A revision of Malagasy species of Anochetus Mayr and Odontomachus Latreille (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).
Author
Fisher, B. L.
Author
Smith, M. A.
text
PLoS ONE
2008
3
1
23
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0001787
journal article
21401
36DFC527-D3D6-4F7D-84A1-3C12005812A2
Odontomachus
simillimus Smith
:
Figures: worker 12a,b, 13b; queen 12c,d; male 12e,f;
Type material:
Odontomachus simillimus Smith,
1858
: 80
[
31
]
. Type locality: Fiji Islands [not examined]. Junior synonym of
haematodus
by
Roger,
1861
: 24 [
26
]
; revived from synonymy by
Wilson,
1959
: 499 [
32
]
.
Odontomachus haematoda var. breviceps, Crawley,
1915
: 239
[
33
].
Type locality:
Christmas Island
,
Australia
(
BMNH
) [not examined]. Synonymized with
simillimus
by
Brown, 1976: 106 [
1
].
Odontomachus haematodes var. fuscipennis Forel
1913
: 19
[
34
]
.Type locality: Peradeniya, Sri Lanka (MNHB?) [not examined]. Synonymized with
simillimus
by
Wilson,
1959
: 499 [
32
]
.
Ponera pallidicornis Smith, F.
1860
: 73
[
35
]
. Type locality:
Makassar
,
Celebes
(
BMNH
) [not examined]
. Synonymized with
simillimus
by
Brown,
1976
: 106 [
1
]
.
Worker measurements: maximum and minimum based on n = 10 from Madagascar: HL 2.33-2.63, HW (across vertex) 1.64- 2.03, HW (across upper eye margin) 1.77-2.06, CI 75-81, EL 0.20-0.23, ML 1.14-1.28, MI 48-51, SL 2.16-2.43, SI 109-123, WL 2.62-3.06. FL 2.29-2.56, PW 1.02-1.24.
Queen measurements: maximum and minimum based on n = 5 from Madagascar: HL 2.37-2.55, HW (across vertex) 1.79- 2.03, HW (across upper eye margin) 1.87-2.13, CI 79-84, EL 0.49-0.53, ML 1.17-1.30, MI 49-52, SL 2.15-2.38, SI 111-118, WL 3.13-3.19. FL 2.36-2.58.
Male measurements: maximum and minimum based on n = 1 from Madagascar: HL 0.89, HW 1.19, CI 133, EL 0.59, SL 0.19, SI 16, WL 2.44. FL 1.73.
Worker diagnosis: Workers and males are very similar in morphology and size to
troglodytes
Bivariate plots of metric measurements did not distinguish the two species. Workers and queen have fine, glossy dorsal striation on head and mesosoma. Metasternal process low and rounded (Fig. 13b). Metasternal process can be viewed in mounted specimens by removing a hind leg and coxa. Brown [
1
] provides a description and additional references.
Distribution and biology. Known though most of the literature as "
O. haematodes
" (Linnaeus)
1758
which is a different species. Forel's [
25
:159] record of "
O. haematodes
" from Seychelles, Mahe most likely refers to
simillimus
.
Found in clearings and secondary growth throughout the IndoPacific. The records from the Seychelles clearly represent an introduction.
O. simillimus
is not known from Madagascar and may have difficulty in establishing on Madagascar because of the presence of the morphologically and ecologically similar
O. troglodytes
.
CO1. The average within species CO1 divergence for
O. simillimus
was 3.212% with much variation between islands (Max 5.786, SE = 0.273). Importantly, although bivariate plots of worker measurements do not reliably separate
O. simillimus
from the ecologically similar
O. troglodytes
, the two species are, on average, 7-8% divergent within the CO1 barcode.
Diagnostic barcoding loci.
O. simillimus
: C-265, T-267, T- 528.
Specimens examined for
Odontomachus simillimus
:
Additional details are provided for the specimens from Seychelles.
INDONESIA
:
Irian Jaya
,
Maffin Bay
; PT. Freeport Concession,
Siewa Camp
;
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
:
Los Negros
,
Admiralty Islands
;
Milne Bay
,
Morobe
,
Finschhafen
,
Biak Island
;
PHILIPPINES
:
Leyte
,
Tacloban
;
SEYCHELLES
:
Silhouette Island
,
Grande Barbe
,
7/22-23/
2000
,
J.Gerlach
;
Silhouette Island
,
Jardin Marron
,
7/5/2000
,
J.Gerlach
;
SOLOMON ISLANDS
:
Kungana Bay
,
Rennell Island
;
Guadalcanal
,
Tenaru River
;
Kungana Bay
,
Rennell Island
,
Anuda Island
;
NW end of
Bellona Island
;
Tevia Bay
,
Vanikoro Island
,
Santa Cruz Islands
;
Mohawk Bay
,
Matema Island
,
Santa Cruz Islands
,
Pavuvu
,
Russell Island
;
VANUATU
:
Espiritu Santo Island
.
Figure 11.
Odontomachus
spp. males full face, lateral view, and oblique lateral view of terminalia. A, B, and E,
coquereli
CASENT0063858. C, D, and F,
troglodytes
CASENT0096412. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0001787.g011
Figure
12.
Odontomachus simillimus
full face and lateral view. A- B, worker CASENT0172667. C-D, queen CASENT0172668. E-F, male CASENT0172666. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0001787.g012