Protanilla boltoni

Protanilla boltoni
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Leptanillinae
Tribe:	Leptanillini
Genus:	Protanilla
Species:	P. boltoni
Binomial name
	Protanilla boltoni; (Borowiec, Schulz, Alpert & Banas, 2011) Specimen Labels

The only specimens of Protanilla boltoni, two workers, were "sifted from the trunk of a dead tree at a late stage of decomposition, very close to a stream and extracted using Winkler apparatus. The sifted material was wet." (Borowiec et al. 2011).

Identification

From Borowiec et al. (2011): The general appearance of Protanilla boltoni is similar to that of Protanilla helenae, but they are distinguishable by the following characters:

Protanilla boltoni	Protanilla helenae
Labrum only with very small peg like teeth of about the same length	Labrum with two distinctly larger teeth, and five well developed small teeth
Propodeal spiracle not far from metapleural gland bulla, separated by less than the spiracle diameter	Propodeal spiracle distant to metapleural gland bulla, separated by about twice the spiracle diameter
Propodeum convex, declivitous face less steeply sloping	Propodeum with dorsal face relatively flat and declivitous face more steeply sloping
Subpetiolar process in lateral view developed as a relatively smaller blunt tooth, lacking fenestra	Subpetiolar process in lateral view large and lobate, with visible fenestra
Abdominal segment II (petiole) and III (postpetiole) narrower (PW/ML 0.25; AIIIW/ML 0.32)	Abdominal segment II (petiole) and III (postpetiole) broader (PW/ML 0.29; AIIIW/ML 0.37)
Head surface with visible sculpture	Head without any sculpture
Mesonotum and propodeum with more than 50% of surface irregularly reticulate to rugose, mesopleuron sculptured	Mesonotum and propodeum without distinct sculpture, shiny, mesopleuron smooth
Color orange brown to reddish brown	Color testaceous to dark brown

Keys including this Species

Keys to Leptanillinae

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Malaysia (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.

Abundance

Known only from the two type workers.

Biology

Castes

Known only from (type) workers.

Protanilla taylori and the undescribed Protanilla id01 are known only from the gyne. It does not appear that either P. taylori or Protanilla id01, which are known only from Borneo, represent the gyne of Protanilla boltoni or Protanilla helenae (Borowiec et al., 2011; Griebenow, 2024).

Nomenclature

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

boltoni. Anomalomyrma boltoni Borowiec, M.L. et al. 2011: 3, figs. 1-4 (w.) WEST MALAYSIA.
- Combination in Protanilla: Griebenow, 2024: 118.

Type Material

Holotype worker. MALAYSIA: Perak, Cameron Highlands, Batu [=Mile] 19 village environment, 04°22.2' N 101°20.0' E, 590 m, sifting leaf litter & rotten wood (P. Baňař) 30 IV-7 V 2009, CASENT0217035.

The specimens were sifted from the trunk of a dead tree at a late stage of decomposition, very close to a stream and extracted using Winkler apparatus. The sifted material was wet. Paratype worker. Same data as the holotype, CASENT0217032.

Holotype worker California Academy of Sciences, paratype Museum of Comparative Zoology. The paratype is sputter coated with gold (to examine external abdominal morphology using SEM).

Description

Worker

Measurements and ratios of holotype worker. HW 0.67, HL 0.75, MaL 0.51, SL 0.85, ML 1.30, PrW 0.58, PW 0.32, PL 0.20, AIIIW 0.42, AIIIL 0.22, AIVW 0.55, AIVL 0.51, FCoW 0.41, FCoL 0.67, CS 0.71, BS 0.91, HW/HL 0.89, SL/HW 1.27, PL/PW 0.63, PL/AIIIL 0.91, PW/AIIIW 0.76, AIIIL/AIIIW 0.52, PW/ML: 0.25, AIIIW/ML: 0.32. Measurements and ratios of paratype worker. HW 0.73, HL 0.83, MaL 0.56, SL 0.93, ML 1.52, PrW 0.65, PW 0.36, PL 0.23, AIIIW 0.47, AIVL 0.29, AIVW 0.64, AIVL 0.58, FCoW 0.40, FCoL 0.70, CS 0.78, BS 1.03, HW/HL 0.88, SL/HW 1.27, PL/PW 0.64, PL/AIIIL 0.79, PW/AIIIW 0.77, AIIIL/AIIIW 0.61, PW/ML: 0.24, AIIIW/ML: 0.31.

Head longer than wide, with vertex margin straight and posterior corners broadly, evenly rounded. Occipital carina visible in frontal view. Head sides rounded, with tooth-like prominence lateral to antennal sockets and a notch below. Eyes absent. Mandible elongate, sabre- to sickle-like and downcurved, with one row of about 15 cuticular teeth at masticatory margin. In lateral view mandible thin, without vertical lamella on dorsal surface and without any processes on lateroventral margin. Modified peg-like setae absent from ventral surface of mandibles. Dorsolateral surface of mandible with a broad longitudinal groove which runs forward from a laterobasal pit. Surface of labrum with six pairs of very long (almost equal in length to mandibular blade) and two pairs of shorter hairs. Medial part of labrum surface with two small setae modified into peg-like teeth and with irregular row of about eight minute, peg-like teeth basally near articulation with clypeus. Palp formula unknown. Clypeus broad, concave medially with sharply keeled ridges laterally and posteriorly separated from frons by transverse impression; anterior margin shallowly concave. Antennae with 12 segments, not clavate, all segments longer than broad. Scape very long, distinctly longer then head width. Promesonotal connection flexible. In dorsal and lateral views mesosoma constricted at mesonotum, metanotal groove distinct. Deep pits in anepisternal area. Katepisternum bordered on anterior, dorsal and posterior sides by keeled edge. Propodeal dorsum rounded, shorter than declivity. Metapleural gland bulla separated from propodeal spiracle by less than spiracle diameter. Bulla of metapleural gland visible through semi-translucent cuticle, extending below propodeal spiracle. Metapleural trench present below bulla. Forelegs enlarged, coxa and femur broadened, mid- and hind legs much more slender. Middle tibiae without spurs and hind tibiae each with one pectinate spur. Abdominal segment II (petiole) with narrow anterior peduncle and evenly rounded dorsal surface without differentiated posterior surface. Both abdominal segments II and III (petiole and postpetiole) wider than long in dorsal view. Subpetiolar process a blunt tooth in lateral view, in ventral view composed of two cuticular ridges converging anteriorly. Semitranslucent fenestra absent. Abdominal segment III (postpetiole) with sharp anteroventral edge and differentiated anterior surface. Ventral surface short, shallowly concave, dorsal surface long, evenly rounded, without differentiated anterior and posterior faces, broadly attached to segment IV (first gastral). The tergite of abdominal segment II is fused to the tergite of abdominal segment III, and the same is true for the sternites of the two segments. Abdominal segment II with complete tergosternal fusion and without trace of suture.

Tergosternal fusion of abdominal segment III was not determined through dissections due to scarcity of material. The suture runs the length of the segment. Abdominal segments III and IV with deep girdling constrictions between pre- and postsclerites. Abdominal segments IV–VII (gaster) oval in dorsal view, gastral shoulders not surrounding abdominal segment III, and no notch between tergite and sternite IV in lateral view. Mandibles smooth with small punctures (ca. 0.01 mm). Head with similar punctation and strip of irregular roughness of cuticle in middle of frons, posterior portion of head capsule with roughness and small tubercles. Pronotum mostly smooth with scattered small punctures, only pronotal flange and margins with irregular roughness, meso- and metanotum also very irregularly sculptured. Propodeum with the same type of roughness, except sides, where smooth. Body pilosity of suberect to erect hairs on all surfaces. Color orange brown to reddish brown, appendages lighter.

Etymology

Dedicated to Barry Bolton

References