Anochetus obscuratus

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Anochetus obscuratus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Ponerinae
Tribe: Ponerini
Genus: Anochetus
Species: A. obscuratus
Binomial name
Anochetus obscuratus
Santschi, 1911

Anochetus obscuratus sam-hym-c009619 profile 1.jpg

Anochetus obscuratus sam-hym-c009619 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

Synonyms

Identification

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 5.5° to -17.59083333°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo (type locality), Guinea, Kenya, United Republic of Tanzania, United Republic of Tanzania.

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

Castes

Worker

Anochetus obscuratus sam-hym-c010189a head 1.jpgAnochetus obscuratus sam-hym-c010189a profile 1.jpgAnochetus obscuratus sam-hym-c010189a dorsal 1.jpgAnochetus obscuratus sam-hym-c010189a label 1.jpg
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Nomenclature

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

  • obscuratus. Anochetus madagascarensis var. obscurata Santschi, 1911c: 351 (w.q.) TANZANIA.
    • Type-material: syntype workers, syntype queens (numbers not stated).
    • Type-locality: Tanzania (“Afrique orientale allemande”): Kilimanjaro, Kiboscho (Ch. Alluaud).
    • Type-depository: MNHN.
    • Subspecies of africanus: Emery, 1911d: 108; Santschi, 1914b: 56; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 791.
    • Status as species: Santschi, 1923e: 265; Brown, 1978c: 558, 602; Bolton, 1995b: 65; Hita Garcia, et al. 2013: 219.
    • Senior synonym of schoutedeni: Brown, 1978c: 558; Bolton, 1995b: 65.
    • Senior synonym of ustus: Brown, 1978c: 558; Bolton, 1995b: 65.
    • Distribution: Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Tanzania.
  • schoutedeni. Anochetus schoutedeni Santschi, 1923e: 264 (w.) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO.
    • Type-material: holotype worker.
    • Type-locality: Democratic Republic of Congo (“Congo belge”): Kasai, Dumbi, 5.x.1921 (H. Schouteden).
    • Type-depository: MRAC.
    • Status as species: Bernard, 1953b: 212.
    • Junior synonym of obscuratus: Brown, 1978c: 558; Bolton, 1995b: 65.
  • ustus. Anochetus schoutedeni var. ustus Santschi, 1923e: 265 (w.) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO.
    • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
    • Type-locality: Democratic Republic of Congo (“Congo belge”): Kasai, Makumbi, 17.x.1921 (H. Schouteden).
    • Type-depository: NHMB (perhaps also in MRAC).
    • Junior synonym of obscuratus: Brown, 1978c: 558; Bolton, 1995b: 66.

Description

References

  • Brown, W. L., Jr. 1978c. Contributions toward a reclassification of the Formicidae. Part VI. Ponerinae, tribe Ponerini, subtribe Odontomachiti. Section B. Genus Anochetus and bibliography. Stud. Entomol. 20: 549-638 (page 558, senior synonym of schoutedeni and ustus)
  • Emery, C. 1911e. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Ponerinae. Genera Insectorum 118: 1-125 (page 108, variety of africanus)
  • Santschi, F. 1911c [1910]. Nouvelle fourmis d'Afrique. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Fr. 79: 351-369 (page 351, worker, queen described)
  • Santschi, F. 1914b. Voyage de Ch. Alluaud et R. Jeannel en Afrique Orientale, 1911-1912. Résultats scientifiques. Insectes Hyménoptères. II. Formicidae. Paris: Libr. A. Schulz, pp. 41-148. (page 56, variety of africanus)
  • Santschi, F. 1923e. Descriptions de nouveaux Formicides éthiopiens et notes diverses. I. Rev. Zool. Afr. (Bruss.) 11: 259-295 (page 265, raised to species)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Bernard F. 1953. La réserve naturelle intégrale du Mt Nimba. XI. Hyménoptères Formicidae. Mémoires de l'Institut Français d'Afrique Noire 19: 165-270.
  • Brown W.L. Jr. 1978. Contributions toward a reclassification of the Formicidae. Part VI. Ponerinae, tribe Ponerini, subtribe Odontomachiti. Section B. Genus Anochetus and bibliography. Studia Ent. 20(1-4): 549-638.
  • Emery C. 1911. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Ponerinae. Genera Insectorum 118: 1-125.
  • Garcia F.H., Wiesel E. and Fischer G. 2013.The Ants of Kenya (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)—Faunal Overview, First Species Checklist, Bibliography, Accounts for All Genera, and Discussion on Taxonomy and Zoogeography. Journal of East African Natural History, 101(2): 127-222
  • IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection
  • Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VIII. A synonymic list of the ants of the Ethiopian region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 711-1004