Nylanderia yerburyi ( Forel, 1894 )

Guénard, Benoit, 2023, A checklist of Nylanderia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae) from Hong Kong and Macao SARs, with an illustrated identification key for species in Southeast China and Taiwan, Zootaxa 5301 (5), pp. 501-539 : 532-533

Nylanderia yerburyi ( Forel, 1894)

( Figure 24 ; Figure 26.F )

Prenolepis yerburyi Forel, 1894: 409 , fig. 1. Sri Lanka.

In Prenolepis (Nylanderia) : Viehmeyer, 1916: 147; in Paratrechina (Nylanderia) : Wheeler, 1921b: 112; in Nylanderia: Chapman & Capco, 1951: 218 ; LaPolla et al., 2010: 127.

Prenolepis yerburyi Emery, 1893: 250 . Nomen nudum (attributed to Forel).

Diagnosis. Nylanderia yerburyi can be distinguished from other species of Nylanderia from Southeast China by the combination of eyes approximately 1.75x longer than malar distance, interocular distance more than four times the eye width, posterior margin of head, in dorsal view, medially convex, pronotum with 12–14 macrosetae (PMC 6–7), and mesonotum with 6–10 macrosetae (MMC 3–5).

Measurements. MdL 0.413 –0.424; ClL 0.164 –0.189; ClW 0.486–0.51; HL 0.75–0.782; HW 0.654 –0.705; EL 0.194 –0.219; MaD 0.141 –0.146; IoD 0.37–0.413; SL 0.898 –0.961; ML 0.996 –1.037; PrL 0.304 –0.358; PrW 0.498 –0.517; PrFL 0.719 –0.811; MeL 0.246–0.3; MeW 0.285 –0.302; PrpL 0.21–0.231; PrpH 0.377 –0.379; PrpW 0.352 –0.374; PL 0.297 –0.332; Ab3L 0.484 –0.534; TL 2.6–2.7; PMC 6–7; MMC 3–5; CI 84.9–90.2; DNI 55.6–60.7; IoI 56.2–58.6; OI 29.7–31.1; SI 136.3–141.6; REL 25.2–28.1; MaI 65.3–73.8.

Morphology. Nylanderia yerburyi may be misidentified as N. indica , but the shape and size of head, the body coloration, and the shape of the posterior margin of the head are enough to separate the species. We observed a variation in the length of the dorsum of the propodeum, sometimes being considerably shorter than the declivity; however, other works suggest that, in all specimens of N. yerburyi , the dorsum of the propodeum is almost the same size as the declivity ( Wachkoo & Bharti 2015).

Ecology. In this study, specimens were sampled in regions with different degrees of preservation, from highly urbanized areas (e.g., in the airport area in Chek Lap Kok) to well preserved forested areas (e.g., Soko Islands). Outside Hong Kong, N. yerburyi was found in several locations in Guangdong ( Wheeler 1921b) and Macao ( Leong et al. 2017; Wheeler 1928) indicating a possible wide range for habitat preference of this species.

Distribution. Nylanderia yerburyi does not appear to be abundant in Hong Kong, but still has been recorded in several regions, showing a widespread distribution.

Examined material. Image of a syntype worker from Sri Lanka (CASENT0911013) deposited in MHNG, Geneva , Switzerland. Hong Kong: (2 workers) Hong Kong : Yuen Long, Lok Ma Chau, 22.50925102 114.061694 ±45 m, elevation 5 m, 11–14.viii.2017, M. Pierce col.; (1 worker) Islands , Soko Islands, 22.18258 113.91257 ±100 m, elevation 3 m, 2.xii..2016, M. Pierce col., #IAS-0127; (1 worker) Chek Lap Kok , 22.2957 113.9164, 27.vi.2016, AT17B105; (1 worker) Chek Lap Kok , 22.2958 113.9255, 25.x.2016, AT14B120; (1 worker) Chek Lap Kok , 22.3188 113.9368, 23.ii.2017, AT1B40; (1 worker) North District Park , 22.49919 114.1349, elevation 14 m, 27.vii.2021, Bait, ND 1T2B2, M. Hamer col..

Figures

FIGURE 24. Nylanderia yerburyi. A: Lateral view of the whole body; B: Dorsal view of the head; C: Dorsal view of the whole body.

FIGURE 26. Distribution maps for seven of the thirteen Nylanderia species recorded for Hong Kong.A: Nylanderia indica; B: Nylanderia picta; C: Nylanderia sharpii; D: Nylanderia taylori; E: Nylanderia yaeyamensis; F: Nylanderia yerburyi.