Rhopalomastix mazu

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Rhopalomastix mazu
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Rhopalomastix
Species: R. mazu
Binomial name
Rhopalomastix mazu
Terayama, 2009

Rhopalomastix mazu side (www.niaes.affrc.go.jp).jpg

Rhopalomastix mazu top (www.niaes.affrc.go.jp).jpg

Specimen labels

Nothing is known about the biology of Rhopalomastix mazu.

Identification

Terayama (2009) - Small species; total body length 2.1 mm in female; subpetiolar process developed, higher than long, bearing acute triangle.

Although the female of Rhopalomastix omotoensis from Japan is not yet known, this species is distinctly smaller and has a well developed subpetiolar process (subpetiolar process low, longer than high, with an anteroventral angle in omotoensis worker).

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: Taiwan (type locality).

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

Known only from the queen caste.

Nomenclature

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

  • mazu. Rhopalomastix mazu Terayama, 2009: 191, figs. 271-273 (q.) TAIWAN.

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

Description

Queen

Holotype alate. HL 0.35, HW 0.29, SL 0.21, WL 0.42, PNL 0. 11, PH 0.15, DPW 0.16, PPL 0.08, PPH 0.10, PPW 0.14, TL 2.1.

Head rectangular, 1.10 times as long as wide, with almost straight posterior margin and parallel sides in full face view. Anterior margin of clypeus weakly convex. Compound eye 0.18 mm in maximum diameter. Antenna 10-segmented; scape short and flat, SI = 37; 3rd to 9th segments each wider than long; terminal segment large and flat, 0.18 mm long and 1.7 times as long as wide.

Alitrunk long, with flat dorsum; posterolateral corner of propodeum dully angulate. Petiole short and high; peduncle short, node trapezoidal, with anterodorsal and posterodotsal corners; anterior margin straight, dorsal margin almost straight; in dorsal view, dorsal disc wider than long, with convex anterior margin and straight posterior margin; subpetiolar process developed, higher than long, bearing acute triangle. Postpetiole slightly higher than long, and shorter than petiole.

Femora flat and broad, fore femur twice as long as wide, middle and hind femora each 1.6 times as long as wide.

Color. Brown.

Type Material

Holotype. Worker, Taidong City, 20.viii.1980, M. Terayama leg. NAIES

Etymology

The specific epithet is the Chinese noun Mazu, which is the name of a Taiwanese goddess.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
  • Terayama M. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta: Hymenoptera). Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University. Liberal Arts 17:81-266.
  • Terayama Mamoru. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta, Hymenoptera). The Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University 17: 81-266.
  • Terayama, M. 2009. A synopsis of the family Formicidae of Taiwan (Insecta; Hymenoptera). The Research Bulletin of Kanto Gakuen University 17: 81-266.