Prenolepis imparis ( Say, 1836 )

Williams, Jason L., 2016, Taxonomic revision and phylogeny of the ant genus Prenolepis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Zootaxa 4200 (2), pp. 201-258 : 222-227

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4200.2.1

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:82A45A60-4A76-43A3-9F95-F37AC43F4F97

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6087132

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03B58794-4241-6D36-849F-A4ADAB3E8337

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Prenolepis imparis ( Say, 1836 )
status

 

Prenolepis imparis ( Say, 1836) View in CoL

( Figs 72–82 View FIGURES 72 – 74 View FIGURES 75 – 82 )

Formica imparis Say, 1836: 287 (q. m.). Syntype queen(s?) and male(s?), (no specific locality provided) (depository unknown) [not examined]; Wheeler, 1930a: 16 (w.). Syntype worker(s?), (no specific locality provided) (depository unknown) [not examined]. Wheeler & Wheeler, 1953: 142 (l.); Hauschteck, 1962: 219 (k.). Combination in Prenolepis: Mayr, 1886: 431 View in CoL . Prenolepis nitens americana Forel, 1891: 94 (m.). Syntype male(s?), UNITED STATES: (no specific locality provided) (depository unknown) [not examined]. Synonymy by Emery, 1893a: 635; Dalla Torre, 1893: 178 (here confirmed).

Formica wichita: Buckley, 1866: 169 (w.). Syntype worker(s?), UNITED STATES: (no specific locality provided) (depository unknown) [not examined]. Synonymy by Dalla Torre, 1893: 178; Wheeler, 1930a: 15 (here confirmed).

Prenolepis imparis minuta Emery, 1893a: 636 (w. m.). 3 syntype workers, UNITED STATES: District of Columbia, 1.iv.1888 ( MSNG: CASENT0905673) [examined]; ( MCZC: MCZ-ENT00025592) [examined]. Syntype male(s?), (no specific locality provided) (depository unknown) [not examined]. Synonymy by Creighton 1950: 414 (here confirmed).

Prenolepis imparis pumila Wheeler, 1930a: 21 (w. m.). 2 syntype workers, UNITED STATES: North Carolina, Raleigh ( MCZC: MCZ-ENT00021680) [examined] . 1 syntype male, same locality as syntype workers ( MCZC: MCZ- ENT 00021680 View Materials ) [examined] . 2 syntype males, North Carolina, Raleigh ( MCZC: MCZ-ENT00543330) [examined]. Synonymy by Creighton 1950: 414 (here confirmed).

Prenolepis imparis testacea Emery, 1893a: 636 (q. m). Syntype queen(s?) and male(s?), UNITED STATES: (no specific locality provided) (depository unknown) [not examined]. Wheeler , 1905: 390 (w.) . 4 syntype workers, UNITED STATES: District of Columbia ( MCZC: MCZ-ENT00025593). Synonymy by Creighton 1950: 414 (here confirmed).

Prenolepis imparis californica Wheeler, 1930a: 23 (w. q. m.). 10 syntype workers, UNITED STATES: California, Stanford University ( MCZC: MCZ-ENT00543319, MCZ-ENT00543321, MCZ-ENT00021677) [examined] . Syntype queen, same locality as syntype workers ( MCZC: MCZ-ENT00543320) [examined] . Syntype male, same locality as syntype workers ( MCZC: MCZ-ENT00021677) [examined]. Synonymy by Wheeler & Wheeler, 1986: 14 (here confirmed).

Prenolepis imparis arizonica Wheeler, 1930a: 22 View in CoL (w. q. m.). 4 syntype workers, UNITED STATES: Arizona, Ramsey Canyon ( MCZC: MCZ-ENT00021676) [examined] . 1 syntype queen and 3 syntype males, same locality as syntype workers ( MCZC: MCZ-ENT00543315) [examined]. syn. nov.

Prenolepis imparis colimana Wheeler, 1930a: 24 View in CoL (w.). 18 syntype workers, MEXICO: Volcan de Colima ( MCZC: MCZ- ENT 00543322 View Materials , MCZ-ENT00543323, MCZ-ENT00543324, MCZ-ENT00543325, MCZ-ENT00543326, MCZ- ENT 00021678 View Materials ) [examined]. syn. nov.

Prenolepis imparis coloradensis Wheeler, 1930a: 22 View in CoL (w.). 17 syntype workers, UNITED STATES: Colorado, Cheyenne Mt. ( MCZC: MCZ-ENT00021679, MCZ-ENT00543327, MCZ-ENT00543328, MCZ-ENT00543329) [examined]. syn. nov.

Prenolepis imparis veracruzensis Wheeler, 1930a: 24 View in CoL (w.). Holotype worker, MEXICO : Veracruz, Maltrata Altaluz , 05.x.1924 ( MCZ: MCZ-ENT00021681) [examined]. syn. nov.

Worker diagnosis. Obtusely angled propodeum with flat dorsal and posterior faces ( Fig 19 View FIGURES 15 – 27 ); entire cuticle smooth and shiny; ectal surface of mandibles with deep longitudinal striations.

Most similar species. P. nitens

Morphology. Worker. Measurements (n=105): CMC: 16–18; EL: 0.23–0.33; EW: 0.19–0.24; HL: 0.74–0.98; HLA: 0.43–0.48; HLP: 0.25–0.34; HW: 0.71–0.98; IOD: 0.48–0.57; LF1: 0.22–0.29; LF2: 0.11–0.15; LHT: 1.01– 1.15; MMC: 1–5; MTW: 0.40–0.52; MW: 0.24–0.36; PDH: 0.28–0.39; PMC: 3–6; PrCL: 0.41–0.52; PrCW: 0.26– 0.33; PrFL: 0.78–0.98; PrFW: 0.17–0.21; PTH: 0.37–0.42; PTL: 0.33–0.40; PTW: 0.24–0.34; PW: 0.48–0.61; SL: 0.88–1.22; TL: 2.94–4.51; WF1: 0.06–0.09; WF2: 0.06–0.08; WL: 0.95–1.42; BLI: 122–153; CI: 90–101; EPI: 140–179; FLI: 185–208; HTI: 120–133; PetHI: 121–130; PetWI: 83–90; PrCI: 58–70; PrFI: 20–24; REL: 27–35; REL2: 28–36; REL3: 46–59; SI: 115–140.

Light to dark brown with head and gaster sometimes darker than mesosoma; entire cuticle smooth and shiny; abundant decumbent setae on scapes and legs; erect macrosetae on head, mesosoma, and gaster; head about as broad as long and square in shape with rounded posterolateral corners and a straight posterior margin; compound eyes moderately large and convex, but do not surpass the lateral margins of the head in full-face view; torulae overlap with the posterior border of the clypeus; anterior border of clypeus with a pair of prominent anterolateral lobes ( Fig 42 View FIGURES 38 – 50 ); mandibles with 5–7 teeth (usually 6) on the masticatory margin; ectal surface of mandibles with deep longitudinal striations; in profile view, propodeum is obtusely angled with a flat dorsal face ( Fig 19 View FIGURES 15 – 27 ); dorsal apex of petiole scale is sharply angled and forward-inclined ( Fig 53 View FIGURES 51 – 56 ).

Queen. Measurements (n=9): EL: 0.42–0.48; HL: 1.26–1.44; HW: 1.38–1.55; SL: 1.36–1.55; TL: 7.05–8.33; WL: 2.49–3.08; BLI: 175–199; CI: 105–117; REL: 31–38; REL2: 30–34; SI: 97–103.

Much larger and distinctly lighter in color than male; light to medium brown; abundant short, erect macrosetae on head, mesosoma, and gaster; entire cuticle covered in dense pubescence; head broader than long and square in shape; three ocelli present; compound eyes large and convex, barely surpassing the lateral margins of the head in full-face view; antennae with 12 segments; scapes long, surpassing the posterior margin of the head; mandibles with 6 teeth on the masticatory margin; ectal surface of mandibles with longitudinal striations; mesosoma large to accommodate flight muscles and without a constriction; small collar-like pronotum; large and strongly convex shelf-like mesonotum; petiole is forward-inclined and triangular, as seen in worker; dorsal apex of petiole scale is sharply angled.

Male. Measurements (n=10): EL: 0.31–0.45; HL: 0.66–0.82; HW: 0.72–0.89; SL: 0.54–0.75; TL: 3.16–4.16; WL: 1.30–1.65; BLI: 165–191; CI: 102–110; REL: 47–57; REL2: 43–54; SI: 75–89.

Much smaller and distinctly darker than queen; dark brown; abundant long, erect macrosetae on head, mesosoma, and gaster; entire cuticle covered in dense pubescence; head broader than long and oval in shape; three large ocelli present; compound eyes very large and convex, surpassing the lateral margins of the head in full-face view; antennae with 13 segments; scapes very short, barely surpassing the posterior margin of the head; mandibles with a single apical tooth on the masticatory margin; ectal surface of mandibles with longitudinal striations; mesosoma large to accommodate flight muscles and without a constriction; small collar-like pronotum; large and strongly convex shelf-like mesonotum; petiole is forward-inclined and triangular, as seen in worker; dorsal apex of petiole scale is sharply angled; genitalia oriented ventrally; parameres elongate, roughly triangular, and curved medially; ental surface of parameres flattened; digiti are long and slender and follow the penis valve as it curves ventrally; cuspi are broad, triangular, and very short relative to the rest of the genitalia; parameres are covered in dense very long, erect macrosetae; edges of cuspi are covered in short, erect macrosetae; 9th sternite is large and broad.

Notes. This species bears a strong morphological resemblance to P. nitens but has a different distribution and a more slender mesosoma at the mesonotal constriction ( Fig 19 View FIGURES 15 – 27 ). Several key differences can also be seen in male genitalia between P. imparis and P. nitens (see notes under P. nitens ).

This species has a wide distribution and shows high morphological variation in the worker caste. As a consequence, many synonyms have been created with descriptions based on variation in color, size, and minor differences in propodeum shape. We treat them here as all being a single species with a high degree of intraspecific variation. Examination of male external genitalia from across the range revealed no notable differences.

Microgynous queens were observed by Alex Wild (personal communication, September 9, 2015) in the Sierra Nevadas, California in October, 2001. Two specimens were collected by Wild, one of which was examined for this study (USNMENT00755072). The other can be found on www.AntWeb.org (CASENT0005430). These queens appear to be P. imparis , but are much smaller and were observed flying in the fall rather than early spring. While it is possible that this is an entirely new species, perhaps even an inquiline, based on its size, it is also possible that these individuals are microgynous ( Rüppell & Heinze 1999) P. imparis queens. With only two specimens available and little morphological difference from P. imparis observed more evidence must be found in order to describe them as a new species.

Other material examined. Specimens from hundreds of localities across the United States and Mexico.

MSNG

Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova 'Giacomo Doria'

ENT

Ministry of Natural Resources

MCZ

Museum of Comparative Zoology

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Formicidae

Genus

Prenolepis

Loc

Prenolepis imparis ( Say, 1836 )

Williams, Jason L. 2016
2016
Loc

Prenolepis imparis pumila

Creighton 1950: 414
Wheeler 1930: 21
1930
Loc

Prenolepis imparis californica

Wheeler 1986: 14
Wheeler 1930: 23
1930
Loc

Prenolepis imparis arizonica

Wheeler 1930: 22
1930
Loc

Prenolepis imparis colimana

Wheeler 1930: 24
1930
Loc

Prenolepis imparis coloradensis

Wheeler 1930: 22
1930
Loc

Prenolepis imparis veracruzensis

Wheeler 1930: 24
1930
Loc

Prenolepis imparis minuta

Creighton 1950: 414
Emery 1893: 636
1893
Loc

Prenolepis imparis testacea

Creighton 1950: 414
Emery 1893: 636
1893
Loc

Formica wichita:

Wheeler 1930: 15
Dalla 1893: 178
Buckley 1866: 169
1866
Loc

Formica imparis

Wheeler 1953: 142
Wheeler 1930: 16
Emery 1893: 635
Dalla 1893: 178
Forel 1891: 94
Mayr 1886: 431
Say 1836: 287
1836
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