Stenamma connectum

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Stenamma connectum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Stenammini
Genus: Stenamma
Species: S. connectum
Binomial name
Stenamma connectum
Branstetter, 2013

Stenamma connectum casent0605496 p 1 high.jpg

Stenamma connectum casent0605496 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Stenamma connectum is found in montane wet forest habitats from 600–2160 m elevation, and is known almost exclusively from Winkler or Berlese samples of sifted leaf litter. Only once has a nest been found: a single dealate queen with brood underneath a moss mat.

Identification

Branstetter (2013) - Integument mostly dark brown to brown, rarely black; small-sized species (see HL, ML, PrW below); basal margin of mandible sinuous, with a distinct basal depression; anterior clypeal margin undulating, forming 2–4 blunt teeth; face completely sculptured, mostly rugoreticulate; mesosoma mostly sculptured, except for pronotum, which is usually lightly carinulate-punctate, with a small smooth patch on dorsum and side, but sometimes pronotum completely punctate or mostly smooth; remainder of mesosoma usually strongly punctate; propodeal declivity in profile usually with distinctive outline, in which propodeal lobe is broadly rounded and makes a smooth, sinuous connection with propodeal spine (degree of sinuosity variable); eye of small to moderate size (EL 0.07–0.11, REL 15–19), oval-shaped, with 4–5 ommatidia at greatest diameter; pilosity on gastral dorsum bilayered, with a layer of longer suberect setae, and a denser layer of decumbent setae; propodeal spines tuberculate, or reduced to sharp angles (PSL 0.07–0.09, PSI 1.1–1.4); geography useful in species determination. Similar species: Stenamma crypticum, Stenamma huachucanum.

Distinguishing Stenamma connectum from S. crypticum and S. huachucanum can be difficult. This is because each species is composed of multiple allopatric populations with no clear evidence of sympatry among divergent forms. Using morphology alone, the best solution would probably be to delimit a single widespread species. However, molecular phylogenetic data strongly suggest the existence of multiple biological species. As currently defined, geography is very useful in separating S. connectum from similar species. Stenamma connectum occurs in the Mexican states of Veracruz and Oaxaca only. Within Oaxaca, it is found along the Caribbean slope in wet forest habitats. Stenamma huachucanum is distributed from the southwestern U.S.A to Oaxaca. Within Oaxaca, it occurs only in the drier habitats in the central and western parts of the state. Specimens from Hidalgo and San Luis Potosí states are considered to be S. huachucanum, but some of these specimens are hard to place. Stenamma crypticum occurs mainly from Chiapas, Mexico to Nicaragua; however, a couple of specimens known from one sample collected in Veracruz at 1600 m (11km N San Andrés Tuxtla) appear most like S. crypticum. These specimens lack the broadly rounded propodeal lobes (in profile) and have the promesonotum mostly smooth. Until more material is collected, Branstetter (2013) treats these as S. crypticum, but notes that it is possible that they are actually abberant specimens of S. connectum. One specimen that clearly has the characteristics of S. connectum was collected at nearly the same locality, only slightly lower at 1400 m elevation.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Southern Mexico: Oaxaca, Veracruz.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 21.156207° to 17.305976°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Mexico (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

Castes

Males have been collected but have not been described.

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Stenamma connectum casent0126480 h 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0126480 p 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0126480 d 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0126480 l 1 high.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0126480. Photographer Michael Branstetter, uploaded by Default Group. Owned by LACM.
Stenamma connectum casent0605461 h 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0605461 p 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0605461 d 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0605461 p 2 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0605461 l 1 high.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0605461. Photographer Michael Branstetter, uploaded by Default Group. Owned by MGBPC.
Stenamma connectum casent0605552 h 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0605552 p 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0605552 d 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0605552 l 1 high.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0605552. Photographer Michael Branstetter, uploaded by Default Group. Owned by MGBPC.
Stenamma connectum casent0605586 d 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0605586 h 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0605586 p 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0605586 h 2 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0605586 p 2 high.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0605586. Photographer Michael Branstetter, uploaded by Default Group. Owned by MGBPC.
Stenamma connectum casent0622437 h 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0622437 d 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0622437 p 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0622437 h 2 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0622437 p 2 high.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0622437. Photographer Michael Branstetter, uploaded by Curator Michael Branstetter. Owned by MGBPC.
Stenamma connectum casent0622438 h 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0622438 p 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0622438 d 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0622438 p 2 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0622438 h 2 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0622438 l 1 high.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0622438. Photographer Michael Branstetter, uploaded by Default Group.
Stenamma connectum casent0622439 h 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0622439 p 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0622439 d 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0622439 h 2 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0622439 p 2 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0622439 l 1 high.jpg
Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0622439. Photographer Michael Branstetter, uploaded by Default Group.

Queen

Images from AntWeb

Stenamma connectum casent0605755 h 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0605755 p 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0605755 d 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0605755 l 1 high.jpg
Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0605755. Photographer Michael Branstetter, uploaded by Default Group. Owned by MGBPC.
Stenamma connectum casent0126417 p 2 high.jpg
Specimen code casent0126417. .

Male

Images from AntWeb

Stenamma connectum casent0605585 d 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0605585 p 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0605585 h 1 high.jpgStenamma connectum casent0605585 l 1 high.jpg
Male (alate). Specimen code casent0605585. Photographer Michael Branstetter, uploaded by Default Group. Owned by MGBPC.

Nomenclature

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

  • connectum. Stenamma connectum Branstetter, 2013: 73, figs. 64-66 (w.q.m.) MEXICO (Oaxaca, Veracruz).
    • Type-material: holotype worker, 15 paratype workers, 3 paratype queens.
    • Type-locality: holotype Mexico: Oaxaca, 10.8 km. SW Valle Nacional, 17.68102°N, 96.33026°W±66m., 1120 m., 13.viii.2009, MGB1387 (M.G. Branstetter); paratypes with same data.
    • Type-depositories: USNM (holotype); CASC, CFSS, EAPZ, FMNH, ICNB, INBC, JTLC, LACM, MCZC, MGBC, MZSP, UCDC, UNAM, USNM, UVGC (paratypes).
    • Distribution: Mexico.

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

Description

Worker

(20 measured) HL 0.52–0.69 (0.54), HW 0.45–0.60 (0.48), FLD 0.11–0.16 (0.12), PCW 0.02–0.04 (0.02), SL 0.39–0.58 (0.42), EL 0.07–0.11 (0.08), ACL 0.40–0.54 (0.43), ML 0.61–0.87 (0.65), PrW 0.31–0.40 (0.32), PSL 0.07–0.09 (0.08), SDL 0.05–0.07 (0.06), PL 0.22–0.32 (0.23), PH 0.14–0.19 (0.14), PW 0.10–0.16 (0.11), PPL 0.12–0.20 (0.14), PPH 0.12–0.19 (0.13), PPW 0.13– 0.19 (0.15), MFL 0.38–0.62 (0.44), MTL 0.31–0.52 (0.35), CI 84–92 (89), SI 85–99 (87), REL 15–19 (16), FLI 24–28 (25), PSI 1.1–1.4 (1.4), MFI 96–117 (109), ACI1 67–72 (70), ACI2 93–105 (102).

Small-sized species; general body color usually dark brown to brown, rarely almost black; appendages brown to yellow-brown, becoming lighter toward extremities; in specimens with dark brown to black body color, flagellum sometimes noticeably bright yellow; setae golden brown; mandible with 6 teeth, with basal tooth well defined; basal margin of mandible sinuous, with a distinct basal depression; mandible surface mostly smooth and shiny, with scattered piligerous punctae, and some striations on base and lateral surface; anterior clypeal margin undulating, forming 2–4 blunt teeth, inner teeth often projecting beyond lateral teeth (type population); median lobe of clypeus with a pair of longitudinal carinulae that diverge anteriorly, apex of lobe with a moderately long transverse carinula, area in between median lobe and anterior margin forming a distinct cavity where mandibles insert, remainder of clypeus mostly smooth and shiny; posterior extension of clypeus between antennal insertions of moderate to somewhat narrow width (PCW 0.02–0.04), with sides subparallel to slightly hour-glass shaped; frontal lobes of moderate width (FLD 0.11–0.16, FLI 24–28), not greatly obscuring torular lobes in full-face view; head roughly oval-shaped (CI 84–92), posterior margin with a slight to distinct median depression; eye of small to moderate size (EL 0.07–0.11, REL 15–19), oval-shaped, with 4–5 ommatidia at greatest diameter; face completely sculptured, mostly rugoreticulate, with some longitudinal carinulae extending back from frontal lobes, interstitial areas with light piligerous punctae; one high-elevation population with facial sculpture more polished, becoming smooth toward posterior margin; scape somewhat short (SI 85–99), not reaching posterior margin when laid back; scape surface mostly smooth, with scattered piligerous punctae; flagellum with a distinct 4-segmented antennal club; mesosoma mostly sculptured, except for pronotum, which ranges from completely punctate to almost completely smooth (both extremes rare); pronotum most often lightly punctate on side, and lightly carinulate-punctate on dorsum, with a small smooth patch in middle (type population); remainder of mesosoma mostly punctate, with some longitudinal carinulae, becoming rugoreticulae on mesonotum; propodeal dorsum and declivity sometimes with transverse carinulae; one high-elevation population with mesopleuron rugulose-punctate, and side of propodeum longitudinally carinulate; promesonotum in profile low-domed and roughly symmetrical; metanotal groove well demarcated, of moderate width and depth; propodeum in profile usually with a distinct profile, in which propodeal lobe has a broadly rounded margin that connects smoothly with propodeal spine; connection usually sinuous, but degree of sinuosity variable; propodeal spines usually tuberculate (type population), but sometimes reduced to sharp angles (PSL 0.07–0.09, PSI 1.1–1.4); petiole in profile of moderate length to slightly elongate (PL/HW 0.49–0.55); petiolar node in profile appearing small (PH/PL 0.52–0.64), and asymmetrical, with anterior face longer and more sloping than posterior face, node dorsum broadly rounded (type population) to more angulate, with apex pointing distinctly posteriad; postpetiole in profile subspherical, usually about same size as petiolar node, but sometimes slighly bulging (PPH/ PH 0.79–1.01); petiole and postpetiole usually mostly punctate, with only anterior faces smooth and shiny, but sometimes nodes almost completely smooth; most of body dorsum with short standing pilosity; setae on face very short, mostly subdecumbent; pilosity on gastral dorsum bilayered, with a sparse layer of longer suberect setae, and a denser layer of decumbent setae, sometimes lower layer very similar in density to upper layer; setae on scape subdecumbent to appressed; setae on legs mostly decumbent to appressed, with some suberect setae on femoral venters and coxae.

Queen

Stenamma connectum casent0126417 p 2 high.jpg

(8 meausred) HL 0.55–0.68 (0.56), HW 0.50–0.62 (0.51), FLD 0.13–0.15 (0.13), PCW 0.03–0.05 (0.03), SL 0.42–0.56 (0.45), EL 0.14–0.17(0.15), ACL 0.43–0.52 (0.45), ML 0.74–1.00 (0.78), PrW 0.44–0.55 (0.46), PSL 0.09–0.11 (0.11), SDL 0.07–0.09 (0.09), PL 0.28–0.36 (0.29), PH 0.16–0.21 (0.16), PW 0.12–0.17 (0.13), PPL 0.14–0.21 (0.15), PPH 0.16–0.21 (0.16), PPW 0.17– 0.22 (0.17), MFL 0.44–0.62 (0.46), MTL 0.38–0.53 (0.39), CI 88–93 (91), SI 83–95 (88), REL 27–30 (29), FLI 25–26 (26), PSI 1.2–1.5 (1.3), MFI 96–115 (111), ACI1 66–69 (68), ACI2 93–106 (102).

Same as worker except for standard queen modifications and as follows (comparsion of type population only): pronotum with transverse carinulae/rugulae; mesoscutum mostly smooth, with piligerous punctae, and some longidutinal carinulae along lateral margin; scutellum smooth in middle, rugulose-punctate on lateral margins; mesopleuron mostly smooth; propodeum carinulate-punctate; lower layer of setae on gastral dorsum very dense, almost pubescent; dorsum of mesosoma and anterior faces of petiolar and postpetiolar nodes with a dense layer of short, decumbent setae; propodeal declivity in profile less sinuous, with propodeal lobe smaller and less evenly rounded; wing venation as in photo.

Type Material

Holotype Specimen Labels

Holotype worker. MÉXICO, Oaxaca: 10.8km SW Valle Nacional, 17.68102°N, 96.33026°W ±66m, 1120m, 13 Aug 2009, disturbed mesophyll forest, ex sifted leaf litter (M. G. Branstetter, collection MGB1387) USNM, specimen CASENT0622438. Paratypes: same data as holotype 1dq, 1w, CASC, CASENT0623275, CASENT0623261, 1w, EAPZ, CASENT0623262, 1w, ECOSCE, CASENT0623263, 1w, FMNH, CASENT0623264, 1w, ICN, CASENT0623265, 1w, INBC, CASENT0623266, 1w, JTLC, CASENT0623274, 1w, LACM, CASENT0623267, 1w, MGBPC, CASENT0623268, 1dq, 1w, MCZ, CASENT0623276, CASENT0623272, 1w, MZSP, CASENT0623269, 1w, UCDC, CASENT0623270, 1w, UNAM, CASENT0623271, 1dq, 1w, USNM, CASENT0622439, CASENT0623260, 1w, UVGC, CASENT0623273].

Etymology

The specific epithet connectum is in reference to the sinuous connection between the propodeal spines and lobes in profile view.

References

  • Branstetter, M. G. 2012. Origin and diversification of the cryptic ant genus Stenamma Westwood (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), inferred from multilocus molecular data, biogeography and natural history. Systematic Entomology 37:478-496. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3113.2012.00624.x.
  • Branstetter, M.G. 2013. Revision of the Middle American clade of the ant genus Stenamma Westwood (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae). ZooKeys 295, 1–277. doi:10.3897/zookeys.295.4905

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Branstetter M.G. 2013. Revision of the Middle American clade of the ant genus Stenamma Westwood (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae). ZooKeys 295: 1–277
  • Dattilo W. et al. 2019. MEXICO ANTS: incidence and abundance along the Nearctic-Neotropical interface. Ecology https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2944