Prionopelta punctulata

Prionopelta punctulata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Amblyoponinae
Tribe:	Amblyoponini
Genus:	Prionopelta
Species:	P. punctulata
Binomial name
Prionopelta punctulata Mayr, 1866 Specimen labels
Synonyms
Prionopelta bruchi Santschi, 1923 Prionopelta mayri Forel, 1909

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 3.88707° to -27.818°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Argentina, Brazil (type locality), Paraguay.

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

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0173506. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by ALWC, Alex L. Wild Collection.

Worker. Specimen code casent0102505. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MHNG, Geneva, Switzerland.

Worker. Specimen code casent0179474. Photographer Erin Prado, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Queen

Images from AntWeb

Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0173507. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by ALWC, Alex L. Wild Collection.

Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0172312. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by ANIC, Canberra, Australia.

Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0102503. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MHNG, Geneva, Switzerland.

Male

Images from AntWeb

Male (alate). Specimen code casent0173508. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by ALWC, Alex L. Wild Collection.

Male (alate). Specimen code casent0172313. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by ANIC, Canberra, Australia.

Nomenclature

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

• punctulata. Prionopelta punctulata Mayr, 1866a: 505 (q.) BRAZIL (Paraná).
  • Type-material: holotype queen.
  • Type-locality: Brazil: Paraná (no collector’s name).
  • Type-depository: NHMW.
  • Mayr, 1887: 549 (w.); Forel, 1893g: 367 (m.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1952a: 120 (l.).
  • Status as species: Mayr, 1887: 549; Forel, 1893g: 367; Dalla Torre, 1893: 15; Forel, 1895b: 110; Wheeler, W.M. 1905b: 120; Emery, 1911d: 33; Borgmeier, 1923: 54; Brown, 1960a: 178, 215; Kempf, 1972a: 210; Kempf & Lenko, 1976: 49; Bolton, 1995b: 365; Wild, 2007b: 23; Feitosa, 2015c: 97; Ladino & Feitosa, 2020: 240 (redescription).
  • Senior synonym of bruchi: Brown, 1960a: 178; 216; Kempf, 1972a: 210; Bolton, 1995b: 365; Ladino & Feitosa, 2020: 240.
  • Senior synonym of mayri: Brown, 1960a: 178; 216; Kempf, 1972a: 210; Bolton, 1995b: 365; Ladino & Feitosa, 2020: 240.
  • Distribution: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay.
• bruchi. Prionopelta bruchi Santschi, 1923c: 245 (w.) ARGENTINA (Córdoba).
  • Type-material: 2 syntype workers.
  • Type-locality: Argentina: Córdoba, Alta Gracia (C. Bruch).
  • Type-depository: NHMB.
  • [Note: type-material had initially been referred to as Typhlomyrmex bruchi Santschi, 1922d: 242, nomen nudum (Lacau et al. 2005: 39).]
  • Status as species: Santschi, 1931e: 273; Kusnezov, 1953b: 336.
  • Junior synonym of punctulata: Brown, 1960a: 178; Kempf, 1972a: 210; Bolton, 1995b: 365; Ladino & Feitosa, 2020: 240.
• mayri. Prionopelta mayri Forel, 1909a: 239 (w.) BRAZIL (Santa Catarina).
  • Type-material: holotype worker.
  • Type-locality: Brazil: Santa Catarina (Hetschko).
  • [Note: this taxon is based on a worker initially recorded as P. punctulata Mayr, sensu Mayr, 1887: 549 (misidenification).]
  • Type-depository: NHMW.
  • Status as species: Emery, 1911d: 33; Mann, 1922: 2; Santschi, 1923c: 246; Borgmeier, 1923: 53.
  • Junior synonym of punctulata: Brown, 1960a: 178; Kempf, 1972a: 210; Bolton, 1995b: 365; Ladino & Feitosa, 2020: 240.

References

• Brown, W. L., Jr. 1960a. Contributions toward a reclassification of the Formicidae. III. Tribe Amblyoponini (Hymenoptera). Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 122: 143-230 (page 178, Senior synonym of bruchi and mayri)
• Camargo, K.S. de. 2011. Composicao e diversidade de "Poneromorfas" (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) em duas fitofisionomias de cerrado e padroes de distribuicao de "Poneromorfas", Pseudomyrmecinae e Cephalotini (Myrmicinae) para o Brasil. Thesis, Universidade de Brasilia.
• Cantone S. 2018. Winged Ants, The queen. Dichotomous key to genera of winged female ants in the World. The Wings of Ants: morphological and systematic relationships (self-published).
• Forel, A. 1893j. Formicides de l'Antille St. Vincent, récoltées par Mons. H. H. Smith. Trans. Entomol. Soc. Lond. 1893: 333-418 (page 367, male described)
• Hamer, M.T., Pierce, M.P., Guénard, B. 2023. The Amblyoponinae (Formicidae) of Hong Kong. Asian Myrmecology 16, e016005 (doi:10.20362/am.016005).
• Ladino, N., Feitosa, R.M. 2020. Taxonomic revision of the genus Prionopelta Mayr, 1866 (Formicidae: Amblyoponinae) for the Neotropical region. Zootaxa 4821 (2): 201–249 (doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4821.2.1 ).
• Mayr, G. 1866a. Myrmecologische Beiträge. Sitzungsber. Kais. Akad. Wiss. Wien Math.-Naturwiss. Cl. Abt. I 53: 484-517 (page 505, queen described)
• Mayr, G. 1887. Südamerikanische Formiciden. Verh. K-K. Zool.-Bot. Ges. Wien 37: 511-632 (page 549, worker described)
• Tibcherani, M., Garbin, B.O., Aranda, R. 2021. First record of Prionopelta punctulata Mayr, 1866 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Brazilian Pantanal. International Journal of Zoology Studies 6(2): 41-43.
• Ulysséa, M.A., Brandão, C.R.F. 2013. Ant species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from the seasonally dry tropical forest of northeastern Brazil: a compilation from field surveys in Bahia and literature records. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 57, 217–224 (doi:10.1590/s0085-56262013005000002).
• Wheeler, G. C.; Wheeler, J. 1952a. The ant larvae of the subfamily Ponerinae - Part I. Am. Midl. Nat. 48: 111-144 (page 120, larva described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Borgmeier T. 1923. Catalogo systematico e synonymico das formigas do Brasil. 1 parte. Subfam. Dorylinae, Cerapachyinae, Ponerinae, Dolichoderinae. Archivos do Museu Nacional (Rio de Janeiro) 24: 33-103.
• Brown W. L., Jr. 1960. Contributions toward a reclassification of the Formicidae. III. Tribe Amblyoponini (Hymenoptera). Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 122: 143-230.
• Cuezzo, F. 1998. Formicidae. Chapter 42 in Morrone J.J., and S. Coscaron (dirs) Biodiversidad de artropodos argentinos: una perspectiva biotaxonomica Ediciones Sur, La Plata. Pages 452-462.
• Emery C. 1911. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Ponerinae. Genera Insectorum 118: 1-125.
• Feitosa R. dos S. M. and A. S. Ribeiro. 2005. Mirmecofauna (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) de serapilheira de uma área de Floresta Atlântica no Parque Estadual daCantareira – São Paulo, Brasil. Biotemas 18: 51-71.
• Fernandes T. T., R. R. Silva, D. Rodrigues de Souza-Campana, O. Guilherme Morais da Silva, and M. Santina de Castro Morini. 2019. Winged ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) presence in twigs on the leaf litter of Atlantic Forest. Biota Neotropica 19(3): http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2018-0694
• Fernandes T. T., W. Dattilo, R. R. Silva, P. Luna, C. M. Oliveira, and M. Santina de Castro Morini. 2019. Ant occupation of twigs in the leaf litter of the Atlantic Forest: influence of the environment and external twig structure. Tropical Conservation Science 12: 1-9.
• Forel A. 1912. Formicides néotropiques. Part I. Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique. 56: 28-49.
• Kempf W. W., and K. Lenko. 1976. Levantamento da formicifauna no litoral norte e ilhas adjacentes do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. I. Subfamilias Dorylinae, Ponerinae e Pseudomyrmecinae (Hym., Formicidae). Studia Entomologica 19: 45-66.
• Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
• Mann W. M. 1922. Ants from Honduras and Guatemala. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 61: 1-54.
• Rosa da Silva R. 1999. Formigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) do oeste de Santa Catarina: historico das coletas e lista atualizada das especies do Estado de Santa Catarina. Biotemas 12(2): 75-100.
• Santschi F. 1923. Solenopsis et autres fourmis néotropicales. Revue Suisse de Zoologie 30: 245-273.
• Santschi F. 1931. Contribution à l'étude des fourmis de l'Argentine. Anales de la Sociedad Cientifica Argentina. 112: 273-282.
• Silva R. R., R. S. Machado Feitosa, and F. Eberhardt. 2007. Reduced ant diversity along a habitat regeneration gradient in the southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Forest Ecology and Management 240: 61-69.
• Silva R.R., and C. R. F. Brandao. 2014. Ecosystem-Wide Morphological Structure of Leaf-Litter Ant Communities along a Tropical Latitudinal Gradient. PLoSONE 9(3): e93049. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0093049
• Suguituru S. S., M. Santina de Castro Morini, R. M. Feitosa, and R. Rosa da Silva. 2015. Formigas do Alto Tiete. Canal 6 Editora 458 pages
• Ulyssea M. A., and C. R. F. Brandao. 2013. Ant species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from the seasonally dry tropical forest of northeastern Brazil: a compilation from field surveys in Bahia and literature records. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 57(2): 217–224.
• Ulyssea M.A., C. E. Cereto, F. B. Rosumek, R. R. Silva, and B. C. Lopes. 2011. Updated list of ant species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) recorded in Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil, with a discussion of research advances and priorities. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 55(4): 603-–611.
• Ulysséa M. A., C. R. F. Brandão. 2013. Ant species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from the seasonally dry tropical forest of northeastern Brazil: a compilation from field surveys in Bahia and literature records. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 57(2): 217-224.
• Vittar, F. 2008. Hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) de la Mesopotamia Argentina. INSUGEO Miscelania 17(2):447-466
• Wheeler W. M. 1905. The ants of the Bahamas, with a list of the known West Indian species. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 21: 79-135.