Phylogeny and taxonomy of the Prenolepis genus-group of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).
Author
LaPolla, J. S.
Author
Brady, S. G.
Author
Shattuck, S. O.
text
Systematic Entomology
2010
35
118
131
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3113.2009.00492.x
journal article
23024
Nylanderia
,
gen. rev.
Figures of worker. Head: Fig. 5C; mesosoma: Fig. 6C; mandible: Fig. 7B.
Synopsis of taxonomic history (for full description see
Bolton et al., 2006
):
Nylanderia
Emery, 1906: 133
. As subgenus of
Prenolepis
. As subgenus of
Paratrechina,
Emery, 1925: 217
.
Nylanderia
raised to genus,
Wheeler, 1936: 210
; as subgenus of
Paratrechina,
Creighton, 1950: 405
;
Nylanderia
revived as genus,
Chapman & Capco, 1951: 214
; provisional junior synonym of
Paratrechina,
Brown, 1973: 183
; as subgenus of
Paratrechina, Smith, D.R., 1979: 1443
;
Nylanderia
as junior synonym of
Paratrechina,
Trager, 1984: 51
. Type species:
Formica vividula
, by original description.
=
Andragnathus
Emery, 1922: 111
. Andraganthus as junior synonym of
Paratrechina,
Agosti & Bolton, 1990
; this study in synonymy with
Nylanderia
,
syn. nov.
Type species:
Andragnathus hubrechti
, by monotypy.
Diagnosis. Mandible with 6 to 7 teeth; maxillary palps 6- segmented; labial palps 4-segmented; erect setae on dorsum of head randomly placed; typically with abundant erect setae on head, scapes, legs and dorsum of mesosoma, although a few species lack erect setae on head, scapes and legs. Eyes typically well developed and placed midlength and laterally on head. Dorsal mesosomal setae arranged loosely in pairs; propodeum lacking erect setae (with one exception); propodeum with a low- to high-domed dorsal face; generally overall mesosoma shape compact.
Distribution
. (Fig. 8B). This genus is essentially worldwide in distribution, but its exact northern limits are uncertain, and it is curious that apparently no native species are found in Europe. The genus reaches its highest diversity in the tropics, but in many temperate areas
Nylanderia
form important components of the fauna (
Ward, 2000
). Humans have dispersed a few species around the globe, and there are several economically important invasive species in this genus.
Notes. This is by far the most diverse of the
Prenolepis
genus-group genera. This genus is currently under revision by the authors and is certain to increase tremendously in recognized species as studies are completed.
Although most species of this genus are easily recognizable, there are several
Nylanderia
species (
N. darlingtoni
,
N. otome
and
N. yamburu
) that superficially resemble
Paraparatrechina
in that they lack erect setae on the legs and/or scapes and have paired erect setae on the pronotum and mesonotum. Scapes without erect setae or with very few setae appear more commonly in New World
Nylanderia
(particularly among the North American species), with the condition only spottily observed for species outside this region. However, essentially all species can be placed into
Nylanderia
based on the lack of erect setae on the propodeum and the presence of six mandibular teeth. The single known exception is an undescribed species from Papua New Guinea, which has numerous elongate setae on the propodeum. However, in this case the setae differ in number and structure from those found in other genera considered here. Undoubtedly, as taxonomic revision of
Nylanderia
progresses there will be some adjustments regarding to which genus a few species are ascribed, so the generic species list reported below will probably change in the future.
Combinations in
Nylanderia
. The following names are comb. rev. from
Paratrechina
:
consuta
,
darlingtoni
,
pearsei
. The following names are all comb. nov. in
Nylanderia
. They are listed under their previous combinations as catalogued in
Bolton et al. (2006)
. From
Paratrechina
:
amblyops
,
amblyops
rubescens
,
amia
,
anthracina
,
arenivaga
,
arlesi
,
aseta
,
assimilis
,
austroccidua
,
birmana
,
birmana hodgsoni
,
bourbonica
,
bourbonica farquharensis
,
bourbonica ngasiyana
,
brasiliensis
,
braueri
,
braueri donisthorpei
,
braueri glabrior
,
bruesii
,
burgesi
,
caeciliae
,
caeciliae
elevata
,
cisipa
,
clandestina
,
colchica
,
comorensis
,
concinna
,
dispar
,
dugasi
,
faisonensis
,
flavipes
,
formosae
,
fulva
,
fulva biolleyi
,
fulva cubana
,
fulva fumata
,
fulva fumatipennis
,
fulva incisa
,
fulva longiscapa
,
fulva nesiotis
,
goeldii
,
gracilis
,
grisoni
,
grisoni fuscula
,
guatemalensis
,
guatemalensis cocoensis
,
guatemalensis itinerans
,
gulinensis
,
helleri
,
hubrechti
,
humbloti
,
hystrix
,
incallida
,
indica
,
integera
,
jaegerskioeldi
,
johannae
,
johannae dibullana
,
kraepelini
,
laevigata
,
lepida
,
lietzi
,
madagascarensis
,
madagascarensis ellisii
,
madagascarensis
rufescens
,
madagascarensis sechellensis
,
manni
,
mendica
,
mexicana
,
microps
,
mixta
,
myops
,
nodifera
,
nubatama
,
nuggeti
,
obscura
,
obscura bismarckensis
,
obscura celebensis
,
obscura
minor
,
obscura papuana
,
ogasawarensis
,
opisopthalmia
,
otome
,
parvula
,
phantasma
,
picta
,
pieli
,
pubens
,
rosae
,
ryukyuensis
,
sakurae
,
sharpii
,
sikorae
,
silvestrii
,
silvestrii kuenzleria
,
simpliciuscula
,
sindbadi
,
smythiesii
,
staudingeri
,
steeli
,
steinheili
,
steinheili
minuta
,
stigmatica
,
tasmaniensis
,
taylori
,
taylori levis
,
teranishii
,
terricola
,
tjibodana
,
tococae
,
traegaordhi
,
traegaordhi natalensis
,
vaga
,
vagabunda
,
vitiensis
,
vividula
,
vividula antillana
,
vividula
australis
,
vividula docilis
,
vividula kuenzleri
,
vividula
mjobergi
,
waelbroecki
,
weissi
,
weissi nimba
,
wojciki
,
yaeyamensis
,
yambaru
,
yerburyi
,
zelotypa
. From
Pseudolasius
:
dodo
.