Probolomyrmex petiolatus

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Probolomyrmex petiolatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Proceratiinae
Tribe: Probolomyrmecini
Genus: Probolomyrmex
Species: P. petiolatus
Binomial name
Probolomyrmex petiolatus
Weber, 1940

Probolomyrmex-petiolatus-MCZ0001L.jpg

Probolomyrmex-petiolatus-MCZ0001D.jpg

Specimen Label (compared with type)

The holotype of P. petiolatus was collected among leaves and humus on the rainforest floor in Panama.

Identification

Oliveira & Feitosa (2019) - Postero-ventral lobe of petiole long and subquadrate. Subpetiolar process well developed and subrectangular. Prora and dorsal protuberance on posterior region of first gastral tergite absent.

The subrectangular shape of the subpetiolar process makes this species similar to Probolomyrmex dentinodis. However, the latter has a pair of petiolar teeth, the postero-ventral lobe of the petiole is short and rounded, and there are a prora and dorsal protuberance on the gaster.

Agosti (1994) - This species is easily recognized by the subpetiolar process.

Taylor (1965) - The worker of P. petiolatus differs from that of the sympatric Probolomyrmex angusticeps in its smaller size, with relatively broad head, much shorter scapes, and shorter, more compact petiolar node. The unknown worker of Probolomyrmex boliviensis is undoubtedly similar to P. angusticeps in these features.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 19.13° to -22.23°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama (type locality), Venezuela.

Distribution based on AntMaps

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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

Oliveira & Feitosa (2019). Figure 26. SEM micrography of Probolomyrmex petiolatus (worker - CASENT0610407). A. Habitus. B. Mandibles (he = hypostomal margin; esm = external surface of basal region of mandible). C. Antenna (ap = antennal pit; lah = long appressed hair; sh = short hair). D. Metapleural gland. E. Petiole (pil = postero-inferior lobe of petiole; sp = subpetiolar process).

Images from AntWeb

Probolomyrmex petiolatus casent0102222 head 1.jpgProbolomyrmex petiolatus casent0102222 profile 1.jpgProbolomyrmex petiolatus casent0102222 dorsal 1.jpgProbolomyrmex petiolatus casent0102222 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0102222. 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.

  • petiolatus. Probolomyrmex petiolatus Weber, 1940b: 76, fig. 1 (w.) PANAMA (Barro Colorado I.).
    • Type-material: holotype worker.
    • Type-locality: Panama: Canal Zone, Barro Colorado I., 29.vi.1938 (N.A. Weber).
    • Type-depository: MCZC.
    • Agosti, 1995: 433 (q.).
    • Status as species: Taylor, 1965d: 363 (redescription); Kempf, 1972a: 211; Brown, 1975: 11, 57; Brandão, 1991: 372; Bolton, 1995b: 366; Agosti, 1995: 433; O’Keefe & Agosti, 1998: 190 (in key); Sosa-Calvo & Longino, 2008: 234; Branstetter & Sáenz, 2012: 263; Feitosa, 2015c: 99 Oliveira & Feitosa, 2019: 90 (redescription); Escárraga, Longino & Sosa-Calvo, 2019: 684.
    • Distribution: Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama.

Type Material

  • Holotype, worker, Barro Colorado Island, Panama Canal Zone, Panama, 30 June 1938, N.A. Weber, Weber 906-32203, Museum of Comparative Zoology; see Oliveira & Feitosa (2019).

Taxonomic Notes

There is a Brazilian record in the literature for this species (Delabie et al. 2001), but these were described as a new species, Probolomyrmex dentinodis, by Oliveira & Feitosa (2019).

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

Description

Worker

Oliveira & Feitosa (2019) - (n=3) HL 0.50–0.57; HW 0.34–0.37; SL 0.26–0.30; WL 0.63–0.69; PL 0.26–0.30; PW 0.27–0.30; PH 0.28–0.30; TL 2.13–2.33; CI 61.5–68.5; SI 51.5; PI 93.5–107.

Frontoclypeal shelflike projection micropunctate. Mandibles foveated, interval between foveae covered by micropunctures; external surface of mandibular basal margin smooth; tip of apical segment of antennae bearing minute pits. Mesopleuron and metapleuron alveolate and foveated; lateral faces of propodeum foveated and micropunctate; alveoli denser just above metapleural gland orifice; opening of metapleural gland narrow, with smooth anterior region, surrounded by rows of hairs. Petiolar node and postero-ventral lobe of petiole with incomplete foveae and micropunctures; subpetiolar process alveolate. Posterior region of second gastral tergite with foveae.

Space between mesosomal foveae covered by dense pubescence. Pygidium with dense pubescence and some long and thick hairs. Head 1.5 times longer than wide. Hypostomal margin curved. Antennal scapes extend head midlength, distance from scape apex to of head more than two times the pedicel length (SI 51.5). Propodeum emarginated posteriorly on each side by a narrow carina, with teeth at their apexes. Petiole as long as high (PI 93.5–107), without teeth; posterior face short, straight and smooth; postero-ventral lobe long and subquadrate; subpetiolar process well developed and subrectangular, with the postero-ventral angle acute and directed ventrally. First gastral segment without prora and dorsal protuberance on posterior region of tergite.

Taylor (1965) - The unique holotype worker of this species has the following dimensions: HL, 0.51 mm.; HW, 0.36 mm.; SL, 0.29 mm.; CI, 71; SI, 81; WL, 0.65 mm.; PW, 0.27 mm.; dorsal petiole width, 0.14 mm.; petiolar node index, 52; petiole height, 0.27 mm.; petiolar node length, 0.23 mm.; lateral petiolar index, 85. Weber's original description adequately characterises this distinctive species.

Queen

Agosti (1994) - HL 0.61, HW 0.42, SL 0.44, TL 0.90. CI 70, SI 104, (1 examined).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Brandao, C.R.F. 1991. Adendos ao catalogo abreviado das formigas da regiao neotropical (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Rev. Bras. Entomol. 35: 319-412.
  • Branstetter M. G. and L. Sáenz. 2012. Las hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) de Guatemala. Pp. 221-268 in: Cano E. B. and J. C. Schuster. (eds.) 2012. Biodiversidad de Guatemala. Volumen 2. Guatemala: Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, iv + 328 pp
  • Dattilo W. et al. 2019. MEXICO ANTS: incidence and abundance along the Nearctic-Neotropical interface. Ecology https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2944
  • Delabie J. H. C., H. L. Vasconcelos; J. M. S. Vilhena, and D. Agosti. 2001. First record of the ant genus Probolomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerini: Platythyreini) in Brazil. Rev. biol. trop 49(1): 397-398.
  • Donoso D. (personal communication, database containing the species by locality info included the catalogue of Ecuadorian ants to be published at Sociobiology 2015)
  • Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
  • Lapolla, J.S., T. Suman, J. Soso-Calvo and T.R. Schultz. 2006. Leaf litter ant diversity in Guyana. Biodiversity and Conservation 16:491–510
  • Lattke J. E. 1991. Estudios de hormigas de Venezuela (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bol. Entomol. Venez. 6: 57-61.
  • Longino J. T. L., and M. G. Branstetter. 2018. The truncated bell: an enigmatic but pervasive elevational diversity pattern in Middle American ants. Ecography 41: 1-12.
  • Mirmecofauna de la reserva ecologica de San Felipe Bacalar
  • Nascimento I. C., J. H. C. Delabie, S. Campiolo,and E. M. Neto. 2004. Présence de Probolomyrmex brujitae Agosti, 1994, au Brésil (Hym., Formicidae). Bull. Soc. Entomol. Fr. 109(3): 321-322.
  • Oliveira A. M., and R. M. Feitosa. 2019. Taxonomic revision of the genus Probolomyrmex Mayr, 1901 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Proceratiinae) for the Neotropical Region. Zootaxa 4614: 61–94.
  • Ryder Wilkie K.T., A. L. Mertl, and J. F. A. Traniello. 2010. Species Diversity and Distribution Patterns of the Ants of Amazonian Ecuador. PLoS ONE 5(10): e13146.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0013146
  • Silvestre R., M. F. Demetrio, and J. H. C. Delabie. 2012. Community Structure of Leaf-Litter Ants in a Neotropical Dry Forest: A Biogeographic Approach to Explain Betadiversity. Psyche doi:10.1155/2012/306925
  • Sosa-Calvo, J. and J.T. Longino. 2008. Subfamilia Proceratiinae. In: Sistemática, Biogeografía y Conservación de las Hormigas Cazadores de Colombia. E. Jiménez, F. Fernández, T. Arias and F. Lozano eds., 609 pp. Institutión de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt, pages 219-238.
  • Vasconcelos, H.L., J.M.S. Vilhena, W.E. Magnusson and A.L.K.M. Albernaz. 2006. Long-term effects of forest fragmentation on Amazonian ant communities. Journal of Biogeography 33:1348-1356
  • Vásquez-Bolaños M. 2011. Lista de especies de hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) para México. Dugesiana 18: 95-133
  • Weber N. A. 1940. Rare ponerine genera in Panama and British Guiana (Hym.: Formicidae). Psyche (Camb.) 47: 75-84.