Protanilla eguchii

Protanilla eguchii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Leptanillinae
Tribe:	Leptanillini
Genus:	Protanilla
Species:	P. eguchii
Binomial name
	Protanilla eguchii; Satria, Putri & Ahda, 2023

Scant information is available about the biology of Protanilla eguchii. The type series of this species was collected from leaf litter in a primary highland forest. The queen and male of this species are unknown.

Photo Gallery

Satria et al., 2023, Figure 1. Protanilla eguchii, holotype, worker (individual code: SEMUT-13viii22A, colony code: SAGO-4viiI): A — head in full-face view; B — habitus in profile.
Satria et al., 2023, Figure 2. Protanilla eguchii, holotype, worker (individual code: SEMUT-13viii22A, colony code: SAGO-4viiI): A — mesosoma in lateral view; B — petiole and postpetiole in lateral view; C — mesosoma in dorsal view; D — petiole and postpetiole in dorsal view.

Identification

Satria, Putri & Ahda (2023) - Body uniformly reddish yellow, with antenna and legs paler, relatively large in size (TL 5.15–5.47 mm); head in full-face view with posterior margin almost straight, and anterolateral corner not forming a distinct, tooth-like prominence; antennal scape long, slightly exceeding posterior margin of head; antennal segments 2–3 somewhat conical and longer than wide; antennal segments 4–11 nearly as long as wide; petiole in lateral view with its ventral outline of subpetiolar process sinuate.

Protanilla eguchii is morphologically most similar to Protanilla tibeta, among the species known from the Asia. However, it is distinguishable from the latter by the following characteristics of the worker:

body relatively large with TL 5.15–5.47 mm (vs. relatively small in the latter with TL 2.7 mm)
head in full-face view with anterolateral corners not forming a distinct, tooth-like prominence (vs. forming a distinct, tooth-like prominence in the latter)
head in full-face view with posterior margin almost straight (vs. weakly concave in the latter)
subpetiolar process in lateral view with its ventral outline sinuate (vs. almost straight in the latter).

Protanilla eguchii can be easily distinguished from Protanilla rafflesi which is only species recorded in Indo-Malayan Subregion previously, by using the following characteristics of the worker:

body relatively large with TL 5.15–5.47 mm (vs. relatively small in the latter with TL 2.7 mm)
head in full-face view with posterior margin almost straight (vs. weakly concave in the latter)
dorsal outline of propodeum convex (vs. straight in the latter)
petiolar node in lateral view with anterior outline straight (vs. concave in the latter)

Keys including this Species

Distribution

So far known only from the type locality.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -0.3° to -0.3°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: Satria et al., 2023

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Indonesia (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

Nomenclature

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

eguchii. Protanilla eguchii Satria et al., 2023: 71, figs. 1, 2 (w.) INDONESIA (Sumatra).

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

Description

Worker

Holotype (n=1): TL 5.35 mm, HL 1.04 mm, HW 0.84 mm, ML 0.51 mm, SL 0.86 mm, PW 0.60 mm, WL 1.60 mm, PNL 0.45 mm, PNH 0.63 mm, PNW 0.45 mm, PPNL 0.40 mm, PPNH 0.63 mm, PPNW 0.49 mm, CI 80, SI 102. Paratypes (n=2): TL 5.15–5.47 mm, HL 1.02–1.04 mm, HW 0.82–0.83 mm, ML 0.50–0.53 mm, SL 0.86 mm, PW 0.60–0.61 mm, WL 1.60–1.61 mm, PNL 0.46 mm, PNH 0.64–0.65 mm, PNW 0.45 mm, PPNL 0.40 mm, PPNH 0.64 mm, PPNW 0.49 mm, CI 102, SI 104.

Relatively large (TL 5.15–5.47 mm). Head in full-face view subrectangular, longer than wide and slightly narrower anteriorly, with posterior margin almost straight; lateral margins of head weakly convex; anterolateral corner not forming a distinct, tooth-like prominence. Eyes absent. Clypeus roughly trapezoidal, with anterior margin weakly concave. Mandibles long and triangular; masticatory margin slightly crenulate, with approximately more than 20 peg-like teeth; mandible in lateral view strongly down-curved apically; dorsolateral surface of mandible with a longitudinal groove. Antennae 12-segmented; scape long, slightly exceeding posterior margin of head; segments 2–3 somewhat conical and longer than wide; segments 4–11 nearly as long as wide; apical segment twice as long as wide. Mesosoma in lateral view relatively slender. Pronotum in dorsal view round, 1.5 times as broad as mesonotum, approximately twice as long as mesonotum; dorsal outline of pronotum in lateral view gently convex. Promesonotal suture distinct dorsally and laterally. Mesonotum in lateral view with its dorsal outline almost straight and sloping downwards, in dorsal view constricted, 0.5 times as wide as pronotum. Metanotal suture strongly notched. Dorsal outline of propodeum convex with anterodorsal corner rounded; propodeal spiracle circular and small, lower down on the side. Metapleural bulla elongate and roughly elliptical, close to spiracle. Petiolar node in dorsal view broader than long, slightly widened backward, with lateral sides weakly convex; petiolar node in lateral view with anterior and posterior outlines both straight and dorsal outline slightly convex. Subpetiolar process in lateral view with ventral outline sinuate (Figure 2B); anteroventral corner bluntly prominent, with circular semi-transparent fenestra. Postpetiolar node in dorsal view approximately as broad as long, weakly widened backward, with lateral sides, in lateral view with anterior and posterior outlines roundly convex. Gaster in dorsal view oval, strongly constricted at the base; length of tergite I more than half the length of gaster. Sting well developed.

Mandibles, head, and body smooth and shining. Dorsum of head, mesosoma, petiolar node, post-petiolar node and gaster, with short pubescence. Entire body covered sparsely with suberect hairs. Body uniformly reddish yellow; with antenna and legs paler.

Type Material

Holotype: INDONESIA: West Sumatra: 50 Kota District, Situjuah Limo Nagari, Situjuah Banda Dalam, Sago Moutain, -0.321152°, 100.660902°, ca. 1500 m alt., 4/vii/2022, R. Satria Leg., worker, individual code: SEMUT-13viii22A, colony code: SAGO-4viiI, (MZB).
Paratypes: INDONESIA: West Sumatra: 50 Kota District, Situjuah Limo Nagari, Situjuah Banda Dalam, Sago Moutain, -0.321152°, 100.660902°, ca. 1500 m alt., 4/vii/2022, R. Satria Leg., 5 workers (SEMUT-21ix22A, SEMUT-21ix22B, SEMUT-21ix22C, SEMUT-21ix22D, SEMUT-21ix22E), colony code: SAGO-4viiI, (RSC).

Etymology

The species epithet eguchii is derived from a Japanese entomologist, Dr. Katsuyuki Eguchi, Associate professor of Tokyo Metropolitan University, whose contribution to entomology and taxonomy in Asia has been widely appreciated.

References