Syllophopsis malamixta

Syllophopsis malamixta
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Solenopsidini
Genus:	Syllophopsis
Species:	S. malamixta
Binomial name
	Syllophopsis malamixta; (Bolton, 1987) Specimen Labels

This species has been collected from forest habitats.

Identification

Bolton (1987) - S. malamixtum resembles the widespread Syllophopsis cryptobia but the two are usually separable on colour alone, the former being brown and the latter yellow. However, the presence of relatively dark individuals of cryptobium in Cameroun and possibly of light individuals in Togo means that colour alone is not always diagnostic. Separation of such dubious samples (as well as of more normally coloured material) rests on the fact that in cryptobium the mesopleuron is smooth and the propodeum does not have an acute peak behind the metanotal groove, whilst in malamixtum at least the lower half of the mesopleuron is sculptured and the metanotal groove is followed by an acute peak on the propodeum which appears as a narrow transverse crest in dorsal view.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -4.91456° to -4.91456°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Ivory Coast (type locality), United Republic of Tanzania.

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

Worker

Images from AntWeb


Paratype of Monomorium malamixtum. Worker. Specimen code casent0902226. Photographer Will Ericson, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by NHMUK, London, UK.

Nomenclature

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

malamixta. Monomorium malamixtum Bolton, 1987: 423 (w.q.) IVORY COAST, TOGO.
- Type-material: holotype worker, 27 paratype workers, 2 paratype queens.
- Type-locality: holotype Ivory Coast: Man, Mt Tonkoui, 900 m., 13.x.1980 (Mahnert & Perret); paratypes: 15 workers, 2 queens with same data, 12 workers Ivory Coast: Tai Forest, 17.x.1980 (Mahnert & Perret).
- Type-depositories: MHNG (holotype); BMNH, MCZC, MHNG (paratypes).
- Combination in Syllophopsis: Ward, et al. 2015: 73.
- Status as species: Bolton, 1995b: 264; Sharaf & Aldawood, 2013a: 81 (in key).
- Distribution: Ivory Coast, Togo.

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

Description

Worker

Holotype. TL 2.0, HL 0.44, HW 0.36, CI 82, SL 0.36, SI 100, PW 0.27, AL 0.54.

Minute species with eyes of a single ommatidium, the maximum diameter 0.06 x HW. With head in full-face view the sides and the occipital margin very shallowly convex. Antennal scapes of moderate length, SI 100 (range of SI 91-100 in all samples). With alitrunk in profile the promesonotal dorsum evenly arched-convex, the metanotal groove deeply and conspicuously impressed. Propodeal dorsum immediately behind metanotal groove rising to a narrow acute peak, behind which the surface slopes posteriorly to the minute propodeal denticles. In dorsal view the propodeal peak is seen as a narrow inconspicuous transverse crest immediately behind the metanotal groove. Dorsal surfaces of head and body with fine hairs and pubescence, sparsest on the propodeum where only a couple of pairs of hairs occur. With the head in full-face view the scapes and sides behind the eyes with subdecumbent to decumbent pubescence, no pubescence conspicuously erect. All dorsal surfaces of head and body unsculptured except for scattered minute hair-pits but the sides of the alitrunk with the lower two-thirds of the mesopleuron finely punctulate-shagreenate , the impression between mesopleuron and propodeum very finely cross-ribbed and the metapleural gland bullae finely striolate. Colour brown.

Paratypes. TL 1.6-2.0, HL 0.40-0.44, HW 0.32-0.37, CI 80-85, SL 0.32-0.36, SI 91-100, PW 0.24-0.27, AL 0.44-0.54 (to measured). As holotype but maximum diameter of eye 0.06-0.08 x HW. Mesopleural sculpture covers the lower one-half to two-thirds of the sclerite.

Type Material

Holotype worker, Ivory Coast: Man, Mt Tonkoui, 900 m, 13.x.1980 (Mahnert & Perret) (Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève). Paratypes. 15 workers and 2 females with same data as holotype; 12 workers, Tai Forest, 17.x.1980 (Mahnert & Perret) (MHNG; The Natural History Museum; Museum of Comparative Zoology).

References

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 423, worker, queen described)
Ward, P.S., Brady, S.G., Fisher, B.L., Schultz, T.R. 2015. The evolution of myrmicine ants: phylogeny and biogeography of a hyperdiverse ant clade (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Systematic Entomology 40: 61–81 (doi:10.1111/syen.12090).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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.