A taxonomic revision of the Meranoplus F. Smith of Madagascar (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) with keys to species and diagnosis of the males.
Author
Boudinot, B. E.
Author
B. L. Fisher
text
Zootaxa
2013
3635
4
301
339
http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2013/f/zt03635p339.pdf
journal article
23965
10.11646/zootaxa.3635.4.1
175-5326
Diagnosis of the
M. nanus
species group (worker)
The
Meranoplus nanus
group (
Bolton 1981
) is herein expanded to six species, with the inclusion of
M. radamae
,
M. cryptomys
, and
M. sylvarius
, in addition to the three Afrotropical species
M. clypeatus
Bernard, 1953
,
M. inermis
Emery, 1895
, and
M. nanus
Emery, 1895
. Two characters from
Bolton's
(
1981
) diagnosis of the
M. nanus
group must be expanded: postpetiole squamiform to nodiform, rather than squamiform to anteroposteriorly compressed; and propodeal spines absent, short, or well-developed. Otherwise characters used by
Bolton (1981)
to diagnose the
M. nanus
group stand, and six additional characters are provided in the species group diagnosis. Although a few males of the African
M. nanus
group species have been examined for this study, a diagnosis of males or gynes of this species group would be premature until a larger sample size is available.
The following characters set the species of the
M. nanus
group apart among the Afrotropical species-group schemata of
Bolton (1981)
and the Oriential species from
Schoedl
(1998
,
1999
); unique character states for the
M. nanus
group among the Afrotropical and Oriental species are italicized:
1. Four mandibular teeth. 2. Promesonotum broader than long, with length measured from apices of anterolateral to posterolateral denticles. 3. Promesonotal shield overhanging pleurae laterally. 4. Promesonotal shield overhanging propodeum posteriorly. 5. Promesonotal-propodeal suture distinct and strongly arched medially. 6. Propodeal spines absent through well-developed. 7. Petiole narrow-cuneate; without spines or teeth dorsally. 8. Anterior and posterior faces of petiole smooth and shining. 9. Lateral face of petiole with one or two longitudinal curvaceous carinae which extend posteriorly from above the spiracle and join with the posterior collar. 10. Postpetiole squamiform to nodiform; never cuboid nor with a posteriorly-directed process. 11. Fourth abdominal sclerites with stellate setiferous punctures.