Revision of Australian Meranoplus: the Meranoplus diversus group.
Schoedl,
Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute
2007
Advances in ant systematics (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Homage to E. O. Wilson - 50 years of contributions.
80
370
424
urn:lsid:biosci.ohio-state.edu:osuc_concepts:226117
Insecta
Formicidae
Meranoplus
CoL
Animalia
Meranoplus snellingi Schödl
Hymenoptera
380
Arthropoda
species
snellingi
(Figs. 6, 7, 55, 87; Plate 1, A) HOLOTYPE WORKER. TL 8.35, HL 2.13, HW 2.38, FC 1.75, CS 2.25, SL 1.04, SI 1 44, SI 2 46, PML 1.40, PW 1.83, PMD 1.80, PMI 2 99, ML 1.95, PTLL 0.60, PTLH 0.80, PTDW 0.78, PPLL 0.58, PPLH 0.75, PPI 77, PPDW 0.85, PT / PP 91. Mandible with three teeth. Clypeal projection distinctly exceeding anterolateral frontal corners, with weak median carina and additional lateral carinulae, the anterior clypeal margin concave with upward flexion, the lateral corners rounded, denticulate. Head wider than long (CI 112), preoccipital margin deeply concave. Frontal carinae distinctly sinuately narrowing towards clypeus, markedly narrower than width of head (FI 136). Antennal scrobe in lateral view scarcely surpassing middle of length of head, merging into lateral sides of head distinctly anteriorly to rear corners; distinctly transversely carinulate at rear with additional shagreening. Genae and ventrolateral sides of head carinate to rugose, preoccipital lobes reticulate. Eyes relatively small (EL 0.35, REL 0.16, with 18 ommatidia in the longest row), situated well in front of middle of lateral sides of head, the dorsal ocular margin far from the ventral scrobal margin. Surface of head between ridges of rugo-reticulation with microreticulum. Promesonotal shield distinctly wider than long (PMI 130), only very narrowly translucently margined. Mesonotum with posterolateral projections triangular, the posterior medial projections rounded. Propodeal declivity visible from above. Propodeal spines of medium length (PSL 0.73) situated above middle of length of declivity, acute and slightly arcuate when seen from above. Petiole in lateral view box shaped, distinctly higher than long (PTI 75), with the anterior face straight, meeting oblique dorsum in a more or less right angle, the latter merging roundly into posterior face. Postpetiole nodiform with small anterio-basal tooth. Gaster entirely and roughly striate (elongately carinulate, with microsculpture between carinulae). Dorsal surface covered with scattered regular pilosity consisting of short and longer more or less erect stiff hairs, in general pilosity on head dorsum shorter than on mesosoma and gaster. WORKERS (n = 8). TL 7.20 - 8.75, HL 1.88 - 2.19, HW 2.0 - 2.43, FC 1.48 - 1.75, FI 134 - 142, CI 103 - 112, CS 1.94 - 2.31, SL 1.0 - 1.15, SI 1 44 - 51, SI 2 46 - 53, PML 1.23 - 1.45, PW 1.50 - 1.83, PMI 120 - 130, PMD 1.45 - 1.83, PMI 2 94 - 103, ML 1.70 - 2.0, PSL 0.65 - 0.73, PTLL 0.58 - 0.68, PTLH 0.73 - 0.84, PTI 74 - 81, PTDW 0.66 - 0.90, PPLL 0.45 - 0.60, PPLH 0.63 - 0.83, PPI 70 - 77, PPDW 0.71 - 0.95, PT / PP 91 - 102, EL 30 - 0.37, REL 0.15 - 0.19, with 16 - 18 ommatidia in the longest row.
ETYMOLOGY Named for Roy R. Snelling, myrmecologist at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. He provided me with numerous important specimens for this study.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL EXAMINED Northern Territory: Maningrida, xii. 1975- i. 1976( J. Grigg); Nourlangie Rock, 17. viii. 1983( P. S. Ward); Bathurst Island( G. F. Hill); Howard Springs near Darwin, 19. vii. 1981( B. B. Lowery); Darwin, 13 - 17 km E, viii. 1972( W. L. Brown); Alligator Rivers area, Kapalga, 8. ix. 1983( P. J. M. Greenslade); Alligator Rivers area, Jabiru, 11. v. / 10. ix. 1983( P. J. M. Greenslade); Katherine, 4. - 5. vii. 1951( W. L. Brown); 21 / 22 km SE Katherine, 8. iv. 1977( P. J. M. Greenslade); Finniss Range, 11. xi. 1952( Bateman); Arnhem Highway, 15 km E Adelaide( B. B. Lowery). (47 workers, 1 gyne in ANIC, MCZC, NHMW, PSWC, USNM).
DISCUSSION M. snellingiis a medium sized to large brown to blackish-brown species which apart from differences in size shows only very little variation within its range. It is obviously most closely related to the two preceding taxa but easily separable by the unique clypeal structure. Restricted to Top End, Northern Territory.
1416639350
2000-12-16
ANIC
R. R. Snelling'
AUSTRALIA
-12.42
Berrimah
130.92
00 - 145
N. Terr
Paratypes
1416639362
2000-12-21
LACM, NHMW, ANIC
Australia
00 - 190, 03 - 143, 03 - 162
1416639343
1975-12
J. Grigg
Australia
Maningrida
Northern Territory
1416639367
1983-08-17
P. S. Ward
Australia
Nourlangie Rock
Northern Territory
1416639365
G. F. Hill
Australia
Bathurst Island
Northern Territory
1416639384
1981-07-19
B. B. Lowery
Australia
Howard Springs near Darwin
Northern Territory
1416639396
1972-08
W. L. Brown
Australia
Darwin
Northern Territory
1416639382
1983-09-08
P. J. M. Greenslade
Australia
Alligator Rivers area
Northern Territory
1416639377
1983-09-10
P. J. M.
Greenslade
Australia
Alligator Rivers area
Northern Territory
1416639379
1951-07-05
W. L. Brown
Australia
Katherine
Northern Territory
1416639395
1977-04-08
P. J. M. Greenslade
Australia
Katherine
Northern Territory
1416639378
1952-11-11
Bateman
Australia
Finniss Range
Northern Territory
1416639381
ANIC, MCZC, NHMW, PSWC, USNM
B. B. Lowery
Australia
Arnhem Highway
Northern Territory