Tetraponera brevis

Tetraponera brevis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Pseudomyrmecinae
Genus:	Tetraponera
Species:	T. brevis
Binomial name
	Tetraponera brevis; Ward, 2001 Specimen Labels

Known only from lowland forest (Pasoh Forest Reserve) in peninsular Malaysia.

Identification

A member of the Tetraponera allaborans species-group

Ward (2001) - Tetraponera brevis appears to be closely related to Tetraponera bita and given that existing collection records for the workers come from different regions-peninsular Malaysia and Borneo, respectively-they might be interpreted as allopatric variants of a single species. However, the differences in size, head shape, configuration of the clypeus, form of the pronotum and mesopropodeal impression, petiole shape, pilosity and color are together quite suggestive. Moreover, if the putative queen of Tetraponera bita from Pasoh has been correctly identified it establishes a sympatric occurrence of that species and T. brevis on the mainland.

Keys including this Species

Key to Tetraponera of the Oriental and Australian regions

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 3° to 3°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Malaysia (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.

brevis. Tetraponera brevis Ward, 2001: 610, figs. 12, 23, 48 (w.) WEST MALAYSIA.

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

Description

Worker

HW 0.73-0.75, HL 0.86-0.91, LHT 0.59-0.62, CI 0.82-0.84, FCI 0.11-0.12, REL 0.37-0.39, REL2 0.45-0.47, SI 0.58-0.59, SI3 1.25-1.30, FI 0.49-0.52, PLI 0.63-0.67, PWI 0.48-0.51, PDI 0.98-1.04, LHT/HW 0.81-0.83, CSC 2, MSC2.

Similar to T. bita except as follows: larger species (compare HW and LHT values), with broader head (CI >0.80); median clypeallobe less protruding, so that the anterolateral margins of the clypeus equal or exceed the reach of the median lobe, when head is seen in full-face view; eye shorter in relation to scape length (SI3 > 1.23); pronotal dorsum rounding less gradually into the sides; mesopropodeal impression more deeply excavated, due to more elevated propodeum; metanotal welt a little less clearly defined; petiole slightly shorter and higher (compare PLI values); integument sculpture a little more strongly defined, although body still predominantly smooth and shining; short suberect to erect pilosity better developed, notably on head venter; darker in color, the body essentially black, with dark brown appendages.

Type Material

Holotype. Worker, Pasoh For. Res., Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, xi.l994 (M. Brendell, K. Jackson & S. Lewis) (The Natural History Museum). Paratype. I worker, same data as holotype (Australian National Insect Collection).

References