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Rogeria unguispina
| Rogeria unguispina | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Solenopsidini |
| Genus: | Rogeria |
| Species: | R. unguispina |
| Binomial name | |
| Rogeria unguispina Kugler, C., 1994
| |
Venezuela specimens include collections from rain forest between 200m and 2000m elevation.
Identification
Kugler (1994) - creightoni species group. WL 0.64-0.83mm. Palpal formula 2,2. Clypeal apron with median concavity. Eye moderately large, elongate-oval. Strong carina across shoulders. Metanotal groove broad and shallow. Propodeal spines usually with downcurved tips. Postpetiole from above sub trapezoidal. Sculpture on side of head vestigial, leaving a small or extensive smooth area. Pronotal disc and sides with weakly undulating rugae and nearly smooth, shiny interrugal spaces. Erect-suberect hair on scapes, and middle and hind tibiae.
Rogeria nevadensis is a similar ant from the mountains of northeastern Colombia, but nevadensis: 1) is usually smaller, 2) has smaller eyes, 3) has straight propodeal spines, 4) has more effaced sculpture, and 5) lacks erect hair on the scapes and tibiae. Also similar to Rogeria merenbergiana.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 10.469672° to -0.6364°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Ecuador, Venezuela (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.
- unguispina. Rogeria unguispina Kugler, C. 1994: 47, fig. 49 (w.) VENEZUELA.
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 2.4-3.1 (3.0), HL 0.60-0.72 (0.71), HW 0.50-0.61 (0.60), SL 0.40-0.49 (0.47), EL 0.10-0.11 (0.11) (15-19 facets), PW 0.36-0.46 (0.46), WL 0.64-0.83 (0.81), SpL 0.09-0.13 (0.13), PetL 0.26-0.34 (0.34), PpetL 0.14-0.19 (0.19)mm, CI 0.82-0.86 (0.84), OI 0.12-0.16 (0.13), SI 0.79-0.82 (0.78), PSI 0.14-0.16 (0.15). N=7
Mandibles with 5-6 teeth, basal larger than penultimate tooth; some with a denticle between basal and penultimate teeth. Body of clypeus not projecting over apron. Nuchal groove makes a notch in side of head. Pronotum rounded on front and sides. Propodeal spiracle large to moderate; less than one-half diameter from nearest edge of propodeum. Free edges of metapleural lobes form an oblique angle. Posterior face of petiole concave in holotype and some para types. Petiolar peduncle lacks a distinct keel. Postpetiolar node highest in posterior half. Postpetiolar sternum with a short, flat profile and square anterior corner.
Laterodorsa of head rugose, sometimes areolate caudad (holotype). Posterior head rugose-areolate in a more or less transversely arching pattern. Interstices on head vaguely roughened by effaced microsculpture; especially shiny on sides and back of head. Promesonotal dorsum longitudinally rugose in front, becoming more vermiculate with partial or complete cross-ridges behind. Pronotal sides longitudinally rugose with few cross-ridges. Meso- and metapleura with broken, irregular macrosculpture. Dorsal face of propodeum transversely areolate. Interstices on disc and sides of pronotum shiny, nearly smooth; rest of mesosoma vaguely microareolate and quite shiny. Petiolar node weakly to vestigially microareolate; posterior face of node with longitudinal carinulae. Postpetiolar node nearly covered with vague microsculpture to nearly smooth; always weaker than on petiole.
Color blackish-brown with yellowish-brown mandibles, flagellum of antennae, legs, and terminal segments of gaster.
Type Material
Holotype locality. VENEZUELA: Miranda state, Río Capaya at Quebrada EI Bagre, near Salmerón, E of Caracas, 200m, nest beneath log on forest floor in limestone gorge, 8-11-1982, #238 (J. Lattke) Museum of Comparative Zoology.
Paratype localities. VENEZUELA: 9 workers, holotype locality [mouthparts, sting] The Natural History Museum, Charles Kugler Collection, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, MCZ, Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo, National Museum of Natural History; 1 worker, Falcón State, Sierra de San Luis [mountain range just south of Paraguaná Peninsula], Haitoncitos, near Curimagua, 1180m, primary forest, 3-VIII-1982, #271 (J. Lattke) MCZ; 1 worker, Aragua State, Rancho Grande, 15-VI-1960, 4563a (J. Ojasti) [MCZ]; 1 worker, Aragua State, Rancho Grande 14-VIII-1967, 1 100m (R. W. Poole) MCZ; 2 workers, Lara State, vicinity of Caspo, 18km S Sanare, 1620m, forest rotten wood, 6-XII-1985 (J. Lattke and W. L. Brown) Instituto de Zoologia Agricola.
Etymology
The name unguispina refers to the claw-like shape of the propodeal spines.
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 47, fig. 49 worker described)