Odontomachus coquereli

A Madagascar endemic that forms small colonies of less than 50 workers.

Identification

 * Key to Odontomachus of the Malagasy region

Distribution
Endemic to Madagascar.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Biology
Fisher and Smith (2008) - Restricted in Madagascar to eastern and northern montane rainforest, lowland rainforest, and littoral forest from 10 to 1325 m. It is most abundant at mid-elevations in the northeast such as in Marojejy National Park. Nests of Odontomachus coquereli are most commonly found in rotten logs and consist of small colonies. Queens of coquereli are wingless and very similar to workers; colonies reproduce by fission. Males are collected in Malaise traps and yellow pan traps. Workers forage on the ground day and night. Solitary foragers have been observed high up on trunks and branches of large trees. It is not clear if they are foraging for plant or insect liquids up in the canopy.

Odontomachus coquereli is the only species in the genus where winged queens have never been found. Molet et al. (2007) investigated the Marojejy population of O. coquereli, and based on demography, morphometry, allometry and ovarian dissections demonstrated that the winged queen caste has been replaced by a wingless reproductive caste and that the strategy of colonial reproduction is fission. A single wingless reproductive (ergatoid) was found in each colony. The smallest colonies consisted of at least 5 workers and the largest colonies never exceeded 40 workers, indicating a threshold size at which a colony divides in two daughter colonies. In contrast, Odontomachus troglodytes reproduces by non-claustral independent foundation and colonies can reach 1300 workers.

Nomenclature

 *  coquereli. Odontomachus coquereli Roger, 1861a: 30 (w.) MADAGASCAR. Fisher & Smith, 2008: 14 (q.m.). Combination in Champsomyrmex: Emery, 1892d: 558. Senior synonym of minor: Brown, 1976a: 103. See also: Forel, 1891b: 105; Brown, 1976a: 143.
 * minor. Champsomyrmex coquereli var. minor Emery, 1899f: 273 (w.q.) MADAGASCAR. Junior synonym of coquereli: Brown, 1976a: 103.

Worker
Fisher and Smith (2008) - Measurements: maximum and minimum based on n = 45 from Madagascar: HL 2.69–3.27, HW (across vertex) 1.26–1.77, HW (across upper eye margin) 1.54–2.02, CI 57–67, EL 0.46–0.55, ML 1.76–2.16, MI 61–68, SL 3.04–3.96, SI 164–207, WL 4.18–5.11. FL 3.32–4.68, PW 1.11–1.53.

Workers of this species can be easily distinguished from troglodytes by their larger size, mandible with long, acute apical and preapical teeth and lack of extraocular furrows and temporal ridges on vertex.

There is notable geographic variation in shape of petiole, sculpture and number of preapical teeth. Preapical teeth and denticles range from 7–12. Occasionally, adjacent teeth may be fused at base to form a single bidententate tooth. However, there is no consistent concordant pattern to this variation.

Queen
Fisher and Smith (2008) - Measurements: maximum and minimum based on n = 5 from Madagascar: HL 2.81–2.94, HW (across vertex) 1.39–1.55, HW (across upper eye margin) 1.83–1.98, CI 62–71, EL 0.45–0.55, ML 1.66–1.81, MI 59–62, SL 3.07–3.29, SI 155–179, WL 4.35–4.56, FL 3.60–3.84, PW 1.28–1.43. Preapical teeth count 7–10.

Male
Fisher and Smith (2008) - Measurements: maximum and minimum based on n = 5 from Madagascar: HL 1.11–1.22, HW 1.41–1.57, CI 128–134, EL 0.78–0.90, SL 0.30–0.38, SI 21–23, WL 3.38–3.85, FL 2.90–3.16.

Type Material
Fisher and Smith (2008):

Lectotype: worker, Madagascar (Coquerel), present designation [examined] AntWeb CASENT0104549. Odontomachus coquereli minor. Lectotype; worker, Madagascar, Baie d' Antongil (Mocquerys), present designation [examined] AntWeb CASENT0102021.