Sericomyrmex parvulus

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Sericomyrmex parvulus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Sericomyrmex
Species: S. parvulus
Binomial name
Sericomyrmex parvulus
Forel, 1912

Sericomyrmex parvulus usnment01124296 p 1 high.jpg

Sericomyrmex parvulus usnment01124296 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Synonyms

Most collections of this species have been from forested areas. The biology of Sericomyrmex parvulus has not been studied, general details about the biology of the genus are given here.

Identification

Ješovnik & Schultz (2017) - Small species; posterior cephalic corner smoothly rounded; frontal lobe triangular, small, narrow; frontal carina faint, incomplete; mesosomal tubercles small, low, first gastral tergite with lateral carinae weakly developed, dorsal carinae absent.

The aptly named S. parvulus is the smallest Sericomyrmex species. In the regions where their distributions overlap, parvulus is most easily mistaken for Sericomyrmex opacus. In general opacus is larger, with wider, rectangular frontal lobes. Similarly, the S. opacus queen can be separated from the parvulus queen by its slightly larger size and by the presence of supraocular eye carinae in some specimens (absent in parvulus). The queen of Sericomyrmex saramama is similar in size but can be recognized by its striate mandibles (smooth in parvulus).

Within-species morphological variation in S. parvulus includes the frontal carinae (typically incomplete and faint, but complete and stronger in some populations), eyes (sometimes covered with a white layer, but sometimes not), and the general robustness of denticles and tubercles on the mesosoma and metasoma.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Ješovnik & Schultz (2017) - Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 12.85° to -28.0968°.

   
North
Temperate 		North
Subtropical 		Tropical South
Subtropical 		South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Brazil (type locality), Guyana, Suriname (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

AntMapLegend.png

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 Fungus Growing 
For additional details see Fungus growing ants.

A handful of ant species (approx. 275 out of the known 15,000 species) have developed the ability to cultivate fungus within their nests. In most species the fungus is used as the sole food source for the larvae and is an important resource for the adults as well. Additionally, in a limited number of cases, the fungus is used to construct part of the nest structure but is not as a food source.

These fungus-feeding species are limited to North and South America, extending from the pine barrens of New Jersey, United States, in the north (Trachymyrmex septentrionalis) to the cold deserts in Argentina in the south (several species of Acromyrmex). Species that use fungi in nest construction are known from Europe and Africa (a few species in the genera Crematogaster, Lasius).


The details of fungal cultivation are rich and complex. First, a wide variety of materials are used as substrate for fungus cultivating. The so-called lower genera include species that prefer dead vegetation, seeds, flowers, fruits, insect corpses, and feces, which are collected in the vicinity of their nests. The higher genera include non leaf-cutting species that collect mostly fallen leaflets, fruit, and flowers, as well as the leafcutters that collect fresh leaves from shrubs and trees. Second, while the majority of fungi that are farmed by fungus-feeding ants belong to the family Lepiotaceae, mostly the genera Leucoagaricus and Leucocoprinus, other fungi are also involved. Some species utilise fungi in the family Tricholomataceae while a few others cultivate yeast. The fungi used by the higher genera no longer produce spores. Their fungi produce nutritious and swollen hyphal tips (gongylidia) that grow in bundles called staphylae, to specifically feed the ants. Finally, colony size varies tremendously among these ants. Lower taxa mostly live in inconspicuous nests with 100–1000 individuals and relatively small fungus gardens. Higher taxa, in contrast, live in colonies made of 5–10 million ants that live and work within hundreds of interconnected fungus-bearing chambers in huge subterranean nests. Some colonies are so large, they can be seen from satellite photos, measuring up to 600 m3.

Based on these habits, and taking phylogenetic information into consideration, these ants can be divided into six biologically distinct agricultural systems (with a list of genera involved in each category):

Nest Construction

A limited number of species that use fungi in the construction of their nests.

Lower Agriculture

Practiced by species in the majority of fungus-feeding genera, including those thought to retain more primitive features, which cultivate a wide range of fungal species in the tribe Leucocoprineae.

Coral Fungus Agriculture

Practiced by species in the Apterostigma pilosum species-group, which cultivate fungi within the Pterulaceae.

Yeast Agriculture

Practiced by species within the Cyphomyrmex rimosus species-group, which cultivate a distinct clade of leucocoprineaceous fungi derived from the lower attine fungi.

Generalized Higher Agriculture

Practiced by species in several genera of non-leaf-cutting "higher attine" ants, which cultivate a distinct clade of leucocoprineaceous fungi separately derived from the lower attine fungi.

Leaf-Cutter Agriculture

A subdivision of higher attine agriculture practiced by species within several ecologically dominant genera, which cultivate a single highly derived species of higher attine fungus.

Note that the farming habits of Mycetagroicus (4 species) are unknown. Also, while species of Pseudoatta (2 species) are closely related to the fungus-feeding genus Acromyrmex, they are social parasites, living in the nests of their hosts and are not actively involved in fungus growing. ‎

Castano-Meneses et al (2017) - The springtail species Cyphoderus agnotus Börner (Cyphoderidae: Cyphoderus) and Cyphoderus similis Börner (Cyphoderidae: Cyphoderus) are known from nests of this ant.

Castes

Figure 48.
Figure 49.

Jesovnik and Schultz 2017. Figure 48. S. parvulus worker and queen; head, lateral profile, and dorsal view. Worker (USN-MENT00446157) (a, c, e). Queen (USNMENT01125594) (b, d, f). Figure 49. S. parvulus worker (USNMENT01125593), SEM images. a Head, full-face view b mandibles c mesosoma and metasoma, lateral view d eye.

Figure 50.

Jesovnik and Schultz 2017. Figure 50. S. parvulus larva (USNMENT01125592), SEM images. a Lateral view b ventral view c head, frontodorsal view d head, lateral view e mouthparts f anal setae.

Nomenclature

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

  • parvulus. Sericomyrmex parvulus Forel, 1912e: 193 (w.) BRAZIL (Pará).
    • Type-material: lectotype worker (by designation of Ješovnik & Schultz, 2017a: 80), 1 paralectotype worker.
    • Type-locality: lectotype Brazil: Pará (“received from Emery”); paralectotype with same data.
    • Type-depository: MHNG.
    • Ješovnik & Schultz, 2017a: 82 (q.l.).
    • Status as species: Wheeler, W.M. 1916c: 11 (in key); Emery, 1924d: 339; Borgmeier, 1927c: 128; Eidmann, 1936b: 84; Kempf, 1972a: 229; Bolton, 1995b: 382; Ješovnik & Schultz, 2017a: 80 (redescription); Fernández & Serna, 2019: 874.
    • Senior synonym of myersi: Ješovnik & Schultz, 2017a: 80.
    • Distribution: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname.
  • myersi. Sericomyrmex myersi Weber, 1937: 400 (w.) SURINAME.
    • Type-material: holotype worker.
    • Type-locality: Suriname: Fourth Falls on Upper Courantyne River, King Frederick William, 29.xii.1935, no. 5931 (J.G. Myers).
    • Type-depository: MCZC.
    • Status as species: Weber, 1946b: 143; Kempf, 1972a: 229; Bolton, 1995b: 382.
    • Junior synonym of parvulus: Ješovnik & Schultz, 2017a: 80.

Type Material

Lectotype worker (Ješovnik & Schultz, 2017): Brazil, Pará, [-4, -53] C. Emery (Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève: 1w, USNM00445579, bottom specimen). Paralectotype: same data as lectotype (MHNG: 1w, USNM00445579, top specimen). Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Ješovnik & Schultz (2017) - In populations of S. opacus from southern Colombia and northwestern Brazil, some of the workers have small, triangular frontal lobes, making them easy to mistake for parvulus. They are usually larger than the typical parvulus worker, but given the overlap in size between the two species, they could be mistaken for larger parvulus workers. It is possible that these intermediate individuals are hybrids and that the molecular and morphological differences between the Colombian and Brazilian populations of opacus are a consequence of hybridization and introgression with parvulus.

Description

Ješovnik & Schultz (2017):

Worker

(lectotype): HWe 0.66–0.9 (0.9) HW 0.66–0.93 (0.93) HW1 0.6–0.93 (0.84) HW2 0.68–1.03 (0.93) HW3 0.48–0.8 (0.6) IFW1 0.42–0.65 (0.62) IFW2 0.15–0.28 (0.26) HL1 0.62–0.9 (0.88) HL2 0.58–0.82 (0.8) SL 0.48–0.72 (0.64) EL 0.11–0.15 (0.15) Om 6–9 WL 0.74–1.23 (1.23) PL 0.16–0.34 (0.25) PPL 0.13–0.24 (0.16) GL 0.6–0.9 (0.83) HFL 0.65–0.99 (0.92) PW 0.46–0.64 (0.62) CI 94–106 (103) FLI 60–75 (69) SI 64–78 (71) OI 13–19 (17) CEI 5–12 (8) [N=55]

Pilosity. Pubescence dense, lighter than integument, appressed to decumbent. Hairs moderately thick, relatively sparse, often curved, yellow to gray, appressed to suberect.

Head. In full-face view evenly broad and long (CI=102 ± 3), posterior corner smoothly rounded, posterior cephalic emargination shallow (CEI=9 ± 2), gradually impressed. Vertexal impression faint, frontal tumuli barely visible. Mandible with 7–8 teeth, dorsally smooth and glossy, finely transversely striate only along masticatory margin. Eye medium-sized (OI =16 ± 1), flat to slightly convex, 6–9 ommatidia across largest diameter, in some specimens eyes partially covered with white layer (Figure 6l), in others eyes without white layer. Frontal lobe triangular, relatively small and narrow (FLI=70 ± 3), posterior margin shorter than medial. Frontal carina straight to slightly curved laterally, incomplete, weak, fading before reaching posterior cephalic corner. Antennal scape relatively short, not reaching posterior cephalic corner (SI=71 ± 3).

Mesosoma. Mesosomal tubercles low and obtuse. Propodeal carinae low and weak, with small posterodorsal denticles.

Metasoma. Petiole with two low, reduced dorsal denticles; postpetiole with two faint, short dorsal carina; both best seen in dorsolateral view. First gastral tergite with lateral carinae weakly developed, dorsal carinae faint or absent.

Queen

HWe 0.98–1.05 HW 1–1.08 HW1 1–1.13 HW2 1.08–1.22 HW3 0.74–0.8 IFW1 0.7–0.78 IFW2 0.24–0.28 HL1 0.95–1.08 HL2 0.88–0.95 SL 0.64–0.7 EL 0.21–0.24 Om 14–15 EW 0.08–0.08 WL 1.56–1.65 PL 0.34–0.48 PPL 0.2–0.25 GL 1.4–1.58 HFL 1–1.18 PW 0.82–0.92 CI 95–103 FLI 72–76 SI 66–70 OI 21–23 [N=4]

Head. Mandible with 7–8 teeth, dorsally glossy and smooth, finely transversely striate only along masticatory margin. Preocular carina fading posterior to eye. Eye large (OI=22 ± 1), mildly convex, 14–15 ommatidia across largest diameter. Frontal lobe more robust than in worker, antennal scape not reaching posterior cephalic corner.

Mesosoma. Lateral pronotal tubercles very low. Scutum in dorsal view with notauli and median mesoscutal line absent or very faint. Parapsidal lines faint, slightly curved. Axillae small, groove separating axillae from scutellum smooth. Scutellum short in dorsal view, narrowing posteriorly, posterior margin with V-shaped notch, notch sometimes continuing into median impression that divides scutellum in two lateral parts. Propodeal denticle low, obtuse, laterally flattened, diverging posteriorly in dorsal view.

Metasoma. First tergite of gaster with lateral carinae well developed, dorsal carinae absent or weak, anteromedian groove shallow.

Larva

Lateral and dorsal surfaces without any setae. Supra-antennal setae absent. Four genal setae on each side. Mandibular apical tooth undivided. Labial denticles either absent or small number of denticles present anterior to sericteries. Thoracic segment 1 (T1) ventrally with multidentate spinules. Number of ventral setae: T1, T2, and T3 with two setae each, abdomen without setae (not including anal setae). Single pair of sensilliform setae anterior to anal opening.

Karyotype

  • n = 25, 2n = 50, karyotype = 30M+14SM+6ST (Brazil) (Cardoso & Cristiano, 2021).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Clemes Cardoso D., M. Passos Cristiano, J. Heinze, and M. G. Tavares. 2014. A nuclear DNA based phylogeny of endemic sand dune ants of the genus Mycetophylax (Emery, 1913): How morphology is reflected in molecular data. Molecular phylogenetics and Evolution 70: 378–382.
  • Costa-Milanez C. B., G. Lourenco-Silva, P. T. A. Castro, J. D. Majer, and S. P. Ribeiro. 2014. Are ant assemblages of Brazilian veredas characterised by location or habitat type? Braz. J. Biol. 74(1): 89-99.
  • Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
  • Franco W., N. Ladino, J. H. C. Delabie, A. Dejean, J. Orivel, M. Fichaux, S. Groc, M. Leponce, and R. M. Feitosa. 2019. First checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of French Guiana. Zootaxa 4674(5): 509-543.
  • Jesovnik A., J. Chaul, and T. Schultz. 2018. Natural history and nest architecture of the fungus-farming ant genus Sericomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecological News 26: 65-80.
  • Jesovnik A., and T. R. Schultz. 2017. Revision of the fungus-farming ant genus Sericomyrmex Mayr (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae). ZooKeys 670:1-109.
  • Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
  • Pires de Prado L., R. M. Feitosa, S. Pinzon Triana, J. A. Munoz Gutierrez, G. X. Rousseau, R. Alves Silva, G. M. Siqueira, C. L. Caldas dos Santos, F. Veras Silva, T. Sanches Ranzani da Silva, A. Casadei-Ferreira, R. Rosa da Silva, and J. Andrade-Silva. 2019. An overview of the ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the state of Maranhao, Brazil. Pap. Avulsos Zool. 59: e20195938.
  • Silva R.R., and C. R. F. Brandao. 2014. Ecosystem-Wide Morphological Structure of Leaf-Litter Ant Communities along a Tropical Latitudinal Gradient. PLoSONE 9(3): e93049. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0093049
  • Solomon S. E., C. Rabeling, J. Sosa-Calvo, C. Lopes, A. Rodrigues, H. L. Vasconcelos, M. Bacci, U. G. Mueller, and T. R. Schultz. 2019. The molecular phylogenetics of Trachymyrmex Forel ants and their fungal cultivars provide insights into the origin and coevolutionary history of ‘higher-attine’ ant agriculture. Systematic Entomology 44: 939–956.
  • Sosa-Calvo J. 2007. Ants of the leaf litter of two plateaus in Eastern Suriname. In Alonso, L.E. and J.H. Mol (eds.). 2007. A rapid biological assessment of the Lely and Nassau plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau). RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 43. Conservation International, Arlington, VA, USA.
  • Weber N. A. 1937. The biology of the fungus-growing ants. Part l. New forms. Rev. Entomol. (Rio J.) 7: 378-409.
  • Weber N. A. 1946. The biology of the fungus-growing ants. Part IX. The British Guiana species. Revista de Entomologia (Rio de Janeiro) 17: 114-172.
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