Simopelta jeckylli

Simopelta jeckylli
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Ponerinae
Tribe:	Ponerini
Genus:	Simopelta
Species:	S. jeckylli
Binomial name
Simopelta jeckylli (Mann, 1916) Specimen Labels

The type collection consisted of workers collected under forest litter, which appeared to be traveling in a definite direction, suggesting a foraging column (Gotwald and Brown, 1966). Simopelta jeckylli is only known from four collections but these show the species has a wide range.

Identification

Mackay and Mackay (2008) - The large diameter punctures on the head of this species (larger than the size of the eyes) will separate it from all of the others in the genus. In addition, the spine on the clypeus will separate it from many species, which may have similar sculpture, such as Simopelta oculata. It is larger than Simopelta pergandei.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Simopelta species

Distribution

Brazil:Rondonia and Para, Ecuador: Orellana.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -0.5° to -64.23°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Brazil (type locality), Ecuador.

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.

Castes

Known only from the worker caste.

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Syntype of Simopelta jeckylli. Worker. Specimen code casent0907295. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MHNG, Geneva, Switzerland.

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Nomenclature

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

• jeckylli. Belonopelta jeckylli Mann, 1916: 415, pl. 2, figs. 12, 13 (w.) BRAZIL (Rondônia).
  • Type-material: lectotype worker (by designation of Mackay & Mackay, 2008: 303), 48 paralectotype workers.
  • Type-locality: Brazil: Mato Grosso (now Rondônia), Madeira-Mamoré Rail Road, Camp 39, km. 284 (from Porto Velho), 1911 (W.M. Mann).
  • Type-depositories: LACM, MCZC, USNM.
  • [Note: Macay & Mackay, 2008: 303, do not indicate which museum contains the lectotype.]
  • Combination in B. (Simopelta): Mann, 1922: 10;
  • combination in Belonopelta: Baroni Urbani, 1975b: 300 (in key);
  • combination in Simopelta: Wheeler, W.M. 1935d: 14; Bolton, 1995b: 383.
  • Status as species: Borgmeier, 1923: 72; Wheeler, W.M. 1935d: 14; Borgmeier, 1950a: 369; Gotwald & Brown, 1967; 267; Kempf, 1972a: 230; Baroni Urbani, 1975b: 300 (in key); Brandão, 1991: 331; Bolton, 1995b: 383; Mackay & Mackay, 2008: 303 (redescription); Feitosa, 2015c: 99.
  • Distribution: Brazil, Ecuador.

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

Description

Worker

Mackay and Mackay (2008) - The worker is a medium to large sized specimen (total length 4-5 mm). Color ranges from dark reddish-brown, with a ferrugineus gaster and appendages, to black, usually with lighter colored appendages. The mandibles have 3 teeth, but there may be a bump or a tiny tooth in the diastema. The anterior border of the clypeus is formed into a medial spine. The sides of the head are nearly parallel, but are slightly narrowed posteriorly. The eye is tiny (maximum diameter 0.02 mm) approximately the same size, or slightly smaller than the coarse, surrounding punctures. The antennal scape barely surpasses the posterior lateral corner of the head. The shape of the mesosoma, and petiole are similar to that of other members of the genus.

The head, mesosoma, and petiole are covered with coarse punctures, the mandibles, scapes, and gaster are moderately to strongly shining (the gaster is smooth and glossy).

Erect, mostly short (up to 0.1 mm) hairs are found on the head, scape, mesosoma, legs, petiole, and gaster. The erect hairs on the scapes are sparse, and of varying lengths, but none is over 0.12 mm in length.

Type Material

Mackay and Mackay (2008) - Worker, Brasil: Rondônia: E. F. Madeira-Mamoré, km. 284 [lectotype and 48 paralectotypes seen, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, National Museum of Natural History]

References

• Baroni Urbani, C. 1975b. Contributo alla conoscenza dei generi Belonopelta Mayr e Leiopelta gen. n. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Mitt. Schweiz. Entomol. Ges. 48: 295-310 (page 300, combination in Belonopelta)
• Bolton, B. 1995b. A new general catalogue of the ants of the world. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 504 pp. (page 383, combination in Simopelta, revived combination, catalogue)
• Gotwald, W. H., Jr.; Brown, W. L., Jr. 1967 [1966]. The ant genus Simopelta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Psyche (Camb.) 73: 261-277 (page 267, see also)
• Mackay, W.P., Mackay, E.E. 2008. Revision of the ants of the genus Simopelta Mann (pp. 285-328). In Jíminez, E., Fernández, F., Arias, T.M. & Lozano-Zambrano, F.H. (eds). Sistematica, biogeografia y conservación de las hormigas cazadoras de Colombia: 609 pp. Instituto Alexander von Humboldt, Bogota.
• Mann, W. M. 1916. The Stanford Expedition to Brazil, 1911, John C. Branner, Director. The ants of Brazil. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 60: 399-490 (page 415, pl. 2, figs. 12, 13 worker described)
• Mann, W. M. 1922. Ants from Honduras and Guatemala. Proc. U. S. Natl. Mus. 61: 1-54 (page 10, combination in B. (Simopelta))
• Wheeler, W. M. 1935d. Ants of the genera Belonopelta Mayr and Simopelta Mann. Rev. Entomol. (Rio J.) 5: 8-19 (page 14, combination in Simopelta)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Baroni Urbani C. 1975. Contributo alla conoscenza dei generi Belonopelta Mayr e Leiopelta gen. n. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Mitt. Schweiz. Entomol. Ges. 48: 295-310.
• Borgmeier T. 1923. Catalogo systematico e synonymico das formigas do Brasil. 1 parte. Subfam. Dorylinae, Cerapachyinae, Ponerinae, Dolichoderinae. Archivos do Museu Nacional (Rio de Janeiro) 24: 33-103.
• Fernandes I. O., J. L. P. Souza, F. Fernandez, J. H. C. Delabie, and T. R. Schultz. 2015. A new species of Simopelta(Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae) from Brazil and Costa Rica. Zootaxa 3956 (2): 295–300.
• Fernandes I., and J. de Souza. 2018. Dataset of long-term monitoring of ground-dwelling ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the influence areas of a hydroelectric power plant on the Madeira River in the Amazon Basin. Biodiversity Data Journal 6: e24375.
• Fernández F., and T. M. Arias-Penna. 2008. Las hormigas cazadoras en la región Neotropical. Pp. 3-39 in: Jiménez, E.; Fernández, F.; Arias, T.M.; Lozano-Zambrano, F. H. (eds.) 2008. Sistemática, biogeografía y conservación de las hormigas cazadoras de Colombia. Bogotá: Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt, xiv + 609 pp.
• Mackay W. P., and E. E. Mackay. 2008. Revision of the ants of the genus Simopelta Mann. Pp. 285-328 in: Jiménez, E.; Fernández, F.; Arias, T.M.; Lozano-Zambrano, F. H. (eds.) 2008. Sistemática, biogeografía y conservación de las hormigas cazadoras de Colombia. Bogotá: Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt, xiv + 609 pp.
• 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.