Protanilla rafflesi
Protanilla rafflesi | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Formicidae |
Subfamily: | Leptanillinae |
Tribe: | Leptanillini |
Genus: | Protanilla |
Species: | P. rafflesi |
Binomial name | |
Protanilla rafflesi Taylor, 1990 |
Nothing is known about the biology of Protanilla rafflesi.
Identification
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 4.95° to 1.343611°.
North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Borneo, Indonesia, Malaysia (type locality), Singapore (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
X-ray micro-CT scan 3D model of Protanilla rafflesi (worker) prepared by the Economo lab at OIST.
Protanilla rafflesi. Rarely enountered, small, subterranean ant from Singapore. These ants a specialised predators of millipeds (OIST: CASENT0742972). See on Sketchfab. See list of 3D images.
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- rafflesi. Protanilla rafflesi Taylor, in Bolton, 1990b: 279 (w.) SINGAPORE. See also: Xu, 2012c: 488.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Xu (2012) - Holotype: TL 2.7, HL 0.52, HW 0.40, CI 77, SL 0.43, SI 108, PW 0.36, AL 0.80 (Bolton, 1990); ML 0.26, PNL 0.17, PNH 0.29, PNW 0.24, PPNL 0.18, PPNH 0.33, PPNW 0.25.
In full face view, head longer than broad, anterior 1/3 of the head distinctly narrowed forward. Lateral sides weakly convex, anterolateral corners prominent and tooth-like. Occipital margin weakly concave, occipital corners roundly prominent. Mandibles elongate and down-curved apically, dorsolateral surface with a longitudinal groove, basal corners rounded, masticatory margin with about 14 peg-like teeth. Labrum with a pair of peg-like teeth. Clypeus roughly trapezoidal, anterior margin slightly concave. Antennae 12-segmented, scapes surpassed occipital corners by about 1/10 of its length, flagella segments 2-8 about as broad as long.
In profile view, pronotum slightly convex. Promesonotal suture complete but not depressed. Dorsum of mesonotum straight, almost horizontal. Metanotal groove widely shallowly notched. Dorsum of propodeum straight, slightly slope down backward; posterodorsal corner roundly strongly convex; declivity weakly convex, about 1/2 length of the dorsum. Propodeal spiracle small and circular, lower down on side. Metapleural bulla elongate elliptical and horizontal, close to the spiracle. Petiolar node roughly trapezoidal, weakly narrowed upward; anterior face weakly concave, dorsal face strongly convex, posterior face nearly straight; anterodorsal corner roundly protruding, higher than posterodorsal corner, the latter rounded; the shapes of ventral face and subpetiolar process are not clear because concealed by the hind coxa and femur. Postpetiole moderately inclined forward, dorsal face roundly convex, anterior face weakly convex, anterodorsal corner roundly extruding; anteroventral corner roundly protruding, posteroventral face weakly convex. Sting strong and extruding.
In dorsal view, petiolar node roughly rectangular and slightly widened backward, distinctly broader than long, lateral sides weakly convex. Postpetiolar node weakly widened backward, slightly wider than petiolar node, lateral sides weakly convex.
Mandibles, head, and body smooth and shining. Dorsa of head and body with sparse suberect hairs and abundant decumbent pubescence. Scapes with sparse subdecumbent hairs and abundant decumbent pubescence. Tibiae with abundant decumbent pubescence, but without standing hairs. Mouthparts with abundant longer hairs, apex of mandible with a long stout hair. Color brownish yellow. Mandibles, antennae, and legs yellowish.
Type Material
- Holotype, worker, near Pierce Reservoir, Singapore, Murphy,D.H., ANIC32-017898, Australian National Insect Collection.
- Paratype, 3 workers, near Pierce Reservoir, Singapore, Murphy,D.H., ANIC32-017899, Australian National Insect Collection.
- Paratype, 1 worker, G. Mulu National Park, RGS. Expd. Long Pala, Sarawak, 4th Dist., Malaysia, Bolton,B., ANIC32-017900, Australian National Insect Collection.
- Paratype, 1 worker, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Singapore, Murphy,D.H., ANIC32-017901, Australian National Insect Collection.
References
- Aswaj, P., Anoop, K., Priyadarsanan, D.R. 2020. First record of the rarely collected ant Protanilla gengma Xu, 2012 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Leptanillinae) from the Indian subcontinent. Check List 16, 1621–1625 (doi:10.15560/16.6.1621).
- Bolton, B. 1990d. The higher classification of the ant subfamily Leptanillinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Syst. Entomol. 15: 267-282 (page 279, worker described)
- Griebenow, Z. 2020. Delimitation of tribes in the subfamily Leptanillinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with a description of the male of Protanilla lini Terayama, 2009. Myrmecological News 30: 229-250. (doi:10.25849/MYRMECOL.NEWS_030:229).
- Griebenow, Z. 2024. Systematic revision of the ant subfamily Leptanillinae (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys 1189, 83–184 (doi:10.3897/zookeys.1189.107506).
- Griebenow, Z.H., Isaia, M., Moradmand, M. 2022. A remarkable troglomorphic ant, Yavnella laventa sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Leptanillinae), identified as the first known worker of Yavnella Kugler by phylogenomic inference. Invertebrate Systematics 36(12), 1118-1138 (doi:10.1071/is22035).
- Satria, R., Putri, D.H., Ahda, Y. 2023. Genus Protanilla Taylor, 1990 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Leptanillinae) from Sumatra, with the descrdiption of a new species. Serangga 28(1): 69-78.
- Wang, W.Y., Soh, E.J.Y., Yong, G.W.J., Wong, M.K.L., Benoit Guénard, Economo, E.P., Yamane, S. 2022. Remarkable diversity in a little red dot: a comprehensive checklist of known ant species in Singapore (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with notes on ecology and taxonomy. Asian Myrmecology 15: e015006 (doi:10.20362/am.015006).
- Xu, Z.-H. 2012. Furcotanilla, a new genus of the ant subfamily Leptanillinae from China with descriptions of two new species of Protanilla and P. rafflesi Taylor (Hymenoptera Formicidae). Sociobiology 59, 477-491.
- Yamane, S., Tanaka, H.O., Hasimoto, Y., Ohashi, M., Meleng, P., Itioka, T. 2021. A list of ants from Lambir Hills National Park and its vicinity, with their biological information: Part II. Subfamilies Leptanillinae, Proceratiinae, Amblyoponinae, Ponerinae, Dorylinae, Dolichoderinae, Ectatomminae and Formicinae. Contributions from the Biological Laboratory, Kyoto University 31, 87–157.
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Bolton B. 1990. The higher classification of the ant subfamily Leptanillinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Syst. Entomol. 15: 267-282
- CSIRO Collection
- Eguchi K., and S. Yamane. 2003. Species diversity of ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in a lowland rainforest, northwestern Borneo. New Entomol. 52(1,2): 49-59.
- Pfeiffer M., and D. Mezger. 2012. Biodiversity Assessment in Incomplete Inventories: Leaf Litter Ant Communities in Several Types of Bornean Rain Forest. PLoS ONE 7(7): e40729. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0040741
- Pfeiffer M., and D. Mezger. 2012. Biodiversity Assessment in Incomplete Inventories: Leaf Litter Ant Communities in Several Types of Bornean Rain Forest. PLoS ONE 7(7): e40729. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0040849
- Pfeiffer M.; Mezger, D.; Hosoishi, S.; Bakhtiar, E. Y.; Kohout, R. J. 2011. The Formicidae of Borneo (Insecta: Hymenoptera): a preliminary species list. Asian Myrmecology 4:9-58
- Terayama, M. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta; Hymenoptera). The Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University 17: 81-266.
- Xu Z.-H. 2012. Furcotanilla, a new genus of the ant subfamily Leptanillinae from China with descriptions of two new species of Protanilla and P. rafflesi Taylor (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology 59: 477-491.