Vitsika incisura

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Vitsika incisura
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Vitsika
Species: V. incisura
Binomial name
Vitsika incisura
Bolton & Fisher, 2014

Vitsika incisura casent0178899 p 1 high.jpg

Vitsika incisura casent0178899 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Specimens of V. incisura are all from montane rainforest, and were found in a dead twig above the ground, and by beating low vegetation.

Identification

This is the only known Vitsika species in which the dorsal margin of the petiole node is concave medially.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Endemic to Madagascar.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -14.0175° to -14.0175°.

 
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

Castes

Males have yet to be collected.

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Vitsika incisura casent0248544 h 1 high.jpgVitsika incisura casent0248544 p 1 high.jpgVitsika incisura casent0248544 d 1 high.jpgVitsika incisura casent0248544 l 1 high.jpg
Holotype of Vitsika incisuraWorker. Specimen code casent0248544. Photographer Michele Esposito, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Vitsika incisura casent0487360 h 1 high.jpgVitsika incisura casent0487360 p 1 high.jpgVitsika incisura casent0487360 d 1 high.jpgVitsika incisura casent0487360 l 1 high.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0487360. Photographer Michele Esposito, 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.

  • incisura. Vitsika incisura Bolton & Fisher, 2014: 82, figs. 96-98, Map 154 (w.q.) 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). TL 3.6–4.2 (4.0), HL 0.84–0.94 (0.93), HW 0.69–0.79 (0.78), CI 82–87 (84), SL 0.62–0.70 (0.68), SI 87–92 (87), PW 0.52–0.63 (0.63), WL 1.02–1.22 (1.20) (11 measured).

Eye with 8–9 rows of ommatidia, and with 9–11 ommatidia in the longest row; EL 0.18–0.22 (EL/HW 0.25–0.28). MfL 0.79–0.90 (MfL/HW 1.11–1.18). Oblique costulae on mesopleuron conspicuous. In profile, the dorsal outline of the propodeum is convex and slopes to the base of the spine. Diameter of annulus of propodeal spiracle is about equal to the thickness of the short propodeal spine at its midlength. With petiole node in posterior view its dorsal margin is impressed to deeply indented medially; at its maximum extent the indentation is so marked that the remainder of the margin forms a blunt projection on each side of the indentation. Height of petiole node in posterior view (from midpoint of the dorsal margin of the foramen to a line that spans the highest points of the node) 0.66–0.80 × its maximum width. In dorsal view postpetiole 1.30–1.50 × broader than long; maximum width of postpetiole 0.94–1.05 × the length of a propodeal spine; maximum width of postpetiole 0.85–1.00 × the distance between the apices of the propodeal spines. Disc of postpetiole entirely smooth. Full adult colour dark brown to blackish brown.

Queen

(gyne). Only an ergatoid specimen known (CASENT0178899). HL 0.90, HW 0.74, CI 82, SL 0.66, SI 89, PW 0.60, WL 1.14, MfL 0.84. The ergatoid has three ocelli, but the mesosoma is almost worker-like. The mesonotum is slightly enlarged compared to the worker, and the track of the promesonotal suture is visible. As in the worker the dorsal margin of the petiole node is broadly excavated medially.

Type Material

Holotype worker, Madagascar: Prov. Antsiranana, R.S. Manongarivo, 17.3 km. 218° SW Antanambao, 1580 m., 14°01.3’S, 48°25.1’E, 27.x.1998, beating low vegetation, montane rainforest, BLF 1972(18)-4 (no CASENT number) (B.L. Fisher) (California Academy of Sciences). Paratypes. 4 workers with same data as holotype, but 2 workers BLF 1972(24)-5 (no CASENT number), 1 worker BLF 1972(20) CASENT0004212, 1 worker BLF 1972(21) CASENT0127743 (CASC).

References

  • Bolton, B. & Fisher, B.L. 2014. The Madagascan endemic myrmicine ants related to Eutetramorium (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): taxonomy of the genera Eutetramorium Emery, Malagidris nom. n., Myrmisaraka gen. n., Royidris gen. n., and Vitsika gen. n. Zootaxa 3791:1–99. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3791.1.1

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Bolton B., and B. L. Fisher. 2014. The Madagascan endemic myrmicine ants related to Eutetramorium (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): taxonomy of the genera Eutetramorium Emery, Malagidris nom. n., Myrmisaraka gen. n., Royidris gen. n., and Vitsika gen. n. Zootaxa 3791(1): 1-99.