Pseudomyrmex termitarius

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Pseudomyrmex termitarius
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Pseudomyrmecinae
Genus: Pseudomyrmex
Species: P. termitarius
Binomial name
Pseudomyrmex termitarius
(Smith, F., 1855)

Pseudomyrmex termitarius casent0173786 profile 1.jpg

Pseudomyrmex termitarius casent0173786 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

Synonyms

De Oliveira et al. (2015), studying ant occupancy of Cecropia trees in southwest Bahia, Brazil, found a colony of Pseudomyrmex termitarius nesting in a Cecropia pachystachya tree.

Identification

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 25.68015° to -64.36°.

       
North
Temperate 		North
Subtropical 		Tropical South
Subtropical 		South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil (type locality), Colombia, French Guiana, Grenada, Guyana, Lesser Antilles, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela.

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

Passos and Leal (2019) - This species was found attending extrafloral nectaries of the plant Turnera subulata in northeastern Brazil (12°16′24″S 38°57′20″W / 12.27333°S 38.95556°W / -12.27333; -38.95556) Caatinga vegetation. Pseudomyrmex termitarius was classified as a subordinate species and was infrequently observed.

Association with Other Organisms

Explore-icon.png Explore: Show all Associate data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.
  • This species is a host for the fungus Ophiocordyceps australis (a parasitoid) (Quevillon, 2018) (encounter mode primary; direct transmission; transmission outside nest).

Life History Traits

  • Mean colony size: 75 (Beckers et al., 1989)
  • Foraging behaviour: tandem recruitment

Castes

Nomenclature

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

  • elegans. Pseudomyrma elegans Smith, F. 1855c: 159 (w.) BRAZIL. Forel, 1912g: 19 (q.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1956: 382 (l.). Combination in Pseudomyrmex: Kusnezov, 1953e: 214. Junior synonym of termitarius: Kempf, 1960a: 8.
  • nigriceps. Pseudomyrma nigriceps Smith, F. 1855c: 159 (w.) BRAZIL. Combination in Pseudomyrmex: Kusnezov, 1953e: 214. Subspecies of tenuis: Santschi, 1922b: 345. Junior synonym of termitarius: Perrault, 1988a: 384. See also: Kempf, 1960a: 7.
  • termitarius. Pseudomyrma termitaria Smith, F. 1855c: 158 (w.q.) BRAZIL. Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1973d: 207 (l.). Combination in Pseudomyrmex: Kempf, 1960a: 8. Junior synonym of gracilis: Forel, 1911e: 276. Revived from synonymy as subspecies of gracilis: Forel, 1912g: 19. Subspecies of denticollis: Gallardo, 1932a: 56. Revived status as species: Kempf, 1960a: 8. Senior synonym of breviceps, elegans, infusca: Kempf, 1960a: 8; of nigriceps: Perrault, 1988a: 384.
  • infusca. Pseudomyrma denticollis var. infusca Forel, 1908c: 382 (w.) BRAZIL. Junior synonym of termitarius: Kempf, 1960a: 8.
  • breviceps. Pseudomyrma elegans r. breviceps Forel, 1912g: 20 (w.) TRINIDAD. Junior synonym of termitarius: Kempf, 1960a: 8.

Description

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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