Acromyrmex rugosus

A host species for the workerless inquiline.

Distribution
Acromyrmex rugosus is a geographically widespread leaf-cutting ant species in South America and can be found between the 2nd and 31st parallel south (Gonçalves 1961; Fowler 1985; Delabie et al. 2011, Rabeling et al. 2019).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay.

Habitat
Inhabits a wide variety of ecologically distinct habitats, such as cerrado, campo, caatinga, restinga, and Amazon rainforest. (Rabeling et al. 2019)

Biology
Rabeling et al. 2019. In Bahia, A. rugosus is frequently found associated with human settlements, but this leaf-cutter ant species was recorded to have a low impact on agriculture. Nests of A. rugosus can be large, and single nests were found to contain a maximum number of 26 chambers (Forti et al. 2006, 2011; Verza et al. 2007). Acromyrmex rugosus is one of the few leaf-cutting ant species that deposits exhausted fungal substrate and other waste in underground chambers (Verza et al. 2007). In comparison to the enormous colonies of some leaf-cutting ant species, the colonies of A. rugosus are of moderate size with an average number of 519 workers per colony (Soares et al. 2006). Colonies of A. rugosus were reported to usually be monogynous (Soares et al. 2006; Verza et al. 2007, 2017).

A parasitized A. rugosus population around Ilhéus was characterized by high nest densities, with 7.7% (5 out of 65) colonies were parasitized by Acromyrmex fowleri (Delabie et al. 1993).

Nomenclature

 * . Oecodoma rugosa Smith, F. 1858b: 186 (q.) BRAZIL (no state data).
 * Forel, 1904c: 33 (w.); Emery, 1905c: 109 (m.).
 * Combination in Atta: Roger, 1863b: 35;
 * combination in Atta (Acromyrmex): Forel, 1893e: 590;
 * combination in Acromyrmex: Emery, 1924d: 348.
 * Junior synonym of coronatus: Dalla Torre, 1893: 152; Forel, 1895b: 139; Forel, 1899c: 36.
 * Subspecies of aspersus: Emery, 1905c: 49; Forel, 1908c: 352; Emery, 1924d: 348.
 * Status as species: Roger, 1863b: 35; Mayr, 1863: 438; Forel, 1904c: 33; Forel, 1908e: 69; Santschi, 1925a: 378; Santschi, 1925d: 243; Borgmeier, 1927c: 134; Borgmeier, 1937b: 249; Kusnezov, 1956: 35 (in key); Gonçalves, 1961: 159; Kempf, 1972a: 14; Zolessi, et al. 1988: 5; Cherrett & Cherrett, 1989: 51; Bolton, 1995b: 57; Wild, 2007b: 30; Bezděčková, et al. 2015: 114.
 * Senior synonym of bigener: Gonçalves, 1961: 159; Kempf, 1972a: 14; Bolton, 1995b: 57.
 * Senior synonym of pallida Smith: Forel, 1893e: 590 (in text); Forel, 1908e: 69; Emery, 1924d: 348; Gonçalves, 1961: 159; Kempf, 1972a: 14; Bolton, 1995b: 57.
 * Senior synonym of vestitus: Gonçalves, 1961: 159; Kempf, 1972a: 14; Bolton, 1995b: 57.
 * Current subspecies: nominal plus rochai.
 * bigener. Acromyrmex rugosus st. bigener Santschi, 1925d: 243 (w.q.m.) BRAZIL (Pará, Rio Grande do Sul).
 * Subspecies of rugosus: Borgmeier, 1927c: 134.
 * Junior synonym of rugosus: Gonçalves, 1961: 159; Kempf, 1972a: 14; Bolton, 1995b: 54.
 * pallida. Oecodoma pallida Smith, F. 1858b: 187 (s.) BRAZIL (Pará).
 * Combination in Atta: Roger, 1863b: 35;
 * combination in Atta (Acromyrmex): Forel, 1893e: 590.
 * Status as species: Roger, 1863b: 35; Mayr, 1863: 438.
 * Junior synonym of coronatus: Dalla Torre, 1893: 152; Forel, 1899c: 36.
 * Junior synonym of rugosus: Forel, 1893e: 590 (in text); Forel, 1908e: 69; Emery, 1924d: 348; Gonçalves, 1961: 159; Kempf, 1972a: 14; Bolton, 1995b: 56.
 * vestitus. Acromyrmex rugosus var. vestitus Santschi, 1925a: 380 (w.) BRAZIL (Minas Gerais).
 * Subspecies of rugosus: Borgmeier, 1927c: 134.
 * Junior synonym of rugosus: Gonçalves, 1961: 159; Kempf, 1972a: 14; Bolton, 1995b: 57.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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