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Rogeria tribrocca
| Rogeria tribrocca | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Solenopsidini |
| Genus: | Rogeria |
| Species: | R. tribrocca |
| Binomial name | |
| Rogeria tribrocca Kugler, C., 1994 | |
Nothing is known about the biology of this species.
Identification
Kugler (1994) - creightoni species group. WL 0.62mm. Eye small, elliptical. Clypeal apron with three acute processes. Metapleural lobes very low, broadly rounded. Postpetiolar node widest in anterior half. Posterior edge of gaster T3 with median spine that seems to arise from a weak concavity. Sides of head smooth. Promesonotal dorsum with fine rugae diverging and branching from anterior pronotum, becoming weak on meso- and metanota; interrugal spaces rather wide. No erect hair on scapes or legs.
Both Rogeria curvipubens and Rogeria alzatei, have also been collected in Quebrada Susumuco or nearby Villavicencio environs. But they do not have a three-toothed clypeal apron or a median spine on the third tergum of the gaster.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Colombia (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. |
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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
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
Only known from workers.
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- tribrocca. Rogeria tribrocca Kugler, C. 1994: 56, fig. 63 (w.) 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 Worker. TL 2.3, HL 0.61, HW 0.51, SL 0.40, EL 0.05 (7 facets), PW 0.36, WL 0.62, SpL 0.10, PetL 0.26, PpetL 0.13mm, CI 0.83, OI 0.10, SI 0.78, MHI 0.93, PSI 0.16.
One mandible with six teeth; the other with the penultimate basal replaced by two denticles. Nuchal groove forms a weak notch in lateral view of head. Pronotal shoulders seen from above subangular. Propodeal spiracles 1 diameter from nearest edge of infradental lamella. Ventral petiole somewhat obscured by glue, but probably with distinct keel and dentate process. Petiolar node narrow; nearly symmetrically rounded in lateral view. Postpetiolar node with broadly confluent anterior and dorsal faces and short posterior face. Postpetiolar sternum with perpendicular anterior corner and flat ventral profile; node in dorsal view widest in anterior half, as in Fig. 74. Sting shaft projecting from gaster acute, with low dorsal flange.
Laterodorsa of head longitudinally rugose-areolate. Posterior head with transversely arching rugae. Intervals with weak microsculpture. Dorsal face of propodeum with 3 weak transverse rugulae. Mesosoma sides with sparse, indistinct, longitudinal rugulae. Microsculpture on mesosoma even weaker than on head; interrugal spaces shiny, nearly smooth. Petiolar and postpetiolar nodes nearly smooth, shiny.
Mesosoma dorsum with eight pairs of erect hairs (some matted down); nodes each with two pairs of posterodorsally projecting hairs.
Color of body and appendages brownish-yellow; dorsum of gaster T1 slightly darker.
Type Material
Holotype locality. COLOMBIA: Meta Department, Quebrada Susumuko [or Susumuco], 23km NW Villavicencio, 1000m, forest litter, 5-III-1972, #B-234 (S. and J. Peck) Museum of Comparative Zoology.
Etymology
The name tribrocca (brocca L., projection of teeth) refers to the three tooth-like projections of the clypeal apron.
References
- 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 56, fig. 63 worker described)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Fernández F., E. E. Palacio, W. P. Mackay, and E. S. MacKay. 1996. Introducción al estudio de las hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) de Colombia. Pp. 349-412 in: Andrade M. G., G. Amat García, and F. Fernández. (eds.) 1996. Insectos de Colombia. Estudios escogidos. Bogotá: Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, 541 pp