Zatania albimaculata

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Zatania albimaculata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Lasiini
Genus: Zatania
Species: Z. albimaculata
Binomial name
Zatania albimaculata
(Santschi, 1930)

Prenolepis albimaculata casent0106052 profile 1.jpg

Prenolepis albimaculata casent0106052 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

Fontenla (2000) reported that this species mostly forages in trees.

Identification

Workers of this species most closely resemble Zatania gibberosa with regards to coloration, but Z. albimaculata is smaller, less robust and possesses much less pilosity. We have not seen males of Z. albimaculata, but based on Fontenla (2000) there appears to be significant differences in male genitalia characters that also separate these two species. .

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 23.133° to 20.348°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Cuba (type locality), Greater Antilles.

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

Images from AntWeb

Prenolepis albimaculata casent0106052 head 2.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0106052. Photographer Michael Branstetter, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by UCDC, Davis, CA, USA.

Nomenclature

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

  • albimaculata. Prenolepis gibberosa st. albimaculata Santschi, 1930e: 81 (w.) CUBA. Combination in Zatania: LaPolla, Kallal & Brady, 2012: 206. Raised to species: Fontenla Rizo, 2000: 81.

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

Description

Worker

LaPolla et al. (2012) - Head and mesosoma reddish brown, with darker gaster; head with scattered erect setae and only sparse pubescence; scapes with dense layer of short, erect setae; head cuticle slightly rugose; mesosoma with scattered short, erect setae and sparse pubescence; strong constriction immediately behind pronotum; dorsal face of propodeum convex with only very scattered erect setae and pubescence.

Measurements (n = 2): TL 2.20–2.40 mm; HW 0.66–0.68 mm; HL 0.78–0.85 mm; EL 0.17–0.2 mm; SL 1.30–1.40 mm; PW 0.42–0.47 mm; WL 1.43–1.47 mm; PrFL 0.98–1.10 mm; PrFW 0.14 mm; GL 0.98–1.1 mm.

Indices: CI 80–85; REL 22–23; SI 201–205.

Type Material

LaPolla et al. (2012) - (worker described). Type locality: Cuba: Piedra Gorda, Baracoa (depository of type specimens unknown).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Alayo D. P. 1974. Introduccion al estudio de los Himenopteros de Cuba. Superfamilia Formicoidea. Academia de Ciencias de Cuba. Instituto de Zoologia. Serie Biologica no.53: 58 pp. La Habana.
  • Fontanla Rizo J.L. 1997. Lista preliminar de las hormigas de Cuba. Cocuyo 6: 18-21.
  • Fontenla J. L., and J. Alfonso-Simonetti. 2018. Classification of Cuban ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) into functional groups. Poeyana Revista Cubana de Zoologia 506: 21-30.
  • Fontenla Rizo J. L. 1997. Lista preliminar de las hormigas de Cuba (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Cocuyo 6: 18-21.
  • Fontenla Rizo J. L. 2000. The genus Prenolepis Mayr, 1861 (Formicidae) in the Greater Antilles, with an outline of phylogenetic relationships. Caribb. J. Sci. 36: 76-86.
  • Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
  • LaPolla J. S., R. J. Kallal, S. G. Brady. 2012. A new ant genus from the Greater Antilles and Central America, Zatania (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), exemplifies the utility of male and molecular character systems. Systematic Entomology 37: 200-214.
  • Portuondo E. F., and J. L. Reyes. 2002. Mirmecofauna de los macizos montañosos de Sierra Maestra y Nipe-Sagua-Baracoa. Cocuyo 12: 10-13
  • Portuondo Ferrer, E. and J. Fernandez Triana. Biodiversidad del orden Hymenoptera en Los Macizos Montanosos de Cuba Oriental. Boletin S.E.A. 35:121-136.
  • Wheeler W. M. 1937. Ants mostly from the mountains of Cuba. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. 81: 439-465.