar process well-developed, with anteroventral part forming a rectangular and semitransparent lobe. Postpetiole broader than long, anterior margin weakly concave and posterior margin weakly convex, in lateral view with anteroventral part broadly and roundly produced. Gastral segment I (abdominal segment IV) large occupying the most part of gaster, in lateral view with dorsal margin almost straight, base of cinctus of first gastral tergite cross-ribbed.

Sculpture: Head, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole shallowly foveolate-reticulate; mandibles and dorsal surface of gaster sparsely foveolate, foveae somewhat smaller as compared to those present on head, mesosoma, petiole, and postpetiole. Pilosity and pubescence: Whole body covered with pale yellow erect and sub-erect hairs; appressed pubescence abundant on antennae and legs. Body coloration: Mandibles, antennae, legs, subpetiolar process and gaster light brown; head, mesosoma and gaster dark brown.


Measurements (Holotype): HL 0.62; HW 0.46; SL 0.26; MW 0.38; ML 0.78; PL 0.26; PH 0.42; PW 0.30; PPL 0.34; PPH 0.41; PPW 0.40; CI 74; SI 57; PI1 62; PI2 93; PPI1 81; PPI2 118; WI 133.


Queen

Unknown


Male

Unknown


Etymology

The species epithet decamera refers to the ten-segmented antennal count.

References