Tanipone maculata

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

Tanipone maculata casent0001335 p 1 high.jpg

Tanipone maculata casent0001335 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

All known specimens have been captured as ground foragers, retrieved from litter samples and pitfall traps, or found under stones or in rotten logs. Every sample originates in spiny forest or tropical dry forest.

Identification

A member of the maculata species group. Within the maculata complex the closest related species is Tanipone zona. The two are most easily separated by the shape of the pale area on the tergite of AIII, which in maculata takes the form of a pair of pale spots and in zona of a continuous pale band. In addition, specimens of maculata tend to be more setose overall than those of zona. In particular, specimens of maculata predominantly possess a pair of mesonotal setae, and also have a single ventral seta on both the mesofemur and metafemur, located just distal of the trochanter. By contrast, specimens of zona predominantly lack mesonotal setae, and also usually lack setae on the ventral surfaces of both mesofemur and metafemur. (Bolton and Fisher 2012)

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -24.93333333° to -24.93333333°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Malagasy Region: Madagascar (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

Explore-icon.png 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

Tanipone maculata casent0002516 h 1 high.jpgTanipone maculata casent0002516 p 1 high.jpgTanipone maculata casent0002516 d 1 high.jpgTanipone maculata casent0002516 l 1 high.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0002516. Photographer Erin Prado, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Tanipone maculata casent0002380 d 2 high.jpg
Specimen code casent0002380. .
Tanipone maculata casent0002590 h 1 high.jpgTanipone maculata casent0002590 p 1 high.jpgTanipone maculata casent0002590 d 1 high.jpgTanipone maculata casent0002590 d 2 high.jpgTanipone maculata casent0002590 l 1 high.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0002590. Photographer Erin Prado, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Nomenclature

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

  • maculata. Tanipone maculata Bolton & Fisher, 2012: 89, figs. 98-100 (w. ergatoid q.) MADAGASCAR.
    • Type-material: holotype worker, 1 paratype worker.
    • Type-locality: holotype Madagascar: Prov. Toliara, P.N. Andohahela, 1.7 km. 61° ENE Tsimelahy, 24°56’S, 46°39’E, 300 m., 16-20.i.2002, BLF4969, CASENT0001335, ex rotten log, tropical dry forest (B.L. Fisher); paratypes: 2 workers with same data, 2 workers with same data but CASENT0001386, 3 workers with same data but CASENT0001426.
    • 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.

In terms of pilosity and sculpture this is the most variable species of its group. The presence or absence of setae on several parts of the body, and their variable number when present, may to some extent be the result of abrasion, but may indicate that the components of what is regarded here as a single species could be further subdivided. Similarly, the variation in microsculpture, from almost absent to distinctly microreticulate, may indicate the presence of more than one real species. The acquisition of several good nest-samples is necessary to assess just how variable these morphological aspects may be in a single colony.

There are two especially densely microreticulate specimens. Their descriptions are included below, even though they are suspected of being ergatoids and not true workers. The uncertainty stems from the gradual increase in density and intensity of mesosomal microsculpture across a series of specimens, as well as because the densely sculptured forms tend also to be the most setose. Whether this perceived variation, possibly additionally confused by the presence of ergatoids, represents a normal morphocline within a single species, or an indication that more than one species is present, remains to be analysed.

Description

Worker

(holotype in parentheses). HL 0.69–0.90 (0.86), HW 0.53–0.75 (0.69), SL 0.32–0.42 (0.40), EL 0.24–0.32 (0.31), PW 0.40–0.58 (0.54), AIIW 0.36–0.56 (0.52), AIIL 0.35–0.58 (0.50), AIIIW 0.45–0.66 (0.64), AIIIL 0.37–0.56 (0.55), WL 0.84–1.20 (1.10), MFL 0.48–0.68 (0.64), CI 75–83 (80), SI 54–61 (58), EL/HW 0.40–0.47 (0.45), AIIW/AIIL 0.97–1.09 (1.04), AIIIW/AIIIL 1.12–1.28 (1.16) (10 measured).

Cephalic pilosity and structure of AIII glandular patches as described in definition of maculata group, above. With head in full-face view the side in front of the eye usually without a laterally projecting seta behind the level of the posterior clypeal margin, but very rarely one is present. Posterior margin of head with 2–4 setae. Dorsum of pronotum with a single pair of setae, at the humeri; mesonotum usually with a pair of setae; propodeum without setae. Mesofemur and metafemur in dorsal view without projecting setae on the anterior or posterior surfaces. Ventral surfaces of mesofemur and metafemur usually with a short seta present just distal of the trochanter, but these are absent in some specimens. Dorsal surface of AII (petiole) with an anterior pair of setae; rarely also with a posterior pair present. Tergite of AIII with 2–4 setae anteriorly, which are situated well in front of the anterior margins of the glandular patches; posterior margin of AIII tergite often without setae but sometimes a pair present and rarely with two pairs. Tergite of AIV with a transverse row of 4–6 setae anteriorly; sometimes also with setae at the posterior margin. Sternites of AIII and AIV with setae present. Cephalic dorsum with scattered small punctures, their diameters less than the distances between them. Spaces between punctures usually with weak ground sculpture at least in places, but sometimes the ground sculpture is extensive and easily visible. Katepisternum mostly to entirely smooth. Dorsum of mesosoma with scattered small punctures, as on the head their diameters are less than the distances between them. Spaces between punctures vary from almost smooth to distinctly microreticulate. AII (petiole) in dorsal view appears slightly broader than long; in profile its tergite appears longer than high. Tergite of AIII between the glandular patches with scattered small punctures, the spaces between them varying from smooth to microreticulate. Apex of AIII tergite with a pair of transversely elongated pale spots that are separated medially by a longitudinal dark median strip that narrows posteriorly. Tergite of AIV sparsely punctate, usually the spaces between punctures with feeble ground sculpture, sometimes microreticulate. Full adult colour dark brown to black (except for the distinct pale spots on AIII). One of the heavily sculptured specimens has the dorsal head to the level of the eyes, and the sides of the head, orange brown. This specimen, suspected to be an ergatoid, is larger than the size range noted above, with HL 0.98, HW 0.78, SL 0.46; its indices and ratios are within the normal worker range.

Holotype Specimen Labels

Type Material

Holotype worker (top specimen of three on pin), Madagascar: Prov. Toliara, P.N. Andohahela, 1.7 km 61° ENE Tsimelahy, 300 m, 24°56’S, 46°39’E, 16-20.i.2002, ex rotten log, tropical dry forest, BLF4969, CASENT0001335 (B.L. Fisher) (California Academy of Sciences). Paratypes. 2 workers below holotype on same pin; 2 workers with same data but CASENT0001386; 3 workers with same data but CASENT0001426 (CASC).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • 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.