A Revision of Male Ants of the Malagasy Amblyoponinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with Resurrections of the Genera Stigmatomma and Xymmer

Abstract

In a male-based revision of ants of the subfamily Amblyoponinae from the Southwest Indian Ocean islands (SWIO: Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, Reunion, and Seychelles), we explore and reconsider male morphological characters that distinguish genera within the group. Our investigation redefines Amblyopone Erichson sensu Brown (1960), here referred to as Amblyopone sensu lato, into three genera: Xymmer Santschi stat. rev., Amblyopone sensu stricto, Stigmatomma Roger stat. rev. All species names under Amblyopone s. l. reassign into Xymmer and Amblyopone s. s., which are small, well-defined genera, and Stigmatomma , a large group with a generic delimitation that still needs further refinement. Based on a study of male mandible characters and our scenario for mandibular evolution of the worker caste within Amblyopone s. l, we conclude that Amblyopone s. s. nests outside of XMAS ( Xymmer + Mystrium + Adetomyrma + Stigmatomma ) clade. The following names are transferred from Amblyopone s. l. to Xymmer as comb. rev. : muticus . The following names are transferred from Amblyopone s. l. to Stigmatomma as comb. rev. : amblyops , armigerum , bellii , bierigi , bruni , celata , chilense , denticulatum , elongatum , emeryi , feae , impressifrons , luzonicum , minuta , normandi , oregonense , pallipes , quadratum , reclinatum , rothneyi , santschii , saundersi , silvestrii , zwaluwenburgi ; as comb. nov. : agostii , annae , besucheti , boltoni , caliginosum , cleae , crenatum , degeneratum , egregium , electrinum , eminia , exiguum , falcatum , ferrugineum , fulvidum , ...

Morphology of the male genitalia of Brachymyrmex and their implications in the Formicinae phylogeny

“…However, males may be associated through careful collecting and molecular phylogenies. A recent movement among ant researchers has been to pay more attention to males, both when collecting in the field and unassociated males (Boudinot 2013, Boudinot 2015, Deyrup and Cover 2004, LaPolla et al 2012, and Yoshimura and Fisher 2007, 2009.…”

A New Species and a New Record of the Ant Genus Stigmatomma Roger (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from India

“…This species is remarkably different from the other known Indian species with following combination of characters: mandibles with 7 teeth; anterior clypeal margin with 8 dentiform setae; eyes small, each with 3 facets; subpetiolar process with elliptical sub-transparent fenestra. This species was originally described in Ambylopone and we formally place it in Stigmatomma based on the diagnosis provided by Yoshimura and Fisher (2012).…”

“…Based on the comparative study of mandible characters in worker caste, Yoshimura and Fisher (2012) revived Stigmatomma from synonymy within Amblyopone. It is widely distributed and currently represented by 63 living species and 2 fossil species (Bolton, 2015).…”

Ant species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from the seasonally dry tropical forest of northeastern Brazil: a compilation from field surveys in Bahia and literature records

“…In areas of arboreal caatinga, this technique has been applied only recently (Silva 2011a;Macêdo 2012). Our Winkler extracted samples in Milagres allowed us to add 23 new records of species for the biome (highlighted in Table I with an asterisk), which means an increase of almost 14% in the number of previously recognized species for the Caatingas, including a recently described species of Oxyepoecus (Myrmicinae, Solenopsidini), O. regularis Ulysséa & Brandão, 2012. It is important to note that updated global and regional catalogues of ant species were published in the last decade (Bolton 2003;Bolton et al 2006;Palácio & Fernández 2003), new mechanisms were made available for online identification (Longino 2005;Sarnat 2008), and tribes as well as widely distributed genera and subfamilies were partially or totally revised: Amblyoponinae (Yoshimura & Fisher 2012 (Lattke et al 2007); Linepithema (Wild 2007); Megalomyrmex (Brandão 1990(Brandão , 2003; Mycetophylax, Paramycetophylax and Kalathomyrmex (Klingenberg & Brandão 2009), Oxyepoecus (Albuquerque & Brandão 2004; Pheidole of the Americas (Wilson 2003); Prenolepis (LaPolla et al 2010), Trachymyrmex species groups (Mayhé- Nunes & Brandão 2002, 2005, 2007 and Wasmannia (Longino & Fernández 2007). These revisions, associated with the direct comparison with specimens deposited in the collection of Hymenoptera in the MZSP, allowed the identification at species-level of most of the analyzed material.…”