The ant genus Stenamma Westwood (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) redefined, with a description of a new genus Propodilobus.
Author
Branstetter, M. G.
text
Zootaxa
2009
2221
41
57
http://hol.osu.edu/reference-full.html?id=22826
journal article
22826
AFB7BDC6-2973-482F-BEB5-4878BCBFA4B3
Propodilobus pingorum
(DuBois)
comb. n.
(Figures 41-44)
Stenamma pingorum
DuBois, 2000: 40. Holotype worker and paratype workers, MALAYSIA: Sarawak, First Division, Semengoh Forest Reserve, 19 km SW Kuching (
1.33°N
,
110.20°W
) (2 km S 10th mile Bazaar, on Kuching-Penrissen Road), 28-31 May 1968, R.W. Taylor, RWT-68.196, leaf mould berlesate in rainforest [Holotype and paratype workers in
ANIC
examined.] [Replacement name for
Stenamma orientale
DuBois, 1998: 308-310, Figs 41-43, 210-213 (Junior primary homonym of
Messor orientalis
(Emery 1898: 143))].
Conclusions
Like many other ant genera in the
Myrmicinae
,
Stenamma
has been a problematic genus lacking an adequate morphological diagnosis. Nevertheless, the combination of new collecting techniques, a global perspective, and the use of sequence data, has made it possible to redefine
Stenamma
with confidence. This new understanding will aid efforts to study the biogeographic history of the genus and to revise the largely unstudied Neotropical fauna.
In contrast to
Stenamma
, it is clear that
Lordomyrma
is not a well-defined genus and is in need of a global analysis similar to the one presented here. The molecular work by Lucky and Sarnat (in press) and the ongoing morphological studies of Taylor (2009), offer a strong foundation for the re-examination of generic boundaries. A clearly defined
Lordomyrma
is critical to putting the aberrant morphological characters of the Stenamma-like taxa
L. bhutanensis
and
L. sinensis
into a more satisfying context than can be presented here.
The
genus
Propodilobus
is defined, but its placement within the
Myrmicinae
is not yet known. It is imperative that more specimens of
Propodilobus
be collected in order to increase our knowledge of the groups morphological diversity, to provide material for molecular studies, and to confirm the group's proposed generic status.
This is not the first study to show that there are taxonomic problems within the
Myrmicinae
. Others have suggested or shown that a substantial number of genera and tribes within the subfamily are non-monophyletic (Brady et al. 2006; Moreau et al. 2006; Ward 2007). Most important in terms of classifying
Stenamma
will be to diagnose the group that contains
Aphaenogaster
,
Messor
, and
Stenamma
. This will likely require a molecular phylogenetic analysis that includes additional genera currently classified as
Pheidolini
. Establishing new generic limits should proceed in a manner similar to that adopted here. The combination of molecular data and a global analysis of morphology will reveal which characters are most useful in diagnosing natural groupings. It will also help to reveal interesting cases of convergent evolution within the ants.