Prolasius nitidissimus

Prolasius nitidissimus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Melophorini
Genus:	Prolasius
Species:	P. nitidissimus
Binomial name
Prolasius nitidissimus (André, 1896) Specimen labels
Synonyms
Prolasius depressiceps similis McAreavey, 1947 Prolasius niger Clark, 1934

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -35.43333054° to -42.638219°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: Australia (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.

Castes

Images from AntWeb

Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0172169. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by ANIC, Canberra, Australia.

Worker. Specimen code casent0172170. 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.

• nitidissimus. Formica nitidissima André, 1896b: 255 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Combination in Melophorus: Forel, 1902h: 483; in Prolasius: Wheeler, W.M. 1935c: 71. Senior synonym of niger, similis: Taylor, 1992a: 65.
• niger. Prolasius niger Clark, 1934c: 68, pl. 4, fig. 30 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Junior synonym of nitidissimus: Taylor, 1992a: 65.
• similis. Prolasius depressiceps var. similis McAreavey, 1947: 23 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Junior synonym of nitidissimus: Taylor, 1992a: 65.

Type Material

• Formica nitidissima André, 1896: Syntype, 2 workers, Victorian Alps, Victoria, Australia, Australian National Insect Collection.
• Prolasius depressiceps similis McAreavey, 1947: Syntype, worker(s), Mt. Kosciusko, New South Wales, Australia, Museum Victoria, Melbourne.
• Prolasius niger Clark, 1934: Syntype, worker(s), Beech Forest, Victoria, Australia, Museum Victoria, Melbourne.

References

• André, E. 1896d. Fourmis nouvelles d'Asie et d'Australie. Rev. Entomol. (Caen) 15: 251-265 (page 255, worker described)
• Forel, A. 1902j. Fourmis nouvelles d'Australie. Rev. Suisse Zool. 10: 405-548 (page 483, Combination in Melophorus)
• Taylor, R. W. 1992a. Nomenclature and distribution of some Australian and New Guinean ants of the subfamily Formicinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J. Aust. Entomol. Soc. 31: 57-69 (page 65, Senior synonym of niger and similis)
• Wheeler, W. M. 1935c. Myrmecological notes. Psyche (Camb.) 42: 68-72 (page 71, Combination in Prolasius)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Lowery B. B., and R. J. Taylor. 1994. Occurrence of ant species in a range of sclerophyll forest communities at Old Chum Dam, north-eastern Tasmania. Australian Entomologist 21: 11-14.
• Mann V. 2013. Using insect biodiversity to measure the effectiveness of on-farm restoration plantings. Master of Environmental Management at the School of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Tasmania 111 pages.
• Sinclair J. E., and T. R. New. 2004. Pine plantations in south eastern Australia support highly impoverished ant assemblages (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Insect Conservation 8: 277-286.