Tetraponera merita, Ward, P. S., 2009

Ward, P. S., 2009, The ant genus Tetraponera in the Afrotropical region: the T. grandidieri group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)., Journal of Hymenoptera Research 18, pp. 285-304 : 299-300

publication ID

22935

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6219040

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/2F667388-BA1E-2F57-1E32-16C3BD1355F0

treatment provided by

Donat

scientific name

Tetraponera merita
status

sp. n.

Tetraponera merita   HNS sp. n.

(Figs 1, 17-18, 26)

Sima Grandidieri var. Hildebrandti; Forel 1892: 260 (in part) (misidentification)

Tetraponera   HNS psw92; Fisher 1996:100; Fisher 1998: 49; Fisher 1999: 134; Fisher 2002: 318. Cited in faunal inventories.

Holotype worker. MADAGASCAR Toamasina : 1 km SSW Andasibe (= Perinet ), 920 m, 18°56'S 48°25'E, 16.xi.1990, ex rotting tree stump, rainforest, P. S. Ward #10943 ( CASENT0012863 ) ( CASC) GoogleMaps .

Paratypes. Séries of workers and queens, same locality as holotype, 16.xi.1990 and 12.xii.1990 (P. S. Ward #10939, 19043, 10944-3, 11144) ( BMNH, CASC, MCZC, PSWC, SAMC, UCDC) .

Material Examined.-( BMNH, CASC, MCZC, MHNG, MNHN, NHMV, PSWC, SAMC, UCDC) MADAGASCAR Antsiranana: Ampasindava, Ambilanivy, 3.9 km 181° S Ambaliha, 600 m (Fisher, B. L.; et al.); Ampasindava, Ambilanivy, 3.9 km 181° S Ambaliha, 600 m (Rafanomezantsoa, J. J.); Forêt Antsahabe, 11.4 km 275° W Dairana, 550 m (Fisher, B. L.; et al.); Forêt Binara, 9.1 km 233° SW Dairana, 650-800 m (Fisher, B. L.; et al); P.N. Marojejy, 27.6 km 35° NE Andapa, 775 m (Fisher, B. L.; et al); R.S. Manongarivo, 10.8 km 229° SW Antanambao, 400 m (Fisher, B. L.); R.S. Manongarivo, 12.8 km 228° SW Antanambao, 780 m (Fisher, B. L.); Fianarantsoa: 43 km S Ambalavao, Res. Andringitra, 800 m (Fisher, B. L.); 43 km S Ambalavao, Res. Andringitra, 825 m (Fisher, B. L.); 45 km S Ambalavao, 785 m (Fisher, B. L.); Ambodiamontana[as "Ambodiamatana"], Ranomafana Nati Pk, 800 m (Rajeriarison, E.); Miaranony, Ranomafana Nati Pk, 1050 m (Rajeriarison, E.); Miaranony, Ranomafana Nati Pk, 700 m (Rajeriarison, E.); Nat. Park Ranomafana, Miaranony, 1050 m (Rajeriarison, E.); P.N. Ranomafana, 1130 m (Harin'Hala, R.); P.N. Ranomafana, Vatoharanana, 4.1 km 231° SW Ranomafana, 1100 m (Fisher, B. L.; et al.); PN Befotaka-Midongy, 940 m (Fisher, B. L.; et al); R.S. Ivohibe, 8.0 km E Ivohibe, 1200 m (Fisher, B. L.); R.S. Ivohibe, 9.0 km NE Ivohibe, 900 m (Fisher, B. L.); Ranomafana Nati Pk. (Rajeriarison, E.); Ranomafana, Miaranony Village (Kingman, A.); Valoloaka Forest, Ranomafana Nati Pk, 1150 m (Rajeriarison, E.); Vevembe, 600 m (Fisher, B. L.; et al.); Toamasina: 17 km W Andapa, Res. d'Anjanaharibe-Sud, 875 m (Alpert, G. D.); 1 km SSW Andasibe (=Permet), 920 m (Ward, P. S.); 6.5 km SSW Befingotra, Res. Anjanaharibe-Sud, 875 m (Fisher, В. L.); 9.2 km WSW Befingotra, Res. Anjanaharibe-Sud, 1280 m (Fisher, В. L.); Andasibe ( Périnet) (Brooks, R. W.); Betampona, 390 m (Fisher, В. L.; et al.); Betampona, 520 m (Fisher, В. L.; et al.); F.C. Andriantantely, 530 m (Ratsirarson, H. J.); F.C. Sandranantitra, 450 m (Ratsirarson, H. J.); Forêt Ambatovy, 14.3 km 57° [NE] Moramanga, 1075 m (Fisher, В. L.; et al.); Forêt Analamay, 19.1 km 51° NE Moramanga, 1068 m (Fisher, B. L.; et al.); Forêt Torotorofotsy, 14.9 km 71° ENE Moramanga, 1070 m (Fisher, В. L.; et al.); Manakambahiny(Pauly, A.); Mont. Anjanaharibe, 18.0 km 21° NNE Ambinanitelo, 470 m (Fisher, В. L.; et al); Mont. Anjanaharibe, 19.5 km 27° NNE Ambinanitelo, 1100 m (Fisher, В. L.; et al.); P.N. Mantadia, 895 m (Ratsirarson, H. J.); PN Zahamena, 860 m (Fisher, В. L.; et al); PN Zahamena, Besaky River, 760 m (Fisher, В. L.; et al.); PN Zahamena, Oribe River, 780 m (Fisher, В. L.; et al.); PN Zahamena, Sahavorondrano River, 765 m (Fisher, В. L.; et al.); vie. Andasibe (=Perinet), 950-980 m (Brown, W. L.; Brown, D. E.); Toliara: 10 km NW Enakara, Rés. Andohahela, 420 m (Fisher, В. L.); Env. de Tsivory ( Région du Sud) (Vacher); Forêt Ivohibe, 200 m (Fisher, В. L.; et al.); Forêt Ivohibe, 650 m (Fisher, В. L.; et al.); Fort Dauphin (Sikora); Grand Lavasoa, 450 m (Fisher, В. L.; et al.); P.N. Andohahela, Manampanihy, 5.4 km 113° ESE Mahamavo, 650 m (Fisher, В. L.; et al.); PN Andohahela, 275 m (Fisher, B. L.; et al.); province unknown: "Madagascar Central" (Sikora); "Madagascar /(S.-E.)" (Decary, R.).

Worker measurements (n = 9). HW

1.16-1.59, HL 1.23-1.74, LHT 1.38-1.83, CI 0.90-0.94, FCI 0.11-0.15, REL 0.31-0.34, REL2 0.34-0.38, SI 0.76-0.82, FI 0.28-0.32, PLI 0.49-0.56, PWI 0.46-0.53.

Worker diagnosis. Similar to T. grandidieri   HNS (q.v.). Basal margin of mandible with conspicuous tooth (Fig. 1); anterior clypeal margin deflected ventrally; head relatively broad (CI 0.90-0.94); metanotal spiracle visible in lateral view of mesosoma; dorsal face of propodeum broadly convex in posterior view; standing pilosity and appressed pubescence generally sparse; integument mostly sublucid, with fine coriarious /puncticulate sculpture; orange to reddish-brown, appendages paler; head usually concolorous with mesosoma.

Comments. This is one of the more distinctive species in the Г. grandidieri   HNS group, easily recognized by the presence of a tooth on the basal margin of the mandible and by the undercut median portion of the clypeus. T. merita   HNS is usually more or less unicolorous reddish- or orange-brown, without a contrastingly darker head, but in some northern populations(3.9 km S Ambaliha, Forêt Antsahabe and Forêt Binara) the head is infuscated relative to the rest of the body. This species also tends to be larger than ali the others except T. manangotra   HNS (see HW, HL and LHT measurements). Although the holotype of T. grandidieri hildebrandti   HNS (Forel, 1891) is conspecific with T. grandidieri   HNS (Forel, 1891), material referred to T. g. hildebrandti   HNS by Forel (1892: 260) includes T. merita   HNS . During earlier examination and identification of muséum material I assigned the code name Tetraponera   HNS psw92 to this species.

Distribution and biology. T. merita   HNS is widely distributed in rainforest of eastern and northern Madagascar, overlapping the ranges of ali other species in the T. grandidieri   HNS group (Fig. 26). Nests have been found on the ground in rotten logs, sticks and tree stumps. A worker from the type series ( PSW 10943) stung me on my left index finger. The sting was rather painful and left a pustule that lasted more than a week. It reinforced my impression that the conspicuous orange and reddish-brown coloration of workers of T. merita   HNS and related species in the T. grandidieri   HNS group is aposematic.

CASC

USA, California, San Francisco, California Academy of Sciences

BMNH

United Kingdom, London, The Natural History Museum [formerly British Museum (Natural History)]

MCZC

USA, Massachusetts, Cambridge, Harvard University, Museum of Comparative Zoology

PSWC

PSWC

SAMC

South Africa, Cape Town, Iziko Museum of Capetown (formerly South African Museum)

UCDC

USA, California, Davis, University of California, R.M. Bohart Museum of Entomology

MHNG

Switzerland, Geneva, Museum d'Histoire Naturelle

MNHN

France, Paris, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle

NHMV

NHMV

PSW

PSW

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Formicidae

Genus

Tetraponera

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