.jpg){kind=logo}
Ravavy miafina
| Ravavy miafina | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Dolichoderinae |
| Tribe: | Bothriomyrmecini |
| Genus: | Ravavy |
| Species: | R. miafina |
| Binomial name | |
| Ravavy miafina Fisher, 2009
| |
The only species in its genus, Ravavy miafina is only known from males. These have been collected in Malaise traps sampled from January through August in various locations across western Madagascar. The nesting habits of Ravavy are not known.
Identification
Ravavy is distinguished from all other described males in the dolichoderine genera by its unique mandibular shape. The elongate basal margin and reduced masticatory margin is considered apomorphic for the genus. The shape of the clypeus, length of scape and form of petiole, together form an inclusive diagnosis that isolates Ravavy from all other genera in the subfamily. No other described male is even superficially similar to Ravavy. The shape of the mandible in Bothriomyrmex Emery (see images on AntWeb CASENT0103279), however, is reminiscent in some respects. The mandible in Bothriomyrmex is not triangular as in Tapinoma for example, but like Ravavy, has a short masticatory margin compared to the basal margin. In Bothriomyrmex, however, the masticatory margin includes at least three teeth, while in Ravavy a single tooth is present. (Fisher 2009)
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -12.26278° to -24.83083°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar (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. |
|
Habitat
Habitats in which this species was collected include the spiny bush near Fort Dauphin, dry forest in Kirindy near Morandava, rainforest in the Sambirano region on the Ampasindava Peninsula, and coastal scrub on sand dunes near Antiranana in the northeastern tip of Madagascar.
Biology
Castes
Male
Images from AntWeb
     
| |
| Male (alate). Specimen code casent0115570. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA. |
 
| |
| Male (alate). Specimen code casent0080308. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA. |
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- miafina. Ravavy miafina Fisher, 2009: 47, figs. 6, 7b (m.) MADAGASCAR.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Male
maximum and minimum based on n=10: HL 0.46–0.50, HW 0.43–0.47, CI 91–98, ED 0.20–0.23, SL 0.17–0.21, SI 39–47, WL 0.78–0.84, FL 0.60–0.70.
With characters of the genus, and the following. Head longer than wide, CI 91–98. Clypeus prominent; width of clypeus from posterior margin at antennal sockets to anterior margin equal in length to antennal segment 3 (flagellar segment 1). Anteromedial clypeal margin with single pair of setae projecting in line with the mandibles, posterior to this pair and more distal, single pair of suberect setae project anterodorsally above mandibles. Pair of erect setae posterior of clypeus between antennal sockets. Clypeus and head with short appressed setae. Mandibles smooth under dense matte of appressed setae. Dorsum of mesosoma, and gaster with dense pubescence. Mesosoma without erect setae; abdominal tergites A5–8 with at least one pair of erect setae. Petiolar node smooth and shiny, without pubescence. Venter of petiole with well-developed lobe. Propodeum elongate, dorsal and declivitous faces continuous without angle. Pygostyles present.
Type Material
Holotype: male, Madagascar, Province Antsiranana, Ampasindava, Forêt d'Ambilanivy, 3.9 km 181° S Ambaliha, 13.79861°S, 48.16167°E, 600m, 4–9 March 2001, Malaise trap, rainforest (coll. B.L. Fisher et al.) collection code: BLF03251, pin code: CASENT0081523 (California Academy of Sciences). Paratypes: 6 males with same data as holotype but pins coded CASENT0476953, CASENT0476983, CASENT0476947, CASENT0081525 (The Natural History Museum,CASC, MBCC, Museum of Comparative Zoology).
References
- Cantone S. 2017. Winged Ants, The Male, Dichotomous key to genera of winged male ants in the World, Behavioral ecology of mating flight (self-published).
- Fisher, B.L. 2009. Two new dolichoderine ant genera from Madagascar: Aptinoma gen. n. and Ravavy gen. n. Zootaxa 2118: 37-52.
- Perrichot, V., Boudinot, B.E., Engel, M.S., Xu, C., Bojarski, B., Szwedo, J. 2022. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Miocene Ethiopian amber: filling gaps in the geological record of African terrestrial biota, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2022, zlac053 (doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac053).
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Fisher B. L. 2009. Two new dolichoderine ant genera from Madagascar: Aptinoma gen. n. and Ravavy gen. n. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 2118: 37-52.