Tanipone aglandula

Tanipone aglandula
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Dorylinae
Genus:	Tanipone
Species:	V. aglandula
Binomial name
	Tanipone aglandula; Bolton & Fisher, 2012 Specimen Labels

Specimens were retrieved from tropical dry forest or gallery forest, sometimes as ground foragers but more usually on low vegetation, or in live or dead twigs and branches above the ground, or in rot pockets above the ground.

Identification

The sole member of the aglandula group, this species is immediately recognisable by the characters of the group diagnosis: The single species in this group, aglandula, exhibits a density of pilosity that on the head and abdomen is intermediate between the severely restricted setal pattern characteristic of the maculata group and the much denser, more disorganised pilosity of the hirsuta group. The metatibial gland orifice in aglandula is the most extensively developed of the genus, and it is the only known species of Tanipone that has no visible glandular patches on AIII. (Bolton and Fisher 2012)

Keys including this Species

Key to Tanipone Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -16.05027778° to -16.05027778°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Malagasy Region: Madagascar (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

Explore Overview of Tanipone biology

Little is known about the biology of Tanipone. They are predominantly terrestrial to subarboreal, being found as ground foragers in leaf litter, under stones, in rotten stumps and in rotten logs. Just as commonly workers have been captured on low vegetation, in living and dead stems above the ground and in rot pockets in tree trunks. No prey records exist for Tanipone. (Bolton and Fisher 2012)

‎

Castes

Worker

Images from AntWeb


Worker. Specimen code casent0492248. Photographer Erin Prado, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.


Holotype of Tanipone aglandula. Worker. Specimen code casent0492491. Photographer Shannon Hartman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.


Specimen code casent0002597. .

Nomenclature

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

aglandula. Tanipone aglandula Bolton & Fisher, 2012: 81, figs. 86-88 (w.) MADAGASCAR.
- Type-material: holotype worker, 3 paratype workers.
- Type-locality: holotype Madagascar: Prov. Mahajanga, Mahavavy River, 6.2 km. 145° SE Mitsinjo, 16°03.1’S, 45°54.5’E, 20 m., 1-5.xii.2002, BLF6939, CASENT0492491, ex live stem, gallery forest (B.L. Fisher); paratypes with same data but BLF7017, CASENT0481792, on low vegetation, gallery forest.
- Type-depository: CASC.
- Distribution: Madagascar.

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

Description

Worker

(holotype in parentheses). HL 0.92–1.13 (1.04), HW 0.74–0.95 (0.86), SL 0.40–0.50 (0.45), EL 0.30–0.38 (0.34), PW 0.57–0.73 (0.66), AIIW 0.50–0.69 (0.60), AIIL 0.48–0.68 (0.60), AIIIW 0.60–0.81 (0.72), AIIIL 0.56–0.72 (0.66), WL 1.08–1.38 (1.26), MFL 0.64–0.80 (0.73), CI 80–87 (83), SI 49–55 (52), EL/HW 0.40–0.44 (0.40), AIIW/AIIL 0.96–1.11 (1.00), AIIIW/AIIIL 1.07–1.16 (1.09) (10 measured).

In full-face view side of head in front of eye with a projecting seta close to the posterior clypeal margin; side of head below outline of eye with 1–2 (very rarely 3) setae that project laterally; side of head behind level of eye with 1–2 projecting setae; 2–4 setae along posterior margin. In profile, a single pair of erect setae immediately behind the frontal carinae and a single erect seta above the dorsal margin of each eye. In a few specimens one or two additional shorter setae are present between eye and ocelli. Dorsum of pronotum with a single pair of setae, at the humeri; mesonotum usually with a single pair of setae but in some workers these are very short, and in others they are absent; propodeum with a single pair of setae at the posterodorsal margin. Anterior surface of mesofemur in dorsal view with a single projecting seta, close to the apex; very rarely a second seta may be present on the anterior surface, close to the midlength. Posterior surface of mesofemur in dorsal view also with a single projecting seta, close to the apex and directly opposite the seta on the anterior surface. Metafemur with a single seta on its anterior surface close to the apex, but without a corresponding seta on the posterior surface. Ventral surfaces of both mesofemur and metafemur always with one, but usually with 2, projecting setae present distal of the trochanter. Dorsal surface of AII (petiole) with an anterior pair of setae, the posterior margin with 4–6 setae, and rarely the dorsum with an additional pair of setae between the anterior pair and those at the posterior margin. Tergite of AIII without visible glandular patches but with a pair of conspicuous off-white to yellowish pale spots posteriorly; AIII tergite with a transverse row of 4–6 setae anteriorly, and 6–8 posteriorly. Tergite of AIV with a transverse row of 6–8 setae anteriorly and a row of 4–8 posteriorly. Sternites of AIII and AIV with setae present. Cephalic dorsum with relatively large, shallow punctures, the spaces between punctures smooth or with vestigial traces of ground sculpture, especially in the area behind the antennal fossae. Dorsum of mesosoma with scattered punctures that are generally smaller then those on the head, their diameters are usually less than the distances between them and the surface is mostly smooth and polished, especially on the mesonotum. Katepisternum mostly smooth, with a few widely scattered punctures. AII (petiole) in dorsal view about as long as to slightly longer than broad; in profile its tergite longer than high. Tergites of AIII and AIV punctate, the surface between punctures mostly smooth and polished. Full adult colour blackish brown to black everywhere, except for the pale spots on AIII.

Type Material

Holotype worker, Madagascar: Prov. Mahajanga, Mahavavy River, 6.2 km 145° SE Mitsinjo, 1-5.xii.2002, 20 m, 16°03.1’S, 45°54.5’E, ex live stem, gallery forest, BLF6939, CASENT0492491 (B.L. Fisher) (California Academy of Sciences). Paratypes. 3 workers with same data as holotype but on low vegetation, gallery forest, BLF7017, CASENT0481792 (CASC).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Blaimer B. B., S. G. Brady, T. R. Schultz, and B. L. Fisher. 2015. Fucntional and phylogenetic approaches reveal the evolution of diversity in a hyper diverse biota. Ecography 38: 001-012.
Bolton B., and B. L. Fisher. 2012. Taxonomy of the cerapachyine ant genera Simopone Forel, Vicinopone gen. n. and Tanipone gen. n. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 3283: 1-101.