Metapone madagascarica Gregg

Alpert, G. D., 2007, A review of the ant genus Metapone Forel from Madagascar., Advances in ant systematics (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Homage to E. O. Wilson - 50 years of contributions. (Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 80), pp. 8-18 : 11

Metapone madagascarica Gregg

Figures 3, 4, 9, 10, 15, 16, 19 - 24

Gregg (1958) described this species and included an illustration of a worker in dorsal view. Additional figures are provided here. M. madagascarica was described from a small series of workers collected along with termites from a stump with a field label T4403. Moszkowski (1955, p. 34) described the associated drywood termite as a new species, Cryptotermes kirbyi Moszkowski, gave the field label as T- 4403, and described the collection locality in more detail [14 km. East (23° 20 ' S, 43° 48 ' E) of Tulear , along Fiheranana River, Madagascar, coll. H. Kirby, 7. VI. 1935, in large dead stump]. On February 10, 1993, Phil Ward, Emile Rajeriarison and the author discovered a series of M. madagascarica from Berenty Reserve , 15 m, 25° 01 ' 3.9 " S, 46° 18 ' 21.8 " E; spiny forest, in an Alluaudia sp. log in association with termites. On July 11, 2000, the author returned to this locality with Pascal Rabeson and Emile Rajeriarison and collected several nest series of M. madagascarica in a dead hardwood tree (local Malagasy name Kelegnogne) in association with the termite Cryptotermes kirbyi. These nest series included larvae, pupae, workers, queens, males and ergatoid males. Additional material examined from Madagascar: Toliara , Reserve Prive Berenty , Foret d'Anjapolo , 21.4 km 325 ° NW Ambosary , 24° 55 ' 47 " S, 46° 12 ' 35 " E, 65 m, spiny forest / thicket, 7 Feb 2002 (coll. Fisher-Griswold Arthropod Team) CASENT 0004524 , 1 ergatoid male, CASC ; Reserve Prive Berenty , Foret de Malaza , Mandrare River , 8.6 km 314 ° NW Ambosary , 25° 0 ' 28 " S, 46° 18 ' 22 " E, 40 m, gallery forest, 6 Feb 2002 (coll. Fisher-Griswold Arthropod Team BLF 5474 ) CASENT 0004525 , 1 worker, CASC ; Parc National d'Andohahela , Foret de Manantalinjio , 33.6 km 63 ° ENE Ambosary , 7.6 km 99 ° E Hazofotsy , 24° 49 ' 1 " S, 46° 36 ' 36 " E, 150 m, spiny forest / thicket, 12 - 16 Jan 2002 (coll. Fisher-Griswold Arthropod Team BLF 4837 ) CASENT 0004526 , BLF 4840 , CASENT 0004529 , 2 workers, CASC .

Worker-queen intermorphs were present in low numbers among the series of workers. Two intermorphs exhibiting rudimentary wing articulations were present among 51 workers. Other intermediate stages of intermorph development were also present and this is consistent with the variation in development of ovarioles from six to two (Hoelldobler et al., 2002 b).

Several ergatoid males (Figs. 19, 21, 23) were collected along with typical winged males (Figs. 20, 22, 24) within the same colony at more than one location. These ergatoid males are almost identical to workers with the following exceptions, presence of male genitalia, large welldeveloped eyes and typical male antennae. The presence of both winged males and an ergatoid male caste in the same colony is exceptional in ants and warrants further study.