Syllophopsis jonesi

Syllophopsis jonesi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Solenopsidini
Genus:	Syllophopsis
Species:	S. jonesi
Binomial name
	Syllophopsis jonesi; (Arnold, 1952) Specimen Labels
Synonyms
	Syllophopsis arnoldi Santschi, 1921;

This species has been found in Bushveld and grassland.

Identification

Bolton (1987) - This quite distinctive member of the group is known only from the two syntypes which constitute the type-series. M. jonesi appears to be closest related to Syllophopsis thrascolepta from Ivory Coast, but jonesi lacks the dense erect to suberect pubescence which is so obvious in thrascoleptum.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -25.17778° to -33.1°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: South Africa (type locality).

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.

Biology

Castes

Nomenclature

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

arnoldi. Syllophopsis arnoldi Santschi, 1921c: 120, fig. 2d,e (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.
- [Note: genus misspelled as Syllopsis in original description title; correctly spelled in legend of fig. 2.]
- Type-material: 4 syntype workers.
- Type-locality: South Africa: Natal, Mfongosi (Jones).
- Type-depository: NHMB, SAMC.
- [Junior secondary homonym of Monomorium arnoldi Forel, 1913a: 137.]
- Status as species: Ettershank, 1966: 101.
- Replacement name: Monomorium (Syllophopsis) jonesi Arnold, 1952a: 465.
jonesi. Monomorium (Syllophopsis) jonesi Arnold, 1952a: 465.
- Replacement name for Syllophopsis arnoldi Santschi, 1921c: 120. [Junior secondary homonym of Monomorium arnoldi Forel, 1913a: 137.]
- Status as species: Bolton, 1987: 422 (redescription); Bolton, 1995b: 263; Sharaf & Aldawood, 2013a: 82 (in key).
- Distribution: South Africa.

Taxonomic Notes

As the replacement name jonesi was proposed before 1960 (when both arnoldi taxa were included in Monomorium), the replacement name retains validity under ICZN Art. 59.3. Therefore the priority awarded by Ward, et al. 2015: 73, is incorrect.]

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

Description

Worker

Bolton (1987) - TL 2.2-2.3, HL 0.54-0.55, HW 0.40-0.41, CI 72-75, SL 0.43-0.44, SI 107-110, PW 0.29-0.30, AL 0.60-0.64 (2 measured).

Eyes of a single ommatidium, maximum diameter 0.05 x HW. Head relatively narrow (CI 75 or less) and antennal scapes relatively long, with SL always greater than HW (SI > 100) . Promesonotal outline in profile evenly domed-convex, the metanotal groove sharply but narrowly impressed. Propodeal dorsal outline rising from the metanotal groove, then curving into the dorsum proper and sloping to the minute triangular denticles at the junction of dorsum and declivity; without a raised peak or transverse ridge at the highest point immediately behind the metanotal groove. All dorsal surfaces of the head and body with numerous short standing hairs. These hairs not as numerous as elsewhere in the group but I suspect that the syntypes are somewhat abraded. Scapes, tibiae and sides of head behind eyes, when seen in full-face view, with sparse appressed pubescence, none of which is erect or suberect. Head unsculptured except for minute scattered hair-pits. Alitrunk unsculptured except for the oblique impressed area between the mesopleuron and metapleuron/propodeum where some faint ribbing is present; and on the metapleuron which has some feeble longitudinal rugulae. Propodeum unsculptured above. Colour uniform yellow.

Type Material

Bolton (1987) - Syntype workers, South Africa: Natal, Mfongosi (Jones) (Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel) [examined].

References

Arnold, G. 1952a. New species of African Hymenoptera. No. 10. Occas. Pap. Natl. Mus. South. Rhod. 2: 460-493 (page 465, Replacement name for Syllophopsis arnoldi)
Bolton, B. 1987. A review of the Solenopsis genus-group and revision of Afrotropical Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology. 54: 263-452.. (page 422, see also)
Forel, A. 1913a. Fourmis de Rhodesia, etc. récoltées par M. G. Arnold, le Dr. H. Brauns et K. Fikendey. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 57: 108-147 (page 137, primary homonym)
Santschi, F. 1921c. Quelques nouveaux Formicides africains. Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique 61: 113-122 (doi:10.5281/ZENODO.14442) (page 120, [Junior secondary homonym of Monomorium arnoldi Forel, 1913a: 137.])
Ward, P. S., S. G. Brady, B. L. Fisher, and T. R. Schultz. 2015. The evolution of myrmicine ants: phylogeny and biogeography of a hyperdiverse ant clade (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Systematic Entomology. 40:61-81.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Ettershank G. 1966. A generic revision of the world Myrmicinae related to Solenopsis and Pheidologeton (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Aust. J. Zool. 14: 73-171.
Koen J. H., and W. Breytenbach. 1988. Ant species richness of fynbos and forest ecosystems in the Southern Cape. South Afr. Tydskr. Dierk. 23(3): 184-188.
Sharaf M.R., Aldawood, A.S. 2013. First occurrence of the Monomorium hildebrandti-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in the Arabian Peninsula, with description of a new species M. kondratieffi n. sp. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 115: 75-84 (doi:10.4289/0013-8797.115.1.75).