Probolomyrmex brevirostris

Probolomyrmex brevirostris
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Proceratiinae
Tribe:	Probolomyrmecini
Genus:	Probolomyrmex
Species:	P. brevirostris
Binomial name
Probolomyrmex brevirostris (Forel, 1910) Specimen Labels
Synonyms
Probolomyrmex parvus Weber, 1949

The holotype bears a label reading “bei termiten”. Weber's queen was taken “among humus and leaves at the base of a tree with a few bushes forming an island in a banana plantation.”

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 15.08333333° to 13.06666667°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Eritrea (type locality), Ethiopia, Uganda, Yemen.

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.

Nomenclature

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

• brevirostris. Escherichia brevirostris Forel, 1910c: 246 (w.) ERITREA.
  • Type-material: holotype worker.
  • Type-locality: Eritrea: Ghinda (K. Escherich).
  • Type-depository: MHNG.
  • Combination in Probolomyrmex: Taylor, 1965d: 355.
  • Status as species: Emery, 1911d: 53; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 762; Finzi, 1939a: 161; Taylor, 1965d: 355 (redescription); Brown, 1975: 11; Bolton, 1995b: 366; Collingwood & van Harten, 2005: 74; Borowiec, L. 2014: 149; Madl, 2019: 17.
  • Senior synonym of parvus: Taylor, 1965d: 355; Brown, 1975: 11; Bolton, 1995b: 366.
  • Distribution: Eritrea, Uganda, Yemen.
• parvus. Probolomyrmex parvus Weber, 1949b: 3, fig. 2 (q.) UGANDA.
  • Type-material: holotype queen.
  • Type-locality: Uganda: Busnia, “on the Kenya-Uganda border”, 17.ii.1948 (N.A. Weber).
  • Type-depository: AMNH.
  • Junior synonym of brevirostris: Taylor, 1965d: 355; Brown, 1975: 11; Bolton, 1995b: 366.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Taylor (1965) - Holotype. HL, 0.51 mm.; HW, 0.34 mm.; SL, 0.27 mm.; CI, 67; SI, 79; WL, 0.59 mm.; PW, 0.25 mm.; dorsal petiole width, 0.15 mm.; petiolar node index, 60; petiole height, 0.28 mm.; petiolar node length, 0.20 mm.; lateral petiolar index, 71. General features as in the original description.

This species is apparently unique in Probolomyrmex in the possession of well developed compound eyes in the worker. Those of the holotype are about 0.05 mm. in maximum diameter, with about 14 facets. Their anteriormost points are situated approximately 2•3 times their maximum diameter from the lateral base of the frontoclypeal shelf. It is possible that the holotype is not normal for this character, for it could be a worker-queen intermediate. There is no compelling reason to assume this, however, and the specimen is provisionally accepted as a typical worker. In any case the synonymy of parvus and the distinctiveness of this species in Probolomyrmex would not be jeopardised if the worker was found to be normally eyeless, and such a discovery could only support the synonymy of Escherichia under Probolomyrmex.

The entire body is moderately finely shagreened and there is no trace of an accompanying coarse puncturation. Pilosity and pubescence as in Probolomyrmex filiformis.

Queen

Taylor (1965) - (Based on the holotype of parvus, a dealated specimen.) HL, 0.50 mm.; HW (behind eyes), 0.35 mm.; SL, 0.27 mm.; Cl, 70; Sl, 77; WL, 0.67 mm.; mesonotal width, 0.28 mm.; dorsal petiole width, 0.16 mm.; petiole height, 0.26 mm.; petiolar node length, 0.19 mm.; lateral petiolar index, 73. Differing from the worker in the usual characters. Maximum diameter of compound eyes, 0.11 mm. Form of head, mandibles and petiolar node almost exactly as in worker. Mesosomal structure complete. Sculpturation, pilosity and pubescence developed similarly to those in worker; ground colour slightly darker reddish-brown, eyes dark brown, almost black, each ocellus with an adjacent dark brown spot, suture lines of mesosoma infuscated.

The oral palpi are not visible in the worker, but the general form of the three apical maxillary and the terminal labial palpomeres of the queen is normal for the genus. The terminal maxillary segment is about 5 times as long as broad.

References

• Borowiec, L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
• Brown, W. L., Jr. 1975. Contributions toward a reclassification of the Formicidae. V. Ponerinae, tribes Platythyreini, Cerapachyini, Cylindromyrmecini, Acanthostichini, and Aenictogitini. Search Agric. (Ithaca N. Y.) 5(1 1: 1-115 (page 11, see also)
• Forel, A. 1910c. Ameisen aus der Kolonie Erythräa. Gesammelt von Prof. Dr. K. Escherich (nebst einigen in West-Abessinien von Herrn A. Ilg gesammelten Ameisen). Zool. Jahrb. Abt. Syst. Geogr. Biol. Tiere 29: 243-274 (page 246, worker described)
• Taylor, R. W. 1965d. A monographic revision of the rare tropicopolitan ant genus Probolomyrmex Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Trans. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. 117: 345-365 (page 355, combination in Probolomyrmex, senior synonym of parvus)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Collingwood C. A. and A. Van Harten. 2005. Further additions to the ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Yemen. Zoology in the Middle East 35: 73-78
• Emery C. 1911. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Ponerinae. Genera Insectorum 118: 1-125.
• Finzi B. 1939. Materiali zoologici dell'Eritrea raccolti da G. Müller durante la spedizione dell'Istituto Sieroterapico Milanese e conservati al Museo di Trieste. Parte III. Hymenoptera: Formicidae. Atti del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Trieste 14: 153-168.
• Forel A. 1910. Ameisen aus der Kolonie Erythräa. Gesammelt von Prof. Dr. K. Escherich (nebst einigen in West-Abessinien von Herrn A. Ilg gesammelten Ameisen). Zoologische Jahrbücher. Abteilung für Systematik, Geographie und Biologie der Tiere 29: 243-274.
• Madl M. 2019. Notes on the ant fauna of Eritrea (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae): type specimens deposited in the Natural History Museum Vienna (Austria) and a preliminary checklist. Ann. Naturhist. Mus. Wien, B 121: 9-18.
• Taylor R. W. 1965. A monographic revision of the rare tropicopolitan ant genus Probolomyrmex Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London 117: 345-365.
• Weber N. A. 1949. New ponerine ants from equatorial Africa. American Museum Novitates 1398: 1-9.