.jpg){kind=logo}
Pachycondyla beneditoi
| Pachycondyla beneditoi | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Ponerinae |
| Tribe: | Ponerini |
| Genus: | Pachycondyla |
| Species: | P. beneditoi |
| Binomial name | |
| Pachycondyla beneditoi Marcineiro & Lattke, 2024 | |
Photo Gallery
,_Fig._14.jpg)
,_Fig._15.jpg)
Identification
The following suit of characters diagnoses this species:
- Large body size (WL > 3.5mm).
- Mandible without dorsal striae.
- Clypeal distance greater than basal antennal scape width.
- Anteromedian clypeal margin without strong concavity in full-face view.
- Humeral angle not overhanging pronotal sides.
- Absence of humeral carina.
- Propodeal declivitous margin without lateral expansions.
- Dorsal and posterior faces of petiole shining, with piligerous punctures.
- Petiolar shape in posterior view with lateral margins gradually converging ventrally.
,_Fig._13.jpg)
Pachycondyla beneditoi is part of the impressa species complex. It differs from Pachycondyla impressa by having the clypeus longer than the antennal scape width while P. impressa has the clypeus shorter than the antennal scape width. The petiole of Pachycondyla beneditoi is shining with piligerous punctures on the dorsal and posterior faces; in contrast, the petiole of P. impressa, is sculptured, this is also true for Pachycondyla fuscoatra, Pachycondyla inca, and Pachycondyla purpurascens.
Every specimen we found of this species was previously identified as P. impressa. It has the diagnostic characters of P. impressa used by Kempf (1961) and MacKay & MacKay (2010) in their revision of the genus (see Pachycondyla impressa discussion). It is possible that every published record of P. impressa from Brazil actually represents Pachycondyla beneditoi.
Besides comparing this proposed new species with specimens of the other studied Pachycondyla species, we also examined images of four P. impressa specimens in AntWeb (CASENT0178689, CASENT0249151, CASENT0636810, CASENT0922392) from Costa Rica, Panama and Venezuela. In his treatment of P. impressa, MacKay (2010) described the gaster as being smooth and glossy, but not the node, which was described as punctate. MacKay (2010) studied many specimens from Mexico, Central America, Colombia, and Ecuador, but few from the rest of South America.
The complete allopatry between P. beneditoi and P. impressa may raise doubts about the separation of these two species, as P. beneditoi could be a geographical variation of P. impressa. However, the consistency with which the morphological differences outlined earlier appear, always with the entire set of morphological differences, leads us to believe that they are indeed different species. Pachycondyla beneditoi is the only species of Pachycondyla that exhibits a completely shining dorsal surface of the petiolar node, and no type material of P. impressa, P. inca, or P. purpurascens present the set of characters that diagnose P. beneditoi.
One of the few records of Pachycondyla from Pernambuco is of Pachycondyla beneditoi. Although we did not examine samples from Maranhão, Piauí, Tocantins, Goiás, Distrito Federal, and Espírito Santo, it is possible that this species occurs in these states as well, since they are in the middle of the known localities.
The Venezuelan worker examined is considered Pachycondyla beneditoi, even though it is noticeably smaller than the holotype, but the size variation is comparable to that in other species (e.g. P. crassinoda and P. striata). Aside from size, this specimen does not present other morphological differences.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Found from northern Venezuela to southeastern Brazil, and in Brazil found from Pará to São Paulo (latitudinal range), and from Pernambuco (eastern limit) to Mato Grosso (longitudinal range).
,_Fig._16.jpg)
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 11.0° to -23.5°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: Marcineiro & Lattke, 2024
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Brazil (type locality), Venezuela.
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
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- beneditoi. Pachycondyla beneditoi Marcineiro & Lattke, 2024: 13, figs. 13–16 (w.q.) BRAZIL (Goiás, Minas Gerais, Bahia, Pará).
Type Material
- Holotype worker: BRAZIL, Goiás, São Domingos, Lapa da terra ronca, vii.1985, (F. Cheimowiez) (MZSP67239) (Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo).
- Paratype worker, BRAZIL, Minas Gerais, Pudente Morais, Caverna CSM01, 19°27’18.24”S 44°8’0.60”W, 06.iii.2019, (Zampaulo RA & Reis AS) (DZUP591933) (Coleção Entomológica Pe. Jesus Santiago Moure).
- Paratype gyne BRAZIL, Bahia, Itabuna, 30.xii.2008 (J. R. Delabie) (DZUP591641) (Coleção Entomológica Pe. Jesus Santiago Moure).
- Paratype gyne, BRAZIL, Pará, Novo Progresso, Fazenda Florentino, 07°07’45.71”S 55°23’21.12”W, 12.xii.2010-08.ii.2011 (D. Krinski) (DZUP591640) (Coleção Entomológica Pe. Jesus Santiago Moure).