Simopone matthiasi

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Simopone matthiasi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Dorylinae
Genus: Simopone
Species group: emeryi
Species: S. matthiasi
Binomial name
Simopone matthiasi
Kutter, 1977

Simopone matthiasi casent0911268 p 1 high.jpg

Simopone matthiasi casent0911268 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Known only from the very distinctive holotype queen.

Identification

A member of the emeryi species group.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Cameroun (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

Explore-icon.png Explore Overview of Simopone biology 
Little is known about the biology of most species of Simopone. Specimens are rarely collected, and the number of species known only from workers is telling in regards to a lack of nest samples. Species are almost entirely arboreal but on occasion foraging workers are found on the ground or in rotten logs. Prey records are extremely sparse. They consist only of Crematogaster brood by Simopone vepres, and the brood of Terataner by Simopone sicaria. Nevertheless, these two records support the general supposition by Brown (1975) that most or all members of tribe Cerapachyini prey on other ants, or more probably the brood of other ants, but actual records are extremely rare. (Bolton and Fisher 2012)

Castes

Nomenclature

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

  • matthiasi. Simopone matthiasi Kutter, 1977b: 173, figs. 1-6 (q.) CAMEROON.
    • Type-material: holotype queen.
    • Type-locality: Cameroon: Buea, 6.iii.1937, no. 2078, in my pants (H. Kutter).
    • Type-depository: NHMB.
    • Status as species: Bolton, 1995b: 383; Bolton & Fisher, 2012: 32 (redescription).
    • Distribution: Cameroon.

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

Description

Queen

Bolton and Fisher (2012) - (dealate gyne). HL 1.01, HW 0.82, SL 0.34, EL 0.35, PW 0.65, AIIW 0.54, AIIL 0.48, AIIIW 0.68, AIIIL 0.69, WL 1.42, MFL 0.66, CI 81, SI 41, EL/HW 0.43, EP 1.20, AIIW/AIIL 1.13, AIIIW/AIIIL 0.99.

Visible anterior margin of clypeus is convex, anterior to and above the clypeo-labral junction, so that the latter is slightly but obviously reflexed. Frontal carinae short, not extending back beyond the level of the posterior point of the frontal triangle, their apices markedly in front of the level of the anterior margins of the eyes; between apex of frontal carina and eye with a line determined by a change of sculpture: antennal fossa much less strongly sculptured than dorsum. Clypeus broad and flat across, the frontal lobes form narrow, convex, subtranslucent flanges on each side. Eyes located at about the cephalic midlength, EP 1.20; in full-face view outer margins of eyes just touch the outlines of the sides; they do not conspicuously interrupt the outlines. Scape with SW/SL 0.47. Leading edge of scape without projecting setae (may be abraded). Cephalic dorsum with a single short seta located just behind level of midlength of eye, and a second, slightly longer, seta at the posterior margin (both missing from left-hand side of holotype). Sides of head in full-face view without projecting setae. Mandibles smooth with scattered small pits. Cephalic dorsum, from level of apices of frontal carinae to level of posterior margins of eyes, with fine and very dense reticulate-punctate sculpture, and also with scattered minute costulae, mainly longitudinal, that appear to be formed by the alignment of puncture margins. Pronotum with a single pair of short setae, close to the humeri; mesosoma otherwise without conspicuous setae. In dorsal view pronotum without a sharp anterior carina and the humeri rounded, not sharply angled. Width of mesonotum across tegulae 0.72; mesoscutum with maximum width 0.66, maximum length 0.48. Dorsum of pronotum, mesoscutum and propodeum punctate, the punctures crowded but with narrow spaces between them; not reticulate. Faint traces of superficial ground sculpture may be present between the punctures. Declivity of propodeum meets the sides and the dorsum in a continuous low carina; declivity with faint superficial reticular patterning, not smooth. Dorsum of AII (petiole) angulate anteriorly, extremely weakly carinate posteriorly; the sides weakly convex and broadest at about the midlength. Posterior corners of AII angulate but not produced into laterally directed teeth; the posterior margin approximately transverse. Anteroventral process of AII a recurved cuticular hook, the space between the apex and base of the hook filled with a cuticular lamella. AII broader than long, AIII about as broad as long, AIV broader than long (width 0.88, length 0.74). Abdominal tergites AII, AIII and AIV with conspicuous pubescence but without standing setae except for a sparse row of short setae on the posterior margins of AIII and AIV; these tergites densely punctate. Pygidial fork short and blunt; lateral margin anterior to fork with only 2–3 small teeth, the first of which is fused to the base of the fork. Middle and hind femora and tibiae with pubescence but without standing setae on any surface. Full adult colour of head and body uniform light brown.

Type Material

Bolton and Fisher (2012) - Holotype queen (dealate), Cameroun: Buea, 6.iii.1937, no. 2078, “in meinen Hosen” (H. Kutter) (Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel) [examined].

References