Paraparatrechina

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Paraparatrechina
Paraparatrechina glabra
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Lasiini
Alliance: Prenolepis genus group
Genus: Paraparatrechina
Donisthorpe, 1947
Type species
Paratrechina (Paraparatrechina) pallida, now Paraparatrechina pallida
Diversity
42 species
(Species Checklist, Species by Country)

Paratrechina glabra casent0067057 profile 1.jpg

Paraparatrechina glabra

Paratrechina glabra casent0067057 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen Label

Hita Garcia, Wiesel and Fischer (2013) - Paraparatrechina is restricted to the tropics of Africa, Asia and Australia (LaPolla et al., 2010a). The Afrotropical species can be found in rainforests and forest clearings, in the leaf litter or in rotten logs, and some species presumably live in the vegetation or the canopy (LaPolla et al., 2010b). Paraparatrechina are generalistic feeders and often live in trophobiotic relationships with hemipterans (LaPolla et al., 2010a).

Identification

The mesosomal setal pattern of these ants (two pairs of pronotal erect setae; one pair of mesonotal erect setae and one pair of propodeal erect setae) is remarkably uniform across the genus. These are generally small ants (the majority of species are just over 1 mm to just under 2 mm in total length) that, except for a few known species, have a compact mesosoma. In at least three species a more elongated, slender mesosoma is noted: Paraparatrechina pallida and two undescribed Afrotropical species (LaPolla et al., in preparation). In these species the general form of the mesosoma roughly resembles that of Paratrechina longicornis: elongate and slender with a propodeum not angular with a short dorsal face, but instead with a dorsal face that is rounded and broad. In every other diagnostic morphological character, however, the species conform to the morphology given below for Paraparatrechina. (LaPolla et al. 2010)

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Keys including this Genus

 

Keys to Species in this Genus

Distribution

Paleotropics of Africa, Asia and Australia

Distribution and Richness based on AntMaps

Species by Region

Number of species within biogeographic regions, along with the total number of species for each region.

Afrotropical Region Australasian Region Indo-Australian Region Malagasy Region Nearctic Region Neotropical Region Oriental Region Palaearctic Region
Species 12 5 17 5 0 0 5 4
Total Species 2841 1736 3045 932 835 4379 1741 2862

Biology

Flight Period

All Flight Records for Genus

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Taxon Month Source Notes
Paraparatrechina sakurae Oct Nov Japan

Life History Traits

  • Mean colony size: 500 (Greer et al., 2021)
  • Compound colony type: not parasitic (Greer et al., 2021)
  • Nest site: hypogaeic; arboreal (Greer et al., 2021)
  • Diet class: omnivore (Greer et al., 2021)
  • Foraging stratum: subterranean/leaf litter; arboreal (Greer et al., 2021)

Castes

Two polymorphic species from the Afrotropics, Paraparatrechina weissi and Paraparatrechina bufona, superficially resemble Pseudolasius. A major worker caste is clearly expressed in these species and they possess many morphological features that suggest a hypogaeic lifestyle. Presently, they represent the only known cases of worker polymorphism within Paraparatrechina.

Morphology

Worker Morphology

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 • Eyes: 11-100 ommatidia • Pronotal Spines: absent • Mesonotal Spines: absent • Propodeal Spines: absent • Petiolar Spines: absent • Caste: none or weak • Sting: absent • Metaplural Gland: present • Cocoon: present

Phylogeny

Formicinae
Myrmelachistini
Lasiini
Melophorini
Formicini
Gesomyrmecini

Gesomyrmex  (7 species, 12 fossil species)

Oecophyllini

Oecophylla  (15 species, 16 fossil species)

Plagiolepidini
Gigantiopini

Gigantiops  (1 species, 0 fossil species)

Santschiellini

Santschiella  (1 species, 0 fossil species)

Myrmoteratini

Myrmoteras  (41 species, 0 fossil species)

Camponotini

See Phylogeny of Formicinae for details.

Nomenclature

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

  • PARAPARATRECHINA [Formicinae: Plagiolepidini]
    • Paraparatrechina Donisthorpe, 1947d: 192 [as subgenus of Paratrechina]. Type-species: Paratrechina (Paraparatrechina) pallida, by monotypy.
    • Paraparatrechina junior synonym of Paratrechina: Trager, 1984b: 58.
    • Paraparatrechina revived from synonymy and raised to genus: LaPolla, Brady & Shattuck, 2010a: 128.

Description

Mandible with 5 teeth; maxillary palps 6-segmented; labial palps 4-segmented; erect setae on dorsum of head distinctly paired; erect setae on head form a pattern of four setae along posterior margin and six to seven rows of paired setae from posterior margin to clypeal margin; scapes and legs lack erect setae; head (excluding clypeal surface) and mesonotal dorsum covered in dense pubesence. Eyes typically well developed and placed midlength towards midline and laterally on head. Erect mesosomal setae distinctly paired, with two pairs on pronotum, one pair on mesonotum and one pair on propodeum; propodeum typically with short dorsal face compared to longer posterior face; generally overall mesosoma shape compact, although in a few species the mesosoma is elongated. (LaPolla et al. 2010)

References