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Prionopelta vampira
| Prionopelta vampira | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Amblyoponinae |
| Tribe: | Amblyoponini |
| Genus: | Prionopelta |
| Species: | P. vampira |
| Binomial name | |
| Prionopelta vampira Overson & Fisher, 2015
| |
This species is almost entirely restricted to northern Madagascar where it is found in litter in rainforest, littoral rainforest, and montane rainforest from 25–1200 meters of elevation. Intriguingly, P. vampira has also been collected at a single, highly disjunct site in far southeastern Madagascar 1048 km to the south near Enakara in the province of Toliara. (Overson and Fisher 2015)
Identification
Overson and Fisher (2015) - P. vampira is the only member of the genus from the Malagasy region in which workers entirely lack any visible metanotal suture when viewed dorsally; additionally the posterior propodeal edge is noticeably more concave in dorsal view than any other Malagasy Prionopelta.
This species, which has similar cephalic scupturing to Prionopelta xerosilva, is otherwise unmistakable due to its extremely long apical tooth, lack of a metanotal suture, and strongly concave posterior propodeal edge when viewed dorsally.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -12.0995° to -24.5667°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar (type locality).
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. |
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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. |
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Biology
Castes
Worker
Images from AntWeb
   
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| Worker. Specimen code casent0141976. Photographer Erin Prado, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA. |
   
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| Holotype of Prionopelta vampira. Worker. Specimen code casent0041504. Photographer Rick Overson, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA. |
    
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| Worker. Specimen code casent0461978. Photographer Rick Overson, 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.
- vampira. Prionopelta vampira Overson & Fisher, 2015: 143, figs. 1B, 2A, C, 11 (w.) MADAGASCAR.
- Type-material: holotype worker, 3 paratype workers.
- Type-locality: holotype Madagascar: Antsiranana, Forêt d’Anlabe, 30.0 km. 72° ENE Daraina, 13.08333°S, 49.90833°E, 30 m., 27.xi.2003, BLF09426, CASENT0041504, littoral rainforest, sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood) (B.L. Fisher, et al.); paratypes with same data but CASENT0041500 to -502.
- Type-depository: CASC.
- Distribution: Madagascar.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
(N=8). HL 0.49–0.53 (0.5); HW 0.41–0.45 (0.42); SL 0.27–0.31 (0.28); WL 0.55–0.62 (0.58); PetL 0.19–0.23 (0.21); PetW 0.24–0.26 (0.25); T1W 0.35–0.39 (0.37); CI 81.78–85.31 (83.78); PI 103.96–130.2 (120.71); SI 64.25–69.36 (67.33).
Highest cephalic index on average of Malagasy Prionopelta (CI 81.78–85.31 (83.78); posterior margin of the head with slight notch medially in full-face view; cephalic foveae shallow, large, and widely spaced; directly adjacent cephalic foveae either completely lacking, or very rare; if any foveae are adjacent, then always with only 2–3 foveae connected, and these usually always medially on the head in full-face view; majority of cephalic foveae separated by 1–3 foveal diameters, appear cleanly scooped from the shining integument, and lack raised margins; median cephalic band devoid of foveae is uniformly broad, and not swelling above the integument; apical tooth very long, longest of all Malagasy Prionopelta, over four times the length of the third apical tooth measured from base to tip; sculpture of the dorsum of the mesosoma consisting of large, shallow foveae which are widely spaced at 2–3 foveal diameters with punctures present between foveae; no metanotal suture present in dorsal view, but rather a shining surface with no clear distinction between propodeum and mesonotum; in a few specimens, a slightly perceptible depression is sometimes visible at the site of the metanotal suture, with associated notches on the lateral edges of the dorsum of the mesosoma, but this depression always lacks scarring; in lateral view, mesopropodeal suture weak, appearing as a gradual depression rather than a scar; posterior propodeal edge seen dorsally strongly concave; sharp lamellae of the posterior propodeum present.
Type Material
Holotype, pinned worker, MADAGASCAR, Antsiranana, Forêt d’Analabe, 30.0 km 72° ENE Daraina, 13.08333°S, 49.90833°E, 30 m, littoral rainforest, sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood), collection code BLF09426, 27.xi.2003 (B.L. Fisher et al.) (California Academy of Sciences: CASENT0041504). Paratypes, three pinned workers with same data as holotype (CASC: CASENT0041500; CASENT0041501; CASENT0041502).
Etymology
The name of this species is inspired by the vampire-like nature of its exceptionally long apical tooth. The species epithet is a Latinized adjective of the German and Hungarian word “vampir”.