Anochetus madagascarensis Forel

Fisher, B. L. & Smith, M. A., 2008, A revision of Malagasy species of Anochetus Mayr and Odontomachus Latreille (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)., PLoS ONE 3, pp. 1-23 : 12

Anochetus madagascarensis Forel

Figures: worker 1a, 4a,b, 5d; queen 4c,d; male 4e,f, 8b; map 6c

Type material:

Anochetus africanus madagascarensis Forel, 1887: 382 [ 23] . Lectotype: worker, Madagascar, Tamatave Province, Ivondro , ( Dr. Conrad Keller ) ( MHNG) present designation [examined] AntWeb CASENT0101574 . Raised to species by Brown, 1978: 557 [ 2].

Anochetus africanus friederichsi Forel 1918: 155 [ 24] . Lectotype: worker, Madagascar, Tamatave Province, Prune Island ( Nosy Alanana ) ( Friederichs ) ( MHNG), present designation [examined] AntWeb CASENT010165 . Synonymized with madagascarensis by Brown, 1978: 557 [ 2].

Worker measurements: maximum and minimum based on n = 20. HL 1.35-1.68, HW 1.19-1.53, CI 87-94, EL 0.23-0.28, ML 0.73-0.93, MI 53-57, SL 1.11-1.41, SI 89-95, WL 1.60- 2.02, FL 1.13-1.54, PW 0.63-0.80.

Queen measurements: maximum and minimum based on n = 5. HL 1.52-1.66, HW 1.48-1.55, CI 92-97, EL 0.32-0.36, ML 0.81-0.89, MI 53-55, SL 1.26-1.39, SI 85-91, WL 1.99- 2.22. FL 1.35-1.49, PW 0.84-0.92.

Male measurements: maximum and minimum based on n = 5 from Madagascar: HL 0.85-1.89, HW 1.07-1.20, CI 122- 135, EL 0.63-0.69, SL 0.20-0.22, SI 18-21, WL 1.90-1.98, FL 1.35-1.47

Worker Diagnosis: Inner blade of mandible without teeth and denticles; apical end of inner blade with notched semicircular concavity (Fig. 1a). Eyes large (0.24-0.26 mm), projecting dorsally. In full face view, antennal scape extends beyond posterior margin of occipital lobe. Dorsal surface of head asetose. Pilosity and sculpture as in Figures 4a,b.

Queens alate: Very similar to worker and only slightly larger (Figs 4c,d). Queens of only one size. Ergatoid queens not recorded.

Males: Males light yellowish brown in color and with large projecting ocelli on vertex (Figs 4e,f). Males have been collected in Malaise traps in every month of the year and males have been noted to swarm and fly at dusk and early evening.

The species is most similar to A. grandidieri but can be easily distinguished by its large eyes (0.24-0.26 mm), and scapes that surpass occipital lobes.

Distribution and biology. A. madagascarensis is widespread throughout Madagascar in forest or shrubland habitats below 1100 m elevation and is also known from the Comoros. Forel's (1912:159) record of a male ' Anochetus sp.? africanus var. madagascariensis Forel " from Seychelles, Mahe, has not been seen and confirmed. This record most likely refers to pattersoni .In Madagascar, madagascarensis is widespread and has been collected in gallery, dry, littoral, lowland, and montane forests, and in desert spiny bush thicket in the southwest of Madagascar. The longer scapes and larger eyes of A. madagascarensis compared to A. grandidieri , correlate with nesting and foraging above the soil layer. The species was most often recorded nesting in rotten logs (99 collection records) followed by sifted litter (41). In addition, it was collected from dead twigs above ground (1), rot pockets (2), ground foragers (20), ground nests (6), Malaise trap (14), on low vegetation (2), and pitfall traps (4).

CO1. Shallow iIntraspecific and deep interspecific divergences between A. madagascarensis and the other species. Average within species sequence divergence of 1.67% (SE = 0.055) (Fig. 16).

Diagnostic barcoding loci. A. madagascarensis : A-21, T-423 (shared with one A. goodmani population), T-132 (shared with one A. grandidieri population), T-83, A-84, T-93, T, 138, C-306, T-513, A-595

Specimens examined for Anochetus madagascarensis :

Specimens from 326 separate collection events from the following 129 localities were examined.

COMORES: Mayotte Island: Majimbini ; Coconi DAF campus ; Poroani ; Riv. Kouale nr. Caserne ; Convalescence ; Dziani Karihani; Tsingoni ; Mt. Choungui ; Mt. Combani ; Coconi, SDA (service du develppement agricole) ; Mt. Benara ; Sazile ; MADA- GASCAR: Antsiranana: Nosy Be 5 km SE Marodokana ; ridge behind Sambava , Q-37 ; Antalaha 18 km North ; Nossi be ;; 68 km SW of Sambava ; Ambohitsara, 10 km SW Antalaha ; 2 km W Antalaha ; Soavinandriana ; 2 km S Antalaha ; Orangea, 3 km E Ramena [near fort] ; Foret d'Orangea, 3.6 km 128° SE Remena ; Sakalava Beach ; 1 km W Sakalava Beach ; 3 km W Sakalava Beach ; Montagne des Francais, 7.2 km 142° SE Antsiranana ; Montaigne Francais ; 7 km N Joffreville ; Reserve Speciale d'Ambre, 3.5 km 235° SW Sakaramy ; Parc National Montagne d'Ambre ; Parc National Montagne d'Ambre ; Parc National Montagne d'Ambre [Petit Lac road] ; Parc National Montagne d'Ambre, 3.6 km 235° SW Joffreville ; Res. Analamerana, 16.7 km 123° Anivorano-Nord ; Reserve Speciale de l'Ankarana, 13.6 km 192° SSW Anivorano Nord ; Ankarana ; Res. Ankarana ; Reserve Speciale de l'Ankarana, 22.9 km 224° SW Anivorano Nord ; Foret d'Ampondrabe, 26.3 km 10° NNE Daraina ; Foret d'Analabe, 30.0 km 72° ENE Daraina ; Foret d' Andavakoera, 21.4 km 75° ENE Ambilobe ; 4.6 km 356° N Betsiaka ; Foret de Bekaraoka, 6.8 km 60° ENE Daraina ; Foret d' Antsahabe, 11.4 km 275° W Daraina ; Foret de Binara, 7.5 km 230° SW Daraina ; Foret de Binara, 9.1 km 233° SW Daraina ; Nosy Be, Airport ; Nosy Be, 5 km Marodokana ; Nosy be, Ambatoloaka ; Nosy Be, Lokobe Forest; Nosy Be, 4 km ESE Andoany (= Hellville ) ; Nosy Be, Reserve Naturelle Integrale de Lokobe , 6.3 km 112° ESE Hellville ; Foret Ambato, 26.6 km 33° Ambanja ; Ambondrobe, 41.1 km 175° Vohemar ; Ampasindava, Foret d'Ambilanivy, 3.9 km 181° S Ambaliha ; R.S. Manongarivo, 10.8 km 229° SW Antanambao ; R.S. Manongarivo, 12.8 km 228° SW Antanambao ; Foret d'Anabohazo, 21.6 km 247° WSW Maromandia ; Foret Ambohibato, 27.2 km 349° Antalaha ; Foret Ambanitaza, 26.1 km 347° Antalaha ; 18 km N Antalaha , Ampahana ; 5 km S+5km W Antalaha ; Antalaha , 12 km S ; Marofinaritra ; 14 km W Cap Est, Ambato ; Mahajanga: Foret Ambohimanga , 26.1 km 314° Mampikony ; Parc National d'Ankarafantsika, Foret de Tsimaloto , 18.3 km 46° NE de Tsaramandroso ; Ampijoroa National Park, 160 km N Maevatanana , Mahajanga Prov ., deciduous forest ; Parc National de Namoroka, 16.9 km 317° NW Vilanandro ; Parc National de Namoroka, 9.8 km 300° WNW Vilanandro ; Reserve Speciale de Bemarivo, 23.8 km 223° SW Besalampy ; Parc National Tsingy de Bemaraha, 2.5 km 62° ENE Bekopaka , Ankidrodroa River ; Parc National Tsingy de Bemaraha, 3.4 km 93° E Bekopaka , Tombeau Vazimba ; Toamasina: Ivondro p. Tamatave ; Ilat Prune bei Tamatave ; Tamatave ; Res. Betampona, Ambodiriana 45 km NW Toamasina ; Res. Ambodiriana, 4.8 km 306° Manompana , along Manompana river ; Parcell K9 Tampolo ; S.F. Tampolo, 10 km NNE Fenoarivo Atn . ; Parcelle E3 Tampolo ; Mahavelona ( Foulpointe ) ; Analalava, 7.0 km 255° Mahavelona ; Manakambahiny Atsinanana ; Foret Ambatovy, 14.3 km 57° Moramanga ; Torotorofotsy ; Andasibe National Park, botanic garden near eIntrance, West of ANGAP office ; 7 km SE Andasibe National Park Headquarters ; Fianarantsoa : Riv: Morongolo Aff de Rongaronga; Local: Antanandava PK 285 RN2 ; Nat. Pk. Ranomafana, Miaranony Forest ; Ranomafana Nat. Park ; Ranomafana Nat. Park, Vohiparara , Hotel; 8 km NE Kianjavato , Vatovavy forest ; Nat. Pk.Ranomafana, Miaranony Forest ; Ranomafana Nat. Park, Tsarahomanana ; 7 km W Ranomafana ; 8 km E Kianjavato , Vatovavy Forest ; 7.6 km 122° Kianjavato , Foret Classee Vatovavy ; Manakara ; Parc National d'Isalo, Sahanafa River , 29.2 km 351° N Ranohira ; Foret d'Analalava, 29.6 km 280° W Ranohira ; Farafangana ; 29.5 km WNW Tolanaro , Vasiha Mt . ; Toliara: Andohahela , Parcel #1 versante E.; 29 km NNW Ranohira , Isalo N.P .; Vohibasia Forest, 59 km NE Sakaraha ; near road, Zombitse National Park, Tulear Prov .; near ANGAP office, Zombitse National Park, Tulear Prov .; Mikea Forest, deciduous dry forest, Tulear Province ; Mikea Forest, spiny forest, Tulear Province ; Ranobe ; Fiherenana ; Beza-Mahafaly, 27 km E Betioky ; Beza-Mahafaly, Parcel 1 ; 70.7 km NNE Tolanaro , Mahermano Mt . ; Res. Andohahela, 6 km SSW Eminiminy ; 2.7 km WNW 302° Ste. Luce ; Andohahela ; Reserve Prive Berenty, Foret d'Anjapolo, 21.4 km 325° NW Amboasary ; Tsimelahy - Parcel II, Andohahela National Park , transition forest, Tulear Province ; Mandena, 8.4 km NNE 30° Tolagnaro ; Reserve Prive Berenty, Foret de Bealoka , Mandrare River , 14.6 km 329° NNW Amboasary ; Reserve Prive Berenty, Foret de Malaza , Mandrare River , 8.6 km 314° NW Amboasary ; Reserve Berenty ; Res. Berenty ; Foret de Petriky , 12.5 km W 272° Tolagnaro .