Protanilla helenae

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

The only specimens of Protanilla helenae, two workers, were taken in a "seasonal dry primary forest on steep slope near the waterfall" and "the ants were sifted from leaf litter on wet forest floor and extracted with a Winkler apparatus" (as reported in Borowiec et al. 2011).

Identification

From Borowiec et al. (2011): The general appearance of Protanilla helenae is similar to that of Protanilla boltoni, 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

This ant was first described from the Philippines.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Philippines (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.

helenae. Anomalomyrma helenae Borowiec, M.L. et al. 2011: 6, figs. 5-8 (w.) PHILIPPINES (Palawan I.).
- Combination in Protanilla: Griebenow, 2024: 118.

Type Material

Holotype worker. PHILIPPINES: Palawan, El Nido Region, Bulalacao Waterfall, 11°13'41" N 119°28'00" E, 200–450 m, seasonal dry primary forest on steep slope near the waterfall (A. Schulz) 25 XI 2009, CASENT0220220.
Paratype worker. Same data as holotype, CASENT0220221.

The ants were sifted from leaf litter on wet forest floor and extracted with a Winkler apparatus.

Holotype Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Karlsruhe, Germany and paratype California Academy of Sciences.

Description

Worker

Measurements and ratios of holotype worker. HW 0.67, HL 0.75, MaL 0.51, SL 0.86, ML 1.36, PrW 0.61, PW 0.39, PL 0.26, AIIIW 0.48, AIIIL 0.30, AIVW 0.68, AIVL 0.71, FCoW 0.32, FCoL 0.66, CS 0.71, BS 0.93, HW/HL 0.89, SL/HW 1.27, PL/PW 0.66, PL/AIIIL 0.84, PW/AIIIW 0.80, AIIIL/AIIIW 0.63, PW/ML: 0.29, AIIIW/ML: 0.3. Measurements and ratios of paratype worker. HW 0.70, HL 0.79, MaL 0.52, SL 0.88, ML 1.39, PrW 0.65, PW 0.41, PL 0.32, AIIIW 0.55, AIIIL 0.33, AIVW 0.68, AIVL 0.65, FCoL 0.66, FCoW 0.32, CS 0.75, BS 0.95, HW/HL 0.89, SL/HW 1.26, PL/PW 0.79, PL/AIIIL 0.97, PW/AIIIW 0.74, AIIIL/AIIIW 0.60, PW/ML: 0.29, AIIIW/ML: 0.39. Head longer than broad, vertex margin medially slightly concave, posterior corners more abruptly rounded. Occipital carina visible in frontal view. Head sides evenly and slightly convex, with tooth-like prominence lateral of antennal sockets, with a notch below. Eyes absent. Mandible elongate, sabreto sickle-like and downcurved, only with marginal basal margin. Masticatory margin with one row of about 20 irregular, very small, cuticular saw-blade like teeth. Mandible with an obvious dorsolateral groove, framed by ridges, with a conspicuous basal pit arising laterally on the mandible and close to mandibular insertions. In lateral view the mandibles are thin and strongly bent backwards, apically each mandible with one thick, very long hair. Labrum with 10–12 very long (nearly equally long as mandible blade) hairs. Labrum armed with seven peg-like teeth, from which the two submedian are longer than the others. Palp formula 4,2 or 4,1 (uncertain in situ count). Clypeus broad, in lateral view raised convexly over the remaining surface of head. In dorsal full face view anterior margin of clypeus evenly concave, posteriorly separated from frons by transverse impression. Antennae with 12 segments, not clavate, all segments longer than broad. Scape very long, distinctly longer then head width. Neck of pronotum with an oval median depression. Pronotum high and bulky. Promesonotal connection flexible. In lateral view mesosoma with a deep and wide metanotal groove, in dorsal view between mesonotum and propodeum distinctly constricted. Katepisternum bordered by a keeled edge. Propodeum delimited from thorax by a scrobiculatefossulate groove, visible in lateral and dorsal views. In lateral view propodeum with dorsal surface flat, declivitous and dorsal faces meeting at obtuse angle. In dorsal view the propodeum is distinctly narrower than pronotum, and the base of it is broader than the upper part. Propodeal spiracle and metapleural gland bulla separated by about twice the spiracle diameter. Bulla of metapleural gland visible though semi-translucent cuticle. 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 segments II (petiole) with narrow anterior peduncle and evenly rounded dorsal surface, without differentiated posterior surface. Both abdominal segments II and III (postpetiole) distinctly broader than long. Subpetiolar process with a large lobe-like extension, and a small anterior-basal semi-translucent fenestra, in ventral view broad, tapering distally. Abdominal segment II with complete tergosternal fusion and without trace of suture. Abdominal segment III in dorsal view broad, nearly oval, broadly attached to segment II and IV (first gastral), separated from surrounding segments by scrobiculate constrictions between pre- and postsclerites. In lateral view abdominal segment III distinctly higher than long; dorsal surface flat, outline slightly convex; attached to segment II by an immobile joint. Ventral outline of segment III with a visible articulatory surface with segment IV and capable of relative movement. Tergite and sternite of abdominal segment III separated by a visible suture; the tergosternal fusion was not determined. 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 very few, isolated foveolae. Head capsule devoid of sculpture except tiny punctures at the base of hairs, surface shiny. Pronotal neck roughly reticulate/rugulate, propleuron reticulate. Pronotum, mesonotum, and surface of propodeum, generally without any sculpture, surfaces glossy. Articulatory surface between pronotum and mesonotum strigulate, the distinct groove between mesonotum, katepisternum and propodeum is scrobulate. Propodeal declivity with very shallow reticulate sculpture. Abdominal segments II, III and IV–VII (gaster) without sculpture. Body pilosity of suberect to erect hairs on all surfaces. Color mainly brown to dark brown with antennae, legs (except foreleg coxae), parts of pronotum and mesonotum testaceous.

Etymology

This species is dedicated to Helene Faulhaber for her understanding.

References