Pseudomyrmex schuppi

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Pseudomyrmex schuppi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Pseudomyrmecinae
Genus: Pseudomyrmex
Species: P. schuppi
Binomial name
Pseudomyrmex schuppi
(Forel, 1901)

Pseudomyrmex schuppi casent0005877 profile 1.jpg

Pseudomyrmex schuppi casent0005877 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

Synonyms

Luederwaldt (1926) recorded P. schuppi nesting under epiphytes. De Oliveira et al. (2015), studying ant occupancy of Cecropia trees in southwest Bahia, Brazil, found a colony of Pseudomyrmex schuppi nesting in a Cecropia pachystachya tree.

Identification

Ward (1989) - P. schuppi is diagnosed minimally by its relatively large size (HW > 0.81) and high, broad petiole (PU > 0.93, PWI > 0.84) whose dorsum is smoothly rounded in lateral profile. Also characteristic of P. schuppi are the conspicuous elevation of the basal face of the propodeum above the level of the mesonotum and the posterior displacement of the postpetiolar node as seen in lateral view. These last two features are shared with Pseudomyrmex oculatus, from which P. schuppi is distinguished by petiole shape and differences in relative eye length.

Distribution

Known from Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 25.68015° to -29.76°.

     
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Argentina, Brazil (type locality), Paraguay.

Distribution based on AntMaps

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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.
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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.
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Biology

Castes

Images from AntWeb

Pseudomyrmex schuppi casent0173772 head 1.jpgPseudomyrmex schuppi casent0173772 profile 1.jpgPseudomyrmex schuppi casent0173772 dorsal 1.jpgPseudomyrmex schuppi casent0173772 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0173772. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by ALWC, Alex L. Wild Collection.

Nomenclature

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

  • confusior. Pseudomyrma schuppi var. confusior Forel, 1901d: 299 (w.) BRAZIL. Junior synonym of schuppi: Kempf, 1961a: 380.
  • schuppi. Pseudomyrma schuppi Forel, 1901d: 298 (w.) BRAZIL. Kempf, 1961a: 381 (q.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1973d: 207 (l.). Combination in Pseudomyrmex: Kempf, 1961a: 380. Senior synonym of confusior, geraensis: Kempf, 1961a: 380. See also: Ward, 1989: 426.
  • geraensis. Pseudomyrma schuppi var. geraensis Forel, 1912g: 23 (w.) BRAZIL. Junior synonym of schuppi: Kempf, 1961a: 380.

Type Material

Ward (1989):

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

Description

Worker

Ward (1989) - measurements (n=14). HL 0.96-1.18. HW 0.82-0.93, MFC 0.023-0.038. CI 0.79-0.88. OI 0.55-0.64, REL 0.52-0.56. REL2 0.62-0.67. OOI 0.23-0.60, VI 0.75-0.84, FCI 0.026-0.042, SI 0.45-0.48, SI2 0.68-0.76, FI 0.39-0.45. PDI 1.16-1.34, MPI 0.037-0.053. NI 0.53-0.62. PLI 0.94-1.07, PWI 0.85-0.99, PPWI 1.32-1.60.

diagnosis. Relatively large species (HW 0.82-0.93), with broad head (CI 0.79-0.89), and eyes of moderate size; sides of head broadly convex, rounding into the occipital margin which varies from flat to slightly concave; funicular segments II and III about as long as broad (FLI 1.71-2.12, n=9). Fore femur, metanotal groove, propodeum, and postpetiole similar to those of Pseudomyrmex oculatus (q. v.), except basal and declivitous faces of propodeum tend to be more clearly differentiated. Petiolar node high and broadly rounded in lateral view (PLI 0.94-1.07), very broad in dorsal view (PWI 0.85-0.99), with relatively strong dorsolateral margination; anteroventral process of petiole conspicuous, tooth-like, often bluntly recurved.

Head densely punctate, opaque; mesosoma obscurely punctate to coriarious-imbricate, opaque to subopaque; petiole, postpetiole, and gaster subopaque, covered with numerous fine piligerous punctures. Erect pilosity and appressed pubescence common and conspicuous on most parts of the body including the mesosoma dorsum. Body medium to dark brown. the antennae and tarsi (and sometimes mandibles and promesonotum) lighter in color.

Karyotype

  • n = 24, karyotype = 5M+19A (Brazil) (Sposito et al., 2006).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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