Chelaner antarcticus
| Chelaner antarcticus | |
|---|---|
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| Worker | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Genus: | Chelaner |
| Species: | C. antarcticus
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| Binomial name | |
| Chelaner antarcticus (F. Smith, 1858)
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| Synonyms | |
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List
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Chelaner antarcticus is an ant of the family Formicidae, endemic to New Zealand. Also known as the southern ant, this is likely New Zealand's most common native ant species. Because it is highly variable in size (3–5mm), colour, and colony structure, it is possible that it consists of a complex of closely related species.[1] It has a generalist diet that includes small arthropods, nectar, and seeds, and it also tends to aphids, scale insects, and mealybugs to obtain honeydew.[1]
Taxonomy
This species was described by Frederick Smith in 1858 as Atta antarctica,[2] and was placed in the large and extremely diverse genus Monomorium in 1886.[3]
By the early 20th century Monomorium contained 10 subgenera, one of which was Monomorium (Chelaner) Emery, 1914. Chelaner was raised to generic level in 1966 to contain 37 Australian species along with 10 from New Caledonia, New Guinea, and New Zealand.[4]
Bolton in 1987 examined the mophological features of Chelaner, and found them to be too variable to distinguish the genus, which was synonymised with Monomorium again.[5] In 2019 after a comprehensive study of multiple genes the genus Chelaner was resurrected, to house a total of 53 Australasian and Pacific species, including this one, which would then be known as Chelaner antarcticus.[6]
It is commonly referred to as the "southern ant".[7]
Description
Worker specimens are variable in size, usually 3–5 millimetres (0.12–0.20 in) in length, with head width varying from 0.60–0.88 millimetres (0.024–0.035 in).[8] The antennae have 12 segments, with a three segmented club.[8] A metanotal groove present, either distinctly or weakly impressed.[8] Spines on the propodeum are either blunt or absent.[8] The colour highly variable across colonies (but usually consistent within colonies), ranging from orange, light to dark brown, and black.[8]
Distribution and habitat
Chelaner antarcticus is endemic to New Zealand where it is widespread in the North and South Island as well as Stewart Island.[8] It is also present on smaller offshore islands such as the Three Kings Islands, the Chatham Islands, the Kermadec Islands and even the far away Austral Islands in Polynesia.[9][10][11][12]
C. antarcticus are found throughout many habitats including native forest, grasslands, wetlands, pastureland, household gardens as well as horticultural and industrial habitats.[1][13]
There is some evidence to suggest that the range of C.antarcticus in urban habitats may be restricted due to competition with exotic ant species, at least in northern parts of New Zealand.[13]
Interactions with other species
The larvae of the fly Helosciomyza subalpina have been recorded feeding on the larvae of C. antarcticus in laboratory conditions, apparently showing a preference for it over other food sources. The fly larvae use their mouth-hooks to erode a hole into the ant larvae and then feed on liquid from the holes. In nature, the fly larvae have been found living in the nests of C. antarcticus in large numbers.[14]
References
- ^ a b c "Monomorium antarcticum | Ant factsheets | Landcare Research". www.landcareresearch.co.nz. Archived from the original on 17 June 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
- ^ Smith, Frederick (1858). Catalogue of hymenopterous insects in the collection of the British museum... London: British Museum (Natural History). p. 167.
- ^ Mayr, G. (1886). Notizen über die Formiciden-Sammlung des British Museum in London. Verh. K-K. Zool.-Bot. Ges. Wien 36: 353–368
- ^ Ettershank, G (1966). "A generic revision of the world Myrmicinae related to Solenopsis and Pheidologeton (Hymenoptera : Formicidae)". Australian Journal of Zoology. 14 (1): 73. doi:10.1071/ZO9660073. ISSN 0004-959X.
- ^ Bolton, Barry (1987). "A review of the Solenopsis genus-group and revision of Afrotropical Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)". Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology. 54: 263–452. ISSN 0524-6431.
- ^ Sparks, Kathryn S.; Andersen, Alan N.; Austin, Andrew D. (2019). "A multi-gene phylogeny of Australian Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera : Formicidae) results in reinterpretation of the genus and resurrection of Chelaner Emery". Invertebrate Systematics. 33 (1): 225–236. doi:10.1071/IS16080. ISSN 1445-5226.
- ^ Ferro, D N; Lowe, A D; Ordish, R G; Somerfield, K G; Watt, J C (1977). "Standard names for common insects of New Zealand". Entomological Society of New Zealand Bulletin. 4: 5.
- ^ a b c d e f Don, Warwick (2007). Ants of New Zealand. Dunedin: Otago University Press. p. 102.
- ^ Taylor, Robert W (1962). "The ants of the Three Kings Islands". Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum. 5: 252.
- ^ MacFarlane, Rod P (1979). "Notes on insects of the Chatham Islands". New Zealand Entomologist. 7 (1): 67. doi:10.1080/00779962.1979.9722334. ISSN 0077-9962.
- ^ Taylor, Robert W (1971). "The ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Kermadec Islands". New Zealand Entomologist. 5 (1): 81–82. doi:10.1080/00779962.1971.9722967. ISSN 0077-9962.
- ^ Wilson, Edward O; Taylor, Robert W (1967). "The ants of Polynesia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)". Pacific Insects Monograph. 14: 62–63.
- ^ a b Stringer, Lloyd D.; Stephens, Andréa E. A.; Suckling, David M.; Charles, John G. (1 December 2009). "Ant dominance in urban areas". Urban Ecosystems. 12 (4): 503–514. doi:10.1007/s11252-009-0100-4. ISSN 1083-8155. S2CID 13721146.
- ^ Barnes, Jeffrey K (1980). "Biology and immature stages of Helosciomyza subalpina (Diptera: Helosciomyzidae), an ant-killing fly from New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 7 (2): 221–229. doi:10.1080/03014223.1980.10423779. ISSN 0301-4223.
External links
Media related to Chelaner antarcticus at Wikimedia Commons
- Southern Ant discussed on RNZ Critter of the Week, 31 March 2023