Acropyga sauteri

This species has been found in grasslands, the margins of forests and within forests. Nests are under stones as well as in leaf litter and directly in soil. It is a trophophoretic species, associated with the mealybug (Lapolla, 2004). Nuptial flights have been observed from late March to June with alate females leaving the parent nest with a gravid female Eumyrmococcus in her mandibles (Uye, 1928, 1933; Teranishi, 1929; Terayama, 1988).

Identification
LaPolla (2004) - Worker: 11 segmented antennae; mesosomal dorsum flat with many short erect hairs; pronotum short, rises very steeply toward mesonotum; mandible with 3-4 teeth. Queen: As in worker with modifications expected for caste. Male: 12 segmented antennae; digiti 2.5 times longer than cuspi, with peg-like teeth along sides. Compare with Acropyga lauta.

The worker of this species is fairly easily recognized, with 3-4 teeth and no diastema separating the basal teeth from the other teeth. A. sauteri is currently placed in the myops species-group. The long digiti, similar shaped parameres and dark color of the male suggest a close relationship with Acropyga myops.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Taiwan. Palaearctic Region: China, Japan.

From LaPolla (2004): This species has one of the most northerly distributions in the genus, ranging from Japan south to Macao in southern China.

Nomenclature

 * . Acropyga (Rhizomyrma) sauteri Forel, 1912a: 72 (w.) TAIWAN.
 * Wheeler, W.M. 1928c: 31 (q.); Santschi, 1928b: 36 (q.m.).
 * Status as species: Emery, 1925b: 30; Santschi, 1928b: 36; Wheeler, W.M. 1928c: 31; Wheeler, W.M. 1929g: 62; Wheeler, W.M. 1930h: 75; Teranishi, 1940: 59; Azuma, 1951: 88; Chapman & Capco, 1951: 212; Onoyama, 1980: 199; Morisita, et al. 1991: 14; Wang, C. & Wu, 1992a: 227 (in key); Bolton, 1995b: 58; Terayama, Fellowes & Zhou, 2002: 25 (redescription); Imai, et al. 2003: 83; Lin & Wu, 2003: 62; LaPolla, 2004a: 68; Terayama, 2009: 204; Ran & Zhou, 2011: 66; Guénard & Dunn, 2012: 27.

Worker
LaPolla (2004) - (n=2): TL: 2.16-2.59; HW: 0.527-0.568; HL: 0.561-0.596; SL: 0.413-0.418; ML: 0.681-0.687; GL: 0.909-1.31; CI: 101.25-105.2; SI: 66.67-72.71.

Head: yellow; head covered in layer of short appressed hairs; head about as broad as long; posterior margin slightly concave medially; short erect hairs along posterior margin; 11 segmented, incrassate antennae; scape reaches or slightly surpasses posterior margin; clypeus broad, slightly convex, with many erect hairs on dorsal surface; mandible with 3-4 teeth; apical tooth often much longer than others; when present, 4th tooth smaller and offset from masticatory margin; when with 3 teeth, a small hump present along inner mandibular margin where a 4th tooth would be; gap exists between inner mandibular margin and anterior clypeal margin. Mesosoma: yellow; in lateral view, pronotum with short shelf rising sharply toward mesonotum; pronotum covered with short erect hairs; mesosomal dorsum flat; mesonotum and propodeum at same height; mesonotum and propodeum covered in layer of short erect hairs; metanotal area indistinct; declivity steep. Gaster: petiole thick and erect reaching height of bottom portion of propodeal spriacle; gaster yellow, with thick covering of appressed hairs with scattered erect hairs throughout.

Queen
LaPolla (2004) - (n=1): TL: 3.39; HW: 0.732; HL: 0.619; SL: 0.495; ML: 1.19; GL: 1.58; CI: 118.26; SI: 67.62. As in worker with modifications expected for caste and the following differences: color a brownish-yellow, darker on apex of head, mesosomal and gaster dorsa.

Male
LaPolla (2004) - (n=1): TL: 2.21; HW: 0.5; HL: 0.452; SL: 0.371; ML: 0.819; GL: 0.941; CI: 110.62; SI: 74.2.

Head: yellow to dark brownish-yellow toward apex around 3 promient ocelli; head covered in a layer of short erect hairs; head broader than long; 12 segmented, slightly incrassate antennae; scape surpasses posterior margin by about 112 length of pedicel; clypeus broad, convex medially; mandible with 3-4 teeth; mandibular shape as in worker. Mesosoma: brownish-yellow; pronotum small and collar-like, overarched by mesonotum; dorsum flat with dense layer of short erect hairs; scutellum with longer erect hairs; propodeum long, slightly below level of mesonotum; declivity short and steep. Gaster: petiole thick and erect; gaster brownish yellow, covered in a layer of appressed hairs. Genitalia: in lateral view, parameres long and thin, tapering to rounded apices; cuspi short, nearly straight, with short peg-like teeth at rounded apices; digiti straight, much longer than cuspi (ca. 2.5 times), with short, peg-like teeth along sides toward truncated apices.

Type Material
LaPolla (2004) - Acropyga (Rhizomyrma) sauteri Forel, 1912a: 72 (w.). Syntype workers, TAIWAN: (no specific locality provided) (depository unknown) [not examined]. Wheeler, W.M., 1928: 31, description of queen; Santschi, 1928a: 36, description of queen and male; Terayama et ai., 2002: 25, description and key.

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