Rogeria lirata

Rogeria lirata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Solenopsidini
Genus:	Rogeria
Species:	R. lirata
Binomial name
Rogeria lirata Kugler, C., 1994 Specimen Label

Reported as widespread throughout tropical South America (LaPolla and Sosa-Calvo 2006). Specimens from Guyana were collected from forest leaf-litter samples.

Identification

Kugler (1994) - germaini species group. As in Rogeria germaini but: 1) metapleural lobes larger, triangular, and 2) rugae on promesonotum more rounded and thicker than on head; one ruga begins near anteroventral corner of pronotum and continues unbroken to the metanotum.

Similar to Rogeria tonduzi.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Rogeria Species
• Key to Rogeria of Guyana

Distribution

Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Peru and Trinidad

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 5.532683° to -22.70361111°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Brazil, Colombia (type locality), Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago.

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

The following is modified from Kugler (1994): Little is known about these cryptic ants. Collection records typically range from sea level to 1000m, but five species extend higher and two (Rogeria unguispina and Rogeria merenbergiana) can be found at 2000m. Rogeria are generally collected in moist forests (primary or secondary forests, coffee or cacao plantations), but at higher elevations can be found in pastures (Rogeria leptonana, Rogeria merenbergiana). Several species (Rogeria creightoni, Rogeria cuneola, Rogeria foreli) have been found in moist and dry climates. Rogeria foreli is the most unusual, with some members dwelling at over 1800m in the temperate mountains of southern Arizona.

Most species have only been collected as strays or by Berlese or Winkler sampling, from leaf litter and rotten wood, but occasionally among epiphytes and moss (Rogeria belti, creightoni, Rogeria exsulans). Nests of several species (belti, Rogeria blanda, merenbergiana) have been found under the loose bark of rotten logs. Nests of blanda and Rogeria tonduzi have been taken from the trunks of cacao trees. A nest of Rogeria leptonana was found at 1750m under a rock in a pasture.

Nests are rarely found. Males are known for only four species (belti, blanda, leptonana and Rogeria stigmatica) and queens associated through nest series for only nine species.

Castes

Males have not been collected.

Nomenclature

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

• lirata. Rogeria lirata Kugler, C. 1994: 43, figs. 28-30, 89-90 (w.q.) COLOMBIA.

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

Description

Worker

Holotype and Paratype. TL 2.6-3.4 (3.3), HL 0.63-0.80 (0.78), HW 0.53-0.70 (0.67), SL 0.45-0.56 (0.55), EL 0.05-0.08 (0.08) (6-12 facets), 43 PW 0.39-0.51 (0.51), WL 0.65-0.87 (0.86), SpL 0.12-0.20 (0.175), PetL 0.31-0.47 (0.44), PpetL 0.17-0.23 (0.21)mm, CI 0.83-0.88 (0.86), OI 0.09-0.12 (0.12), SI 0.79-0.85 (0.82), PSI 0.19-0.23 (0.20). N=10

Kugler 1994 fig 24-31

Dentition as in Rogeria germaini. Nuchal groove forms a weak notch in lateral view. No clear angle between anterior and dorsal faces of pronotum. Spiracle faces slightly caudad, posterior edge within one diameter of nearest edge of propodeum. Petiolar peduncle with a sharp, but not lamellate keel. Petiolar node profile angular. Postpetiolar node in dorsal view shaped as in Figs. 24 or 49; sternum flat. Sting apparatus as described for germaini.

Divergent longitudinal rugae on frontal lobes grade into areolate sculpture at level of eyes. Sculpture of posterior head transversely arching rugose to rugose-areolate. Laterodorsa and sides of head longitudinally rugose-areolate; sides may be effaced to nearly smooth. Head microsculpture vestigial; intervals nearly smooth, quite shiny. Anterior face of pronotum areolate, becoming vermiculate-rugose on disc. Thick, rounded rugae of pro meso no tum may merge, but are rarely joined by cross-ridges. Rugae on meso- and metapleura sharper and more separated. Anterior and dorsal faces of petiolar node smooth. Sides and posterior faces of node in holotype longitudinally rugose-areolate, but weaker and more rugose in Trinidad specimen and nearly smooth in specimens from Peru. Microsculpture weak or absent; integument shiny.

Scapes with decumbent to suberect hair (holotype) or with short, uniformly subdecumbenthair. Head dorsum with subdecumbent to erect hair. In most, mandibles, frontoclypeal region, antennae and legs brownish-yellow; other parts rusty brown, becoming darker, almost black, on dorsa of mesosoma and petiole. Trinidad and Guyana specimens lighter on all parts.

Queen

TL 3.6-3.7, HL 0.76-0.80, HW 0.69-0.70, SL 0.52-0.57, EL 0.14-0.15, PW 0.58-0.60, WL 0.95-1.00, SpL 0.18-0.20, PetL 0.46-0.52, PpetL 0.23-0.24mm, CI 0.88-0.90, SI 0.76-0.81, PSI 0.18-0.21. N=4.

Besides the usual features of an alate female, differing from the worker in the following ways. Mandible with 7 teeth or 3 teeth and 5 denticles. Parapsidal furrows not distinct from furrows in sculpture. Propodeal spines project caudad or posteroventrad. Rugae on sides of pronotum almost vertical to shoulder, then bend across the anterior face of the pronotum. Mesonotal rugae longitudinal with occasional fusions and cross-ridges. Wing venation most similar to that of Rogeria stigmatica. Radial sector and median veins long, nearly reaching wing margin; r-m vein present.

Etymology

The name lirata refers to the characteristic rugae of the mesosoma, which resemble the ridges thrown up by a plow.

Type Material

Paratype Specimen Labels

Holotype locality. COLOMBIA: 7km N Leticia, forest litter, 10-25-11-1972, #B-230 (S. and J. Peck) Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Paratype localities. TRINIDAD: 3 workers, #191 (N. A. Weber) MCZ, Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo; 1 worker, Mayaro, Trinity Hills Reserve, 5-VIII-1976 (J. Noyes) The Natural History Museum. GUYANA (British Guiana): 1 worker, R. Mazaruni Forest Settlement, 20-VIII-1935, #304 (N. A. Weber) MCZ. COLOMBIA: 2 workers, holotype locality [mouthparts, sting; one coated for electron microscopy] Charles Kugler Collection, MCZ. PERU: 2 workers, Loreto Department, 15km WSW Yurimaguas, 5.59S 76.13W, 200m, 22-VII-1986, #8701-24 and #8701-25 (P. S. Ward) [mouthparts, sting] Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, MCZ.

References

• Albuquerque, E., Prado, L., Andrade-Silva, J., Siqueira, E., Sampaio, K., Alves, D., Brandão, C., Andrade, P., Feitosa, R., Koch, E., Delabie, J., Fernandes, I., Baccaro, F., Souza, J., Almeida, R., Silva, R. 2021. Ants of the State of Pará, Brazil: a historical and comprehensive dataset of a key biodiversity hotspot in the Amazon Basin. Zootaxa 5001, 1–83 (doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5001.1.1).
• Franco, W., Ladino, N., Delabie, J.H.C., Dejean, A., Orivel, J., Fichaux, M., Groc, S., Leponce, M., Feitosa, R.M. 2019. First checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of French Guiana. Zootaxa 4674, 509–543 (doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4674.5.2).
• Kugler, C. 1994. A revision of the ant genus Rogeria with description of the sting apparatus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J. Hym. Res. 3:17-89. (page 43, figs. 28-30, 89-90 worker, queen described)
• LaPolla, J. S. and J. Sosa-Calvo. 2006. Review of the ant genus Rogeria (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Guyana. Zootaxa. 1330:59-68.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Franco W., N. Ladino, J. H. C. Delabie, A. Dejean, J. Orivel, M. Fichaux, S. Groc, M. Leponce, and R. M. Feitosa. 2019. First checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of French Guiana. Zootaxa 4674(5): 509-543.
• Groc S., J. H. C. Delabie, F. Fernandez, F. Petitclerc, B. Corbara, M. Leponce, R. Cereghino, and A. Dejean. 2017. Litter-dwelling ants as bioindicators to gauge the sustainability of small arboreal monocultures embedded in the Amazonian rainforest. Ecological Indicators 82: 43-49.
• Groc S., J. H. C. Delabie, F. Fernandez, M. Leponce, J. Orivel, R. Silvestre, Heraldo L. Vasconcelos, and A. Dejean. 2013. Leaf-litter ant communities (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in a pristine Guianese rainforest: stable functional structure versus high species turnover. Myrmecological News 19: 43-51.
• Groc S., J. Orivel, A. Dejean, J. Martin, M. Etienne, B. Corbara, and J. H. C. Delabie. 2009. Baseline study of the leaf-litter ant fauna in a French Guianese forest. Insect Conservation and Diversity 2: 183-193.
• Kugler C. 1994. A revision of the ant genus Rogeria with description of the sting apparatus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research 3: 17-89.
• Lapolla J. S., and J. Sosa-Calvo. 2006. Review of the ant genus Rogeria (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Guyana. Zootaxa 1330: 59-68.
• Lapolla, J. S., and B. L. Fisher. "Review of the ant genus Rogeria (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Guyana." Zootaxa 1330 (2006): 59-68.
• Pires de Prado L., R. M. Feitosa, S. Pinzon Triana, J. A. Munoz Gutierrez, G. X. Rousseau, R. Alves Silva, G. M. Siqueira, C. L. Caldas dos Santos, F. Veras Silva, T. Sanches Ranzani da Silva, A. Casadei-Ferreira, R. Rosa da Silva, and J. Andrade-Silva. 2019. An overview of the ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the state of Maranhao, Brazil. Pap. Avulsos Zool. 59: e20195938.
• Silvestre R., M. F. Demetrio, and J. H. C. Delabie. 2012. Community Structure of Leaf-Litter Ants in a Neotropical Dry Forest: A Biogeographic Approach to Explain Betadiversity. Psyche doi:10.1155/2012/306925
• Vasconcelos, H.L., J.M.S. Vilhena, W.E. Magnusson and A.L.K.M. Albernaz. 2006. Long-term effects of forest fragmentation on Amazonian ant communities. Journal of Biogeography 33:1348-1356
• da Silva de Oliveira A. B., and F. A. Schmidt. 2019. Ant assemblages of Brazil nut trees Bertholletia excelsa in forest and pasture habitats in the Southwestern Brazilian Amazon. Biodiversity and Conservation 28(2): 329-344.