Paratrechina ankarana

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Paratrechina ankarana
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Lasiini
Genus: Paratrechina
Species: P. ankarana
Binomial name
Paratrechina ankarana
LaPolla & Fisher, 2014

Paratrechina ankarana casent0454372 p 1 high.jpg

Paratrechina ankarana casent0454372 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

This species is restricted to Madagascar were it is found in dry forest habitats.

Identification

Dark brown, with cuticle giving a faint greenish-blue reflection; propodeum with fine striations across surface; SI less than 195.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Malagasy Region: Madagascar (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

AntMapLegend.png

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.
pChart

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.
pChart

Biology

Castes

Images from AntWeb

Paratrechina ankarana casent0906651 p 1 high.jpgParatrechina ankarana casent0906651 d 1 high.jpgParatrechina ankarana casent0906651 h 1 high.jpgParatrechina ankarana casent0906651 l 1 high.jpgParatrechina ankarana casent0906651 h 2 high.jpgParatrechina ankarana casent0906651 h 3 high.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0906651. Photographer Estella Ortega, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Paratrechina ankarana casent0906652 h 1 high.jpgParatrechina ankarana casent0906652 d 1 high.jpgParatrechina ankarana casent0906652 p 1 high.jpgParatrechina ankarana casent0906652 l 1 high.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0906652. Photographer Estella Ortega, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Nomenclature

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

  • ankarana. Paratrechina ankarana LaPolla & Fisher, 2014: 41, figs 1-3 (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Holotype worker. MADAGASCAR: Province Antsiranna, Rés. Spéc. Ankarana; 22.9km 224° SW Antivorano Nord; 80 m; 12°55'S, 49°7'E; 10-16.ii.2001; Fisher et al.; CASENT0454372 (CASC).

Paratypes. 6 paratype workers with the same locality information as the holotype (CASC, USNM); 9 paratype workers, Antsiranna, Rés. Spéc. Ankarana; 22.9 km 224° SW Antivorano Nord; 210 m; 12°52'S, 49°14'E; 16-21.ii.2001; Fisher et al. (BMNH, CASC, PBZT, USNM).

Description

Worker

(n=6) TL: 2.60–2.84; HW: 0.60–0.63; HL: 0.66–0.72; EL: 0.18–0.20; SL: 1.10–1.17; PW: 0.42–0.46; WL: 1.01–1.07; GL: 0.90–1.14; PFL: 0.80–0.90; CI: 85–92; REL: 27–29; REL2: 31–33; SI: 184–191; SMC: 24–30; PMC: 3–6; MMC: 3–4.

Dark brown; antennae lighter with trochanters yellow to white; cuticle smooth and shiny, except on propodeum which posseses fine striations across surface; under microscrope view cuticle has a faint greenish-blue reflection; abundant macrosetae across scapes, head, pronotum, mesonotum, and gaster; scapes with short pubescence. Head ovate; posterolateral corners rounded with complete posterior margin; midpoint of eyes at approximately midline of head; eyes convex; 3 small ocelli present; mandibles with 5 teeth; apical tooth the longest, 3rd tooth from apical shortest, remainder about the same size; outer mandibular surface with slight striations across surface. In lateral view, pronotum rises in a straight margin towards mesonotum with only slight convexity towards mesonotal margin; propodeum large and bulbous, making division between dorsal and declivitous faces difficult; metanotal suture with distinct impression that extends down along the mesopleural/metapleural margin; mesopleuron with darkened ridge along impression.

Etymology

The specific epithet is derived from the name of the reserve where the species was found.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Huong N. T. T., P. V. Sang, and B. T. Viet. 2015. A preliminary study on diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) at Hon Ba Nature Reserve. Environmental Scientific Conference 7: 614-620.