.jpg){kind=logo}
Pristomyrmex trispinosus
| Pristomyrmex trispinosus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Crematogastrini |
| Genus: | Pristomyrmex |
| Species: | P. trispinosus |
| Binomial name | |
| Pristomyrmex trispinosus (Donisthorpe, 1946)
| |
A nest of P, trispinosus was found under a flat stone, and about 30 to 40 workers, two males, larvae, and pupae were collected; this species, when disturbed, simulates death (Donisthorpe, 1946).
Identification
Wang (2003) - Worker. Pronotum, mesonotum, and propodeum each with a pair of strong prominences; dorsal surfaces of head and alitrunk with dense regular striations; propodeal spines in dorsal view divergent; HW and HL > 1.10.
Pristomyrmex trispinosus is known only from Mauritius. It differs from Pristomyrmex bispinosus in the workers in having regular coarse striations on the entire dorsal surfaces of the head and the alitrunk and a pair of strong, digitlike prominences on the mesonotum. The workers of P. trispinosus and P. bispinosus are separable from those of Pristomyrmex browni by the following characters: P. trispinosus and P. bispinosus - Propodeal spines in dorsal view divergent, not laterally compressed; in profile rather straight. A relatively short diastema present between the preapical and the third tooth on the masticatory margin of the mandible. Larger species with HW > 1.08, HL > 1.14, SL > 1.32, PW > 0.68, TL > 4.36. P. browni - Propodeal spines in dorsal view subparallel, somewhat late rally compressed; in profile, bent at about a right-angle near the base. A relatively long diastema present between the preapical and the third tooth on the masticatory margin of the mandible. Smaller species with HW 0.82-0.90, HL 0.88-1.01, SL 0.80-0.97, PW 0.40-0.50, TL 3.24-3.78.
A member of the Trispinosus species group
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -20.03333333° to -20.43333054°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Mauritius (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. |
|
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
Queens have yet to be collected.
Worker
Images from AntWeb
   
| |
| Worker. Specimen code casent0102285. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by NHMUK, London, UK. |
   
| |
| Worker. Specimen code casent0103300. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by MNHN, Paris, France. |
Male
Images from AntWeb
  
| |
| Male (alate). Specimen code casent0102284. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by NHMUK, London, UK. |
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- trispinosus. Dodous trispinosus Donisthorpe, 1946f: 145, figs. 1-4 (w.m.) MAURITIUS. Combination in Pristomyrmex: Brown, 1971a: 3. See also: Wang, M. 2003: 489.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Wang (2003) - TL 4.50-4.68, HL 1.16-1.22, HW 1.11-1.18, CI 91-97, SL 1.33-1.44, SI 117-122, EL 0.20-0.24, PW 0.66-0.70, AL 1.16-1.26, PPW 0.27-0.30, PPL 0.24-0.26, PPI 108-11.5 (n = 6).
Mandibles smooth and shining. Masticatory margin of mandible with four teeth arranged as the strongest apical + the second strongest preapical + a short diastema (sometimes, this diastema is not distinct) + a small denticle + a long diastema + a small basal denticle. Basal margin of mandible lacking a toothlike prominence. Anterior margin of the median portion of clypeus with at least five denticles, but sometimes two lateral denticles are fused into a broad lobe. Two ends of the anterior clypeal margin each with a developed prominence. Ventral surface of clypeus lacking toothlike prominences. Clypeus usually with a few longitudinal rugae. Palp formula 1,2. Frontal calinae absent. Antennal scrobes absent. Frontal lobes absent so that the antennal articulations are completely exposed. Antennal scapes long, when lying on the dorsal head surpassing the occipital margin by one-fourth to one-third of their length. Eyes usually containing 11 to 12 ommatidia in the longest row. Occipital margin in full-face view slightly concave. Alitrunk in profile with a convex pro-mesonotum and a deeply concave propodeal dorsum. Pronotum armed with a pair of moderately long acute spines. Mesonotum with a pair of thick, blunt, digitlike short prominences. Propodeum with a pair of developed long spines that, in dorsal view, are joined together at the base but divergent along their length so that they form a fork. Metapleural lobes dentiform. Petiole node in profile nodifonn with a long anterior peduncle. Postpetiole in profile rounded anterodorsally but usually with a distinct posterodorsal angle; in dorsal view, postpetiole slightly broader than long. Entire dorsum of head with regular coarse striations: many striations spread out from the center to the two sides and to the occipital margin; some are around the antennal fossae, the rest are some longitudinal rugae present on the sides of the head. Sides and the dorsum of alitrunk with numerous evenly distributed, circular coarse striations. Center of mesonotum with a few coarse short rugae . Petiole and postpetiole rather smooth and shining, but sometimes their sides with a few superficial short rugae. Gaster un sculptured. All dorsal surfaces with numerous erect or suberect hairs. Scapes and tibiae with numerous erect or suberect short hairs. A row of forward-projecting hairs present near the anterior clypeal margin. Color yellow-brown, but sometimes reddish-brown.
Male
Wang (2003) - One syntype male (BMNH), together with a number of syntype workers, constitutes a series (see Donisthorpe, 1946): TL 4.46, HL 0.72, HW 0.70, CI 97, SL 0.20, SI 29, EL 0.22, PW 0.90, AL 1.42 (n = 10.
Head, including the eyes, broader than long. Clypeus somewhat transverse, convex in middle. On the mesoscutum, notauli indistinct. Scuto-scutellar sulcus wide, separated into small cells by narrow ridges. Propodeum weakly tuberculate, lacking teeth or spines. Metapleural lobes subtriangular. Petiole node in profile low with a fairly long anterior peduncle. Postpetiole in profile rounded dorsally. Dorsum of head smooth and shining. Mesoscutum smooth and shining, but mesoscutellum with some rugae and a few foveolate punctures. Petiole node rather smooth. Postpetiole and gaster unsculptured, smooth, and shining. All dorsal surfaces with abundant erect or suberect long hairs. Scapes and tibiae with numerous erect or suberect short hairs. Color reddish-brown; wings somewhat dusky.
Type Material
Wang (2003) - Syntype workers and males, Mauritius: Cocotte Mt., 27.xii.1941 and 6.ii.l943 (R. Mamet) (The Natural History Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Museum of Comparative Zoology) [examined].
- Dodous trispinosus Donisthorpe, 1946: Syntype, 1 worker, Cocotte Mt., Mauritius, Mamet,R., ANIC32-017636, Australian National Insect Collection.
References
- Brown, W. L., Jr. 1971a. Characters and synonymies among the genera of ants. Part IV. Some genera of subfamily Myrmicinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Breviora 365: 1-5 (page 3, Combination in Pristomyrmex)
- Donisthorpe, H. 1946j. A new genus and species of Formicidae (Hym.) from Mauritius. Proc. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. Ser. B 15: 145-147 (page 145, figs. 1-4 worker, male described)
- Wang, M. 2003. A Monographic Revision of the Ant Genus Pristomyrmex (Hymenoptera:Formicidae). Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 157(6): 383-542 (page 488, figs. 199-200 worker, male described)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Brown W. L., Jr. 1971. Characters and synonymies among the genera of ants. Part IV. Some genera of subfamily Myrmicinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Breviora 365: 1-5.
- CSIRO Collection
- Chapman, J. W., and Capco, S. R. 1951. Check list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Asia. Monogr. Inst. Sci. Technol. Manila 1: 1-327
- Donisthorpe H. 1946. A new genus and species of Formicidae (Hym.) from Mauritius. Proceedings of the Royal Entomological Society of London. Series B 15: 145-147.
- Donisthorpe, Horace. 1946. The Ants (Hym. Formicidae) of Mauritius. Annals and Magazine of National History. Ser. 11. 13:25-35.
- Fisher B. L. 1997. Biogeography and ecology of the ant fauna of Madagascar (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Natural History 31: 269-302.
- Fisher B. L. 2005. A new species of Discothyrea Roger from Mauritius and a new species of Proceratium Roger from Madagascar (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences (4)56: 657-667.
- Wang M. 2003. A Monographic Revision of the Ant Genus Pristomyrmex (Hymenoptera:Formicidae). Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 157(6): 383-542.
- Wang M. 2003. A monographic revision of the ant genus Pristomyrmex (Hymenoptera:Formicidae). Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 157(6):383-542