Cardiocondyla atalanta Forel 1915

Seifert, Bernhard, Okita, Ichiro & Heinze, Jürgen, 2017, A taxonomic revision of the Cardiocondyla nuda group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Zootaxa 4290 (2), pp. 324-356 : 350-351

Cardiocondyla atalanta Forel 1915

Tab. 2, Fig. 13

Cardiocondyla nuda var. atalanta Forel 1915: 75 . Lectotype worker (by present designation): Australia, Kimberley district (labels " Kimberley district ", " N.U.Austr. Mjöberg ", and " Cardiocondyla nuda Mayr v. atalanta € type Forel ") [ MHNG, antweb.org image of specimen CASENT0908343] (examined). Raised to species: Seifert 2003: 247.

Material examined. A total of 34 nest samples with 63 workers were subject to NUMOBAT investigation.

Australia: New South Wales: S.W. Rocks, 1983.xx.xx, [-30.88, 153.03] ; Northern Territory: Rimbija Island, 1977.xx.xx, [-11.10, 136.75] ; Queensland: Ayr- 24 km NW, 1962.11.14, [-19.45, 147.23] ; Queensland: Cairns, Esplanade Park, 2014.07.12, No AUS16, [-16.910, 145.767] ; Queensland: Cairns district , [-16.90, 145.70] ; Queensland: Cardwell, Kirrama, 1957.12.xx, [-18.00, 145.80] ; Queensland: Cedar Creek 1991.xx.xx, [-27.75, 153.20] ; Queensland: Hartley's Creek , 1983.08.13, [-16.41, 145.36] ; Queensland: Horned Creek , 2004.xx.xx, [- 13.73, 143.20] ; Queensland: Lansdown near Woodstock, 1976.04.13, [-19.67, 146.83] ; Queensland: Lockhart- 11 km NW, 2014.07.22, No AUS24, No AUS26 (GenBank LT718204 ), No AUS27 (GenBank LT718205 ), No AUS28 (GenBank LT718206 ), No AUS29 (GenBank LT718207 ), No AUS32 (GenBank LT718208 ), [-12.74, 143.26] ; Queensland: Moggil, 1951.05.17, [-27.58, 152.87] ; Queensland: Myall Lake , N side, 1977.12.28, [-32.42, 152.40] ; Queensland: Rounded Hill, 1980.xx.xx, [-15.28, 145.21]; Rounded Hill, 1981.xx.xx, [-15.28, 145.21]; Rounded Hill- 1 km N, 1981.05.xx, [-15.27, 145.21] ; Queensland: Townsville- 45km NW, 1976.04.14, [-19.18, 146.55] ; Queensland: Woodstock- 52 km S, 1976.04.11, [-20.07, 146.82] ; Western Australia: Gayamin Pool, Chittering, without date, [-31.47, 116.09] ; Western Australia: Kimberley district , type Cardiocondyla atalanta , [-17.40, 126.60] ; Western Australia: Koolan Island, 1987.xx.xx, [-16.13, 123.75]. Lord Howe Island , 1966.xx.xx, No "soil nest", No "stray sample", [-31.56, 159.09] ; Norfolk Island, 1984.03.xx, [-29.03, 167.95]; Norfolk Island, 1984.04.xx, [-29.00, 167.93]; Norfolk Island, 1984.11.xx, [-29.03, 167.95]; Norfolk: Philip Island, 1984.09.xx, [- 29.11, 167.95] . Papua New Guinea: Biro, Seleo, 1896.xx.xx, [-3.146, 142.467]; Loloata Island , 2004.10.24, [- 9.538, 147.291].

Geographic range. C. atalanta is known from all of Australia except its inner desert territories, from Papua New Guinea and the Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands .

Diagnosis. The species differs from C. nuda by a less elongated head and scape, a higher petiole and a higher and wider postpetiole. The main difference to the sister species C. paranuda is the longer pubescence on the gastral tergites ( Tab. 2, Fig. 13 ).

Biology. Colony structure and behavior does not seem to differ from C. nuda . Multiple fertile queens were present in four of six colonies excavated in 2014 in Kutini Payamu National Park near Lockhart. Males are ergatoid, kill callow males and fight with adult males (observation in the laboratory of J. Heinze). Slightly larger, ergatoid males with stubby wings, as previously described for related taxa (Yamauchi et. al. 2005), may occasionally occur.

Figures

FIGURE 13. Gaster of Cardiocondyla atalanta in dorsal aspect. Australia: Queensland: Lockhart- 11 km NW, 2014.07. 22, leg. Heinze, No AUS 24 [12.74 ° S, 143.26 ° E].