Melophorus aeneovirens (Lowne)

Heterick, Brian E., Castalanelli, Mark & Shattuck, Steve O., 2017, Revision of the ant genus Melophorus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), ZooKeys 700, pp. 1-420 : 71-77

Melophorus aeneovirens (Lowne)

Formica aeneovirens Lowne 1865: 276 (combination in Cataglyphis by Mayr 1876: 78; in Melophorus by Forel 1902: 488).

Types. Syntype major and minor workers [BMNH] without collection data. (The original description by Lowne indicates an unspecified number of major and minor workers were collected near Port Jackson, New South Wales by the author in September-November, 1862.) (examined: photographs of BMNH specimens).

Photograph. Melophorus constans Santschi 1928: 475.

Type. Syntype major worker, Wattle Glen (as ‘Idattle’ Glen), Victoria [NHMB] (examined: AntWeb image of NHMB specimen CASENT0912336). Syn. n.

Melophorus insularis Wheeler 1934: 151.

Types. Syntype media and minor workers: Rottnest Island, Western Australia [WAM, BMNH] (examined: WAM specimens Reg. Nos. E-88963/88964, AntWeb images of BMNH specimen BMNH(E)1016286, CASENT0903263). Syn. n.

Melophorus iridescens (Emery) Emery 1887: 247.

Type. Syntype major worker: Mt Victoria, New South Wales [MSNG] (examined: AntWeb images of MSNG specimen [CASENT0905125]). Syn. n.

Melophorus iridescens var. froggatti Forel 1902: 487.

Types. Syntype major and minor workers: Sydney, New South Wales [ANIC, MHNG] (Examined: ANIC specimens Database No. ANIC32-053436, AntWeb images of MHNGmajor and minor worker specimens CASENT0909815. CASENT0909816). Syn. n.

Melophorus iridescens var. fraudatrix Forel 1915: 87 (footnote).

Types. Syntype media and minor workers: Healesville, Victoria [ANIC, BMNH] (Examined: ANIC specimens, AntWeb images of BMNH specimen BMNH(E)1016284, CASENT0903261). Syn. n.

Other material examined.

Australian Capital Territory: Black Mountain (Barnett, N.J.), Black Mt., Site 1 (Barnett, N.J. [ANIC32-029785]), Canberra (Lowery, B.B.), Capital Hill, Canberra (Lowery, B.B.), Lees Spring (Greaves, T.), Mt. Ainslie (Greaves, T.), Mt. Ainslie (Lowery, B.B.), Mt. Stromlo (Greaves, T.). New South Wales: 14 km SW Cootamundra (Lowery, B.B.), 2 mi S Mt Cambewarra (Lowery, B.B.), 8 km S Shooters Hill, 28 km S Oberon (Shattuck, S.O.), Barellan (Lowery, B.B.), Canobolas State Forest (Gush, T.), Condobolin (Lowery, B.B.), Cowan, Sydney (Lowery, B.B.), Fowlers Gap Research Station (Naumann, I.D. & Cardale, J.C.), Lane Cove, Burns Bay, Sydney (Lowery, B.B.), Maroota State Forest (Gush, T.), Memorial Drive, Armidale (Lowery, B.B.), Mudgee (Lowery, B.B.), Myall Lakes National Park (York, A.), near Deniliquin (Zakharov), near Deniliquin (Zakharov [ANIC32-013875]), Newholme Road, near Armidale (Sakurai, Y.), Putty, 50 mi N Windsor (Lowery, B.B.), Pymble (Lowery, B.B.), Royal National Park (Gush, T.), Spring Range Park, 7.5 km NE Hall (Shattuck, S.O. [ANIC32-053450]), The Gib, Bowral (Lowery, B.B.), The Rock Nature Reserve, about 20 mi SE Wagga Wagga (Lowery, B.B.), Tomago (Jackson, G.P. [ANIC32-015239]), West of foothills, Tinderry Mountains (Lowery, B.B.), Whiporie, 55 km S Casino (York, A.). Queensland: 2 km N Charleville (Edwards, E.D. & Fisk, J.H.), Gregory Dev. Rd, Sardine Ck (Monteath & Cook), N. Stradbroke Is. Enterprise (QM Party), Toowoomba (Greaves, T.). South Australia: 10 km SW Meningie (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), 13 km S Quorn, Flinders Ranges (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), 15 km ENE Beltana (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), 19 mi NW Port Lincoln (Greaves, T.), 22 mi E Eucla (Greaves, T.), 2 km S Ravine des Casoars, Kangaroo Island (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), 30 km E Poeppel Corner, Simpson Desert (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), 48 km E Minnipa (DEH Surv. 587-KDO 014 [M83]), 4 km S Salt Creek, Coorong (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), 7 km W Penneshaw, Kangaroo Island (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), Adelaide (Lea), Alligator Creek, South Flinders Range (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), Banff, Coorong (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), Belair (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), Belair (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), Bridgewater (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), Bridgewater (Baker, G.F.), Calca (Lowery, B.B.), Cambrai (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), Ceduna (Lowery, B.B.), Ceduna (Casperson, K.), Cleland, Mt. Lofty Ranges (Yeatman, E.), Cockatoo, Coorong (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), Cockatoo, Coorong (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), Glen Osmond (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), Koonamore (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), Kuitpo (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), Mambray Creek (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), Messert Res., Coorong (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), Napperby, Flinders Ranges (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), North of Breakneck River, Kangaroo Island (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), North of Breakneck River, Kangaroo Island (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), Oraparinna, Flinders Ranges (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), Para Wirra (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), Scrubby Gully, Sevenhill (Lowery, B.B.), Sevenhill (Lowery, B.B.), Sevenhill (Lowery, B.B.), Sevenhill (Lowery, B.B.), Sevenhill (Lowery, B.B.), Sevenhill (Lowery, B.B.), Victor Harbour (Greenslade, P.J. M. ), West Bay, Kangaroo Island (Greenslade, P.J. M. ). Victoria: Anglesea (Andersen, A.N. [JDM32-001829]), 15 km WNW Yaapeet (Andersen, A.N.), Bendigo (McAreavey, J.), Big Desert (An dersen, A.N.), Bull Creek, Glenaladale National Park (Andersen, A.N.), Heathcote, near Bendigo, Mt. Ida (Lowery, B.B.), Kew (McAreavey, J.), Wangarratta (Bruce, W.A.), Watsonia (Lowery, B.B.), Wattle Park, Melbourne, Werribee (Lowery, B.B.). Western Australia: 14 km S of Billabong R/D House, Nth/West Coastal Hwy (Heterick, B.E. [JDM32-001495]), 24 mi ESE Broome (McInnes & Dowse [ANIC32-900075]), 49 mi WSW Ravensthorpe (Greaves, T.), 4 km NW of Gleneagle (Heterick, B.E. & Jacobs, M. [JDM32-001494]), 8 mi E Northcliffe (Taylor, R.W.), Albany (Greaves, T.), Alcoa (Wallace, J.), Bartons Mill (Majer, J.D.), Bartons Mill (Majer, J.D. [JDM32-001521]), Black Swan Mine (Langlands, P. & Osbourne, J. [JDM32-001496]), Bunbury (Lowery, B.B.), Canning Vale (Knowles, D.G. [JDM32-001498]), Coalmine Beach, Nornalup National Park, Walpole (Lawrence, J. &N.), Coalmine Rd. (collector unknown [JDM32-001830]), Denmark (Lowery, B.B.), Dwellingup (Majer, J.D.), Dwellingup (Majer, J.D. [JDM32-001500]), Eneabba (Fox, J. [JDM32-001533]), Goora Hill [Gora Hill]] (Greaves, T. [ANIC32-052115]), Gora Hill (Greaves, T.), Harvey (Mercovich, C.), Jandakot (collector unknown [JDM32-001530]), Jandakot (collector unknown [JDM32-001529]), Jurien (collector unknown [JDM32-001532]), Kalamunda (Greaves, T.), Kalbarri National Park (Ward, P.S.), Kings Park, Perth (Lowery, B.B.), Kojonup (Majer, J.D. [JDM32-001512]), Manjimup (Majer, J.D. [JDM32-001509]), Melaleuca Grove, Thomas River (Greaves, T.), Mordalup (Majer, J.D. [JDM32-001531]), Mt. Clare, 4 mi W Walpole (Taylor, R.W.), Mt. Ragged, west foot (Taylor, R.W.), Mulga, NE Goldfields (Pringle, H.J.R. [ANIC32-029627]), Mundaring (Clark, J.), nr. Wungong Dam (Heterick, B.E. [JDM32-001493]), Perth (Clark, J.), Reabold Hill (Majer, J.D. [JDM32-001534]), Red Hill (Heterick, B.E. [JDM32-001492]), Rottnest Is. (collector unknown [JDM32-001536]), Rottnest Island (Lea), Talyuberlup Picnic Area, Stirling Range National Park (Lawrence, J. &N.), Telegraph Hill, Esperance (Lowery, B.B.), Without Locality (Majer, J.D. [JDM32-001535]).

Diagnosis.

Melophorus aeneovirens is a member of the M. aeneovirens species-group (in full-face view, the anterior clypeal margin convex, apron-like and covering whole or part of the retracted mandible, except in M. nemophilus , the medial clypeal sector often produced so that it is protrusive when seen in profile; the psammophore frequently with coarse and well-separated ammochaetae, these always placed on or just above anterior margin; in profile, the propodeum elongate and oblique or broadly rounded), and the M. aeneovirens species-complex (in full-face view, psammophore ranged along or just above anterior margin of clypeus and following the curve of the margin; anterior margin of clypeus broadly medially produced, and often with central notch that may be deeply impressed, but is never acuminate at its midpoint; metatibia with maximum of two rows of preapical spines). In M. aeneovirens the tibiae possess stout, socketed, appressed to subdecumbent setae only, with fine, appressed pubescence lacking. In profile, the minor worker mesosoma is compact and is arcuate in outline. Melophorus aeneovirens can be distinguished from similar species by having, in profile, the clypeus distinctly recurved at about midpoint and produced over the mandible as a small ledge; in full-face view, the anterior margin of the major and minor worker clypeus forms a broadly convex, sometimes crenulate curve that does not protrude over apical the curve of mandible.

Minor worker description.

Head. Head square; posterior margin of head strongly convex; frons shining with superficial shagreenation or microreticulation only; pilosity of frons a mixture of a few well-spaced, erect setae interspersed with appressed setae only. Eye moderate (eye length 0.20-0.49 length of side of head capsule); in full-face view, eyes set above midpoint of head capsule; in profile, eye set anteriad of midline of head capsule; eyes elliptical or slightly reniform. In full-face view, frontal carinae concave; frontal lobes straight in front of antennal insertion. Anteromedial clypeal margin narrowly convex and protruding, clypeal margin entire or very weakly indented, or narrowly convex and protruding anteromedially, clypeal midpoint distinctly notched; clypeal psammophore set at or above midpoint of clypeus; palp formula 6,4. Five to six mandibular teeth in minor worker; mandibles triangular, weakly incurved; third mandibular tooth distinctly shorter than apical tooth and teeth numbers two and four; masticatory margin of mandibles approximately vertical or weakly oblique. Mesosoma. Integument of pronotum, mesonotum and mesopleuron moderately shining and shagreenate throughout; anterior mesosoma in profile broadly convex; erect pronotal setae absent; in profile, metanotal groove deep, ‘V’ -shaped; propodeum shining and shagreenate; propodeum smoothly rounded or with indistinct angle; propodeal dorsum and declivity confluent; erect propodeal setae always absent; appressed propodeal setulae long and closely aligned, creating pubescence; propodeal spiracle situated at least twice its width from the declivitous face of propodeum, and shorter (length <0.50 × height of propodeum). Petiole. In profile, petiolar node subcuboidal, vertex bluntly rounded; in full-face view, shape of petiolar node generally rounded with median indentation or hollow; node shining and distinctly shagreenate-microreticulate. Gaster. Gaster weakly shining with indistinct shagreenation; pilosity of first gastral tergite consisting of long, closely aligned, whitish, appressed setae, with erect setae (present in at least some workers) confined to margin of sclerite. General characters. Colour of foreparts reddish-brown through red to dark crimson, legs dark brown, gaster blackish-brown to black.

Major worker description.

Head. Head quadrate (i.e., heart-shaped); posterior margin of head strongly concave; cuticle of frons shining with superficial shagreenation or microreticulation only; frons consisting exclusively or almost exclusively of well-spaced, appressed setae only (small, erect setae, if present, usually confined to ocular triangle or posterior margin of head). Eye moderate (eye length 0.20-0.49 length of head capsule); in full-face view, eyes set above midpoint of head capsule; in profile, eye set anteriad of midline of head capsule; eyes elliptical. In full-face view, frontal carinae concave; frontal lobes straight in front of antennal insertion. Anterior clypeal margin narrowly convex and protruding anteromedially, clypeal margin entire or weakly indented; clypeal psammophore set at or just above anterior clypeal margin; palp formula 6,4. Five to six mandibular teeth in major worker; mandibles triangular, weakly incurved; third mandibular tooth distinctly shorter than apical tooth and teeth numbers two and four; masticatory margin of mandibles approximately aligned vertically or weakly oblique. Mesosoma. Integument of pronotum, mesonotum and mesopleuron moderately shining and shagreenate throughout; anterior mesosoma in profile broadly convex; erect pronotal setae short (i.e., shorter than length of eye) and unmodified; in profile, metanotal groove shallow, broadly V- or U-shaped; propodeum shining and shagreenate; propodeum smoothly rounded or with indistinct angle; propodeal dorsum and declivity confluent; erect propodeal setae present and abundant (at least a dozen); appressed propodeal setae long and closely aligned, creating pubescence; propodeal spiracle situated at least twice its width from the declivitous face of propodeum, and shorter (length less than 0.50 × height of propodeum). Petiole. In profile, petiolar node squamiform; in full-face view, shape of petiolar node uniformly rounded; node shining and faintly shagreenate-microreticulate. Gaster. Gaster weakly shining with indistinct shagreenation; pilosity of first gastral tergite consisting of well-spaced short, inconspicuous, appressed setae only, erect setae always absent. General characters. Colour of foreparts reddish-brown through red to dark crimson, legs dark brown, gaster blackish-brown to black.

Measurements.

Worker (n = 6): CI 91-115; EI 14-28; EL 0.19-0.34; HL 0.73-2.12; HW 0.67-2.44; ML 1.15-2.47; MTL 0.60-1.39; PpH 0.13-0.25; PpL 0.61-1.15; SI 67-142; SL 0.95-1.62.

Comments.

Melophorus aeneovirens (Lowne) was the first Melophorus species to be described, and was originally placed in the genus Formica . This is among the most common of all the Melophorus species, and is found in all mainland states. This ant is particularly common on the eastern seaboard, but does not appear to occur in Tasmania. Regrettably, despite its abundance in many areas, no specimens were available for sequencing. In general, there is some morphological variation, particularly among minor workers that could be examined using genetic markers (some of this variation is mentioned by Wheeler (1934) in his description of M. insularis ). Colour varies from orange to blackish-brown among minor workers and the degree of compression of the dorsum of the propodeum also varies: in some cases this sclerite is rather convex in outline but it can be straight or even fractionally concave. The metanotal groove varies from deeply to weakly incised. Minor workers among different populations can also vary markedly in size and sculpture. However, all minor workers share the recurved appearance of the clypeus when this is seen in profile, an asymmetrical vertex (like M. praesens and M. rufoniger ) and an anterior clypeal margin that is never strongly produced so as to form a ledge (this feature serves to separate M. aeneovirens from nearly all other members of the M. aeneovirens species-group). Because of its ubiquity, M. aeneovirens has attracted a lot of taxonomic attention, and M. constans , M. insularis , iridescens , M. iridescens froggatti, and M. iridescens fraudatrix all reveal consistency as regards the diagnostic characters determined for the species in this revision and become junior synonyms in this work. Furthermore, M. aeneovirens from Port Jackson and M. iridescens froggatti from Sydney come from the same population. The major worker in each case has an orange head and dark brown body and blackish gaster.

The distribution of this taxon is predominantly southern and most collections have been taken in mesic, coastal localities, with far fewer records from arid and semi-arid ar eas. This is the common Melophorus species taken in well-watered forests. Lowne (1865) mentions this ant formed small nests with an inconspicuous opening, and nests in Port Jackson NSW (the type locality) were usually concealed under leaves or stones. The habits of M. aeneovirens may well be mentioned in the literature without the species being identified, but little has been recorded under that name or under the synonymic names. Since this species occurs in a very wide range of habitats, including grassy lawns of suburban residences, the most logical inference is that it is a generalized scavenger.