Vombisidris regina

Vombisidris regina
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Crematogastrini
Genus:	Vombisidris
Species:	V. regina
Binomial name
	Vombisidris regina; Bolton, 1991 Specimen labels

This conspicuous black species appears to be the only member of the genus that is predominantly or entirely terrestrial in foraging habits. The majority of samples were collected using Winkler sampling.

Identification

A member of the philax group

Keys including this Species

Key to Vombisidris workers

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Borneo (type locality), Indonesia, Malaysia.

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

Worker

Images from AntWeb


Paratype of Vombisidris regina. Worker. Specimen code casent0178737. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MCZ, Cambridge, MA, USA.

Nomenclature

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

regina. Vombisidris regina Bolton, 1991: 6, figs. 1, 2 (w.) BORNEO (East Malaysia: Sabah).
- Type-material: holotype worker, 13 paratype workers.
- Type-locality: holotype Malaysia: Sabah, Mt Kinabalu, 1550-1650 m., 23.v.1987, no. 38 (Burckhardt & Löbl); paratypes: 2 workers with same data but 28.iv.1987, 1540 m., no. 7c, 1 worker with same data but 23.iv.1987, 1550 m., no.1b, 3 workers with same data but 20.iv.1987, 1500 m., no. 9b, 1 worker with same data but 21.iv.1987, 1550-1650 m., no. 2b, 1 worker with same data but 30.iv.1987, 1500 m., no. 9c, 2 workers with same data but 27.v.1987, no. 36, 3 workers Sabah, Kinabalu, Pinosuk Plateau, 14-17.iii.1964, 5225 ft (S. Kueh).
- Type-depositories: MHNG (holotype); BMNH, MCZC, MHNG (paratypes).
- Status as species: Bolton, 1995b: 423; Pfeiffer, et al. 2011: 55; Xu & Yu, 2012: 1499 (in key).
- Distribution: Malaysia (Sabah).

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

Description

Worker

Holotype. TL 5.0, HL 1.09, HW 0:94, CI 86, SL 0.84, Sl 89, PW 0.86, AL 1.34. Maximum diameter of eye 0.21 (0.22 x HW). Eyes in full-face view short but strongly prominent, dome-like. Cephalic dorsum reticulate-rugulose everywhere. Sides of head weakly convergent behind eyes. Anterior clypeal margin with a distinct median indentation. Subocular groove complete. Alitrunk reticulate-rugose everywhere. Propodeal spines long and sharp, elevated but only shallowly curved along their length. Metanotal groove vestigial to absent. Propodeal declivity finely rugulose and superficially punctulate. Mesonotum unarmed, the sides not angular nor prominent in dorsal view. Petiole and postpetiole reticulate-rugulose, the petiolar spiracle approximately at the midlength of the short peduncle. Gaster unsculptured, smooth and shining. All dorsal surfaces of body with numerous hairs. Colour uniformly blackish brown to black.

Paratype. TL 4.8-5.6, HL 1.04-1.16, HW 0.88-0.96, CI 83-87, SL 0.80-0.86, Sl 87-93, PW 0.64-0.72, AL 1.30-1.42. Maximum diameter of eye 0.20-0.24 (0.21-0.24 x HW) (10 measured). As holotype.

Type Material

Holotype worker, East Malaysia: Sabah, Mt Kinabalu, 1550-1650 m, 23.v.1987, no. 38 (Burckhardt & LobI) (Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève). Paratypes, 2 workers with same data but 28.iv.1987, 1540 m, no. 7c; 1 worker with same data but 23.iv.1987, 1550 m, no. 1b; 3 workers with same data but 20.iv.I987, 1500 m, no. 9b; 1 worker with same data but 21.iv .1987, 1550-1650 m, no. 2b; 1 worker with same data hut 30.iv.1987, 1500 m, no. 9c; 2 workers with same data but 27.v .1987, no. 36; 3 workers with same data but Pinosuk Plateau, 14-17.iii.1964, 5225 ft (S. Kueh) (MHNG; The Natural History Museum; Museum of Comparative Zoology).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Bolton B. 1991. New myrmicine genera from the Oriental Region (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Systematic Entomology 16:1-13.
Pfeiffer M.; Mezger, D.; Hosoishi, S.; Bakhtiar, E. Y.; Kohout, R. J. 2011. The Formicidae of Borneo (Insecta: Hymenoptera): a preliminary species list. Asian Myrmecology 4:9-58