Vollenhovia gastropunctata

Vollenhovia gastropunctata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Crematogastrini
Genus:	Vollenhovia
Species:	V. gastropunctata
Binomial name
	Vollenhovia gastropunctata; Bharti & Kumar, 2013

This species seems to be uncommon, as it was recorded only from one habitat during intensive survey of North-West Shivalik. The species was collected from a semiarid type of environment and seems arboreal, as it was collected from a mango tree (Mangifera indica L. (Anacardiaceae)) (Bharti & Kumar, 2013). It is perhaps entirely arboreal, having been collected near a mango tree in a semi-arid type of environment (Akbar et al., 2023).

Photo Gallery

Akbar et al. (2023), Fig. 3. Vollenhovia gastropunctata, holotype worker from India (PUAC0045, photographer: Rakesh Kumar). A. Head, full face view. B. Habitus, lateral view. C. Habitus, dorsal view. D. Type locality of the species.

Identification

Bharti and Kumar (2013) - Vollenhovia gastropunctata can be distinguished from its other congeners by the following combination of characters: mandibles punctured, with 7 teeth, antennae 12-segmented, whole of the promesonotum sculptured, large size of subpetiolar process, absence of propodeal teeth, an unsculptured longitudinal band on head, clypeus with two longitudinal carinae, divergent toward its anterior end, and metanotal groove indistinct.

However, this species somewhat resembles Vollenhovia benzai and Vollenhovia amamiana. The new species can be separated from them by the following characters: mandibles with prominent, well developed basalmost tooth, promesonotum sloping backward, larger subpetiolar process (0.05 mm high), gaster with scattered punctures on 1st tergite (rest shiny), total length 2.53—2.54 mm and body colour blackish brown (in V. benzai, basal tooth of mandible minute, promesonotum straight, subpetiolar process small (0.03 mm in height), gaster without punctures, subopaque, body colour reddish brown and total length 2.00—2.20 mm). V. gastropunctata can be easily separated from V. amamiana by the absence of large brown spot on frons, subpetiolar process longer than its height (0.07 mm in length and 0.05 mm in height) and body colour blackish brown while in V. amamiana frons with a large brown spot, subpetiolar process higher than long (0.08 mm high) and body colour reddish brown.

Akbar et al. (2023) - This species can be distinguished by the punctured mandibles with seven teeth, sculptured promesonotum, larger subpetiolar process, indistinct metanotal groove, anteriorly divergent longitudinal carinae on clypeus, concave anterior clypeal margin, and unarmed propodeum (Bharti & Kumar 2013). On the other hand, the punctate sculpture on the gaster its name refers to is a feature shared by many other species in the region.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Vollenhovia gastropunctata is the only species of the genus known from the northwest Shivalik region of India (Bharti & Kumar 2013; Bharti et al. 2017).

Akbar et al. (2023), Fig. 1. Distribution map of the species of Vollenhovia from India.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 32.0744° to 32.036638°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: India (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

Known only from the type workers.

Nomenclature

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

gastropunctata. Vollenhovia gastropunctata Bharti & Kumar, 2013: e-68, figs. 1-3 (w.) INDIA.

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

Description

Holotype worker. HL 0.56, HW 0.49, SL 0.33, EL 0.12, ML 0.73, PRNW 0.36, PTL 0.24, PTW 0.18, PTH 0.23, PPTL 0.24, PPTW 0.20, PPTH 0.19, GL 0.76, TL 2.53, CI 87.50, SI 67.35. Paratype worker. HL 0.56, HW 0.49, SL 0.33, EL 0.12, ML 0.75, PRNW 0.36, PTL 0.23, PTW 0.18, PTH 0.23, PPTL 0.24, PPTW 0.20, PPTH 0.19, GL 0.76, TL 2.54, CI 87.50, SI 67.35 (n = 1).

Head slightly longer than wide, slightly broader posteriorly than in front, with subparallel sides, occipital margin concave; mandibles with 7 teeth including well developed basalmost tooth, masticatory margin of mandibles with large apical and preapical teeth followed by 5 teeth of equal size; anterior clypeal margin concave; antennae 12-segmented with distinct 3-segmented club; scape 0.59× as long as head; eyes large, placed at midlength of the head.

Mesosoma nearly flat (seen in profile) and sloping toward propodeal declivity, promesonotal suture and metanotal groove indistinct; posterodorsal corners of propodeum weakly angulated, without distinct teeth.

Petiole convex, longer than wide, posterodorsal margin angulate, subpetiolar process (0.07 mm long and 0.05 mm high in profile) well developed and rectangular in shape; postpetiole convex, slightly longer than wide; gaster elliptical.

Sculpture. Head shagreened, with large coarse punctures of 0.02 mm diameter and longitudinal unsculptured central band; mandibles shiny, with scattered punctures; clypeus smooth with two longitudinal carinae, divergent toward its anterior end; promesonotum longitudinally rugose, with punctures; dorsum of propodeum and its declivity minutely punctured (0.01 mm diameter); sides of mesosoma coarsely punctuated; petiole and postpetiole reticulate except the anterior face of petiolar node and mid dorsum of postpetiole, which are smooth; 1st gastral tergite with scattered punctures, rest smooth and shiny.

Colour and pilosity. Body blackish brown; mandibles, antennae, legs and subpetiolar process yellowish brown. Whole body covered with abundant long, suberect, whitish hairs.

Type Material

Holotype, worker, Himachal Pradesh, Andretta, 940 m, India, 32°02′12″N 76°34′00″E / 32.036638°N 76.566532°E / 32.036638; 76.566532, 15.06.2010, R. Kumar, Punjabi University Patiala Ant Collection; hand picking.
Paratype, 1 worker, Himachal Pradesh, Andretta, 940 m, India, 32°02′12″N 76°34′00″E / 32.036638°N 76.566532°E / 32.036638; 76.566532, 15.06.2010, R. Kumar, Punjabi University Patiala Ant Collection; hand picking.

Etymology

The specific epithet refers to the punctures on gaster.

References