Agraulomyrmex

The only published account of the biology of Agraulomyrmex is provided in Prins' (1983) description of the genus and its two known species. "In 1969 surveys of ants present in citrus orchards were conducted throughout South Africa. During the cooler winter months and early spring one sample of small, brownish hypogaeic ants was collected among some citrus trees in the veld near Velddrif, a small fishing village about 200 km north-west of Cape Town. As these ants looked very much like Technomyrmex albipes, which shared the same habitat, they were noted as such in the collection records. This same species of ant was also at the time observed in a small citrus orchard near Citrusdal, about 60 km north-east of Velddrif. In this case they were tending the aphid Hyadaphis coriandri (Das) on warm days, about 4 to 7 cm above ground level on the low-growing weeds. They were, however, never observed during the summer and autumn months. Three years later a sample received from the Ministry of Agriculture of Zimbabwe proved to be a different species of this new genus."

Identification
Prins (1993) - Small ants with ten-segmented antennae, flagella incrassate towards apices without distinct club; first and last segments of flagella longer than wide, the remaining segments as long as or wider than long. Mandibles triangular with four to six teeth; frontal carinae short, antenna! fossae situated close to posterior border of clypeus. Eyes large, placed in front of middle of sides of head; ocelli absent. Maxillary palpi five- to six-segmented, labial palp three- to foursegmented. Labrum bilobed, widely and shallowly emarginate in middle. Frontal area clearly indicated.

Alitrunk with promesonotal and mesonotal-propodeal sutures well developed, mesometanotal suture absent; propodeum rounded from front to back, unarmed. Petiole with very small or rudimentary scale overhung by base of abdomen. Legs moderately long.

Although the ten-segmented antennae point to a myrmelachistine relationship, these ants share characters with the plagiolepidines, viz. the absence of a distinct antennal club, the structure and form of the alitrunk (the absence of a distinct metanotum as in certain members such as the genus Acropyga), as well as the structure of the asepalous proventriculus. The new genus is therefore included in the tribe Plagiolepidini.

Workers of these ants bear a close resemblance to those of the genus Acropyga (Prins 1982); however, they are much smaller and darker in colour, and the eyes are much larger. In members of Acropyga the eyes are very small, consisting of only a few facets. The petiolar scale is also much more reduced than in Acropyga.

Species richness
Species richness by country based on regional taxon lists (countries with darker colours are more species-rich). View Data



Castes
Males have yet to be collected for this genus.

Nomenclature

 *  AGRAULOMYRMEX [Formicinae: Plagiolepidini]
 * Agraulomyrmex Prins, 1983: 2. Type-species: Agraulomyrmex meridionalis, by original designation.

Etymology
The name Agraulomyrmex (masculine gender) is derived from the Greek word agraulos, which refers to the mode of living (in the fields).