Journal of Information and Computational Science ISSN: 1548-7741
INDIVIDUAL ANT (HYMENOPTERA) SPECIES IDENTIFICATION IN PERIYANAICKEN PALAYAM VILLAGE, COIMBATORE DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU, INDIA.
J. SORNAPRIYA*, N.NARMADHA & M. LEKESHMANASWAMY
[email protected] (Corresponding author), [email protected] &
PG and Research Department of Zoology, KonguNadu arts and Science College(Autonomus), Coimbatore- 641029, Tamil Nadu, India.
Abstract
The study examined the individual ants identification in the Periyanaickenpalayam village, Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, as there is no adequate information pertaining on ant diversity of this region. The present study was carried out during NOV 2018 to JUN 2019. We have sampled ants by employing intensive all out search method. The sampled specimens representing 32 species belonged to five subfamilies. The most diverse subfamily was Formicinae (4 genera with 16 species) and Myrmicinae (5 genera with 12 species).The smallest number of species belonged to the Ponerinae (1 genus with 1 species). Every species individual parts were identified colour, stiner, antennae, spines and thorax were observed.
Key words: Ants, Individual, Identification
Introduction
In India, a few reports on ant ecology Ants diversity exit [1]. A significant focus for present-day myrmecologists is the assessment of biodiversity, community composition, biogeography, and other basic investigations of the ecology of a regional ant biota. The Myrmicinae is the largest subfamily of the Formicinae. With 138 genera followed by Formicinae that have 39 genera and Ponerinae which have 25 genera [2].
Ants are ubiquitous in distribution and occupy almost all terrestrial ecosystems. There are about 15000 species of ants [3]; only 11,769 species have been described [4].
This family is included in the In India, a few reports on Ant ecology and diversity superfamily Vesipedae of the order Hymenoptera, exist. Work on ants of which is placed in the class Insect. The Myrmicinae is the Western Ghats - SriLanka hotspot. The largest subfamily of the Formicinae, with 138 genera, reported the ant fauna from some areas of Bangalore City. ``There are more species of ants in a square kilometre of Brazilian forest than all the species of
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primates in the world, more workers in a single colony of driver ants than all the lions and elephants in Africa'' [5].
Materials and Methods
Study area
The field work was conducted in the Periyanaickenpalayam village, Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu. Coimbatore lies at 11°1′6″N, 76°58′21″E, in south India at 411 metres (1349 ft) above sea level on the banks of the Noyil River, in south western Tamil Nadu. The average annual rainfall is around 700 mm (27.6 in) with the northeast and the southwest monsoons contributing to 47% and 28% respectively to the total rainfall. Periyanaickenpalayam is a neighbourhood in Coimbatore in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located along National Highway NH 67, Mettupalayam road, an arterial road in Coimbatore.
Collection Method
We employed all out search method for the collection of ants in NOV 2018 to JUN 2019. Ants were collected using a brush and forceps during day time in between 11am to 4 pm twice in every month. Every ant individually identified.
Results and discussion
Common S.No Genera Species Name Size Colour Stinger Antennae Spines Thorax
Subfamily: Formicinae black(other camponotus species may be dark brown ,red ora combination carpenter 7- of these 12 segemented spineless 1 Camponotus radiatus ant 13mm colurs no stinger antennae spineless thorax black(other camponotus species may be dark brown ,red ora common combination 12 segmented godzilla 6- of these antennae,3segmented even 2 Camponotus compressus ant 8mm colurs no stinger club spineless thorax they have a honey coloured head and mesosoma as compared to 12 segmented giant 8- the reddish antennae,3segmented uneven 3 Camponotus irritans honey ant 10mm brown . no stinger club spineless thorax
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shiny black 8- shiny black 10 segmented even 4 Camponotus parius sugar ant 16mm colour no stinger antennae spineless thorax golden 12s segmented backed 3- golden- antennae, 3 uneven 5 Camponotus sericeus ant 4mm backed ant no stinger segmented club spineless thorax 12 segmented carpenter 8- dark black antennae,3segmented uneven 6 Camponotus fabricus ant 10mm in colour no stinger club spineless thorax 12 segmented carpenter 3- yellow to antennae,3segmented uneven 7 Camponotus maculatus ant 4mm till brown no stinger club spineless thorax weaver 9- 12segmented spineless 8 Oecophylla smaragidina ant 10mm amber no stinger antennae spineless thorax yellow 6.5- light yellow 10 segmented even 9 Anoplolepsis gracillipes crazy ant 7mm in colour no stinger antennae spineless thorax slender,dark brown to black body with grey 2- sheen 12segmented spineless 10 Paratrechina longicorns crazy ant 3.5mm /luster no stinger antennae spineless thorax 2- black in no pinched 11 Camponotus flying ants flyingant 7mm colour no stinger elbowed antennae spines waist black(other camponotus species may be dark brown ,red ora combination 12 segmented carpenter 3- of these antennae,3segmented no even 12 Camponotus species ant 8mm colurs no stinger club spines thorax
Subfamily: Myrmicinae 12 segmented littleblack stinger is antennae,3segmented no uneven 13 Monomorium minimum ant 2mm balck present club spines thorax stinger,if 12 segmented visible ,small antennae,3segmented no uneven 14 Monomorium destructor fire ant 2mm black and weak club spines thorax pale yellow to reddish body with black 12segmented pharaoh 2.0- shading on stinger is antennae,3segmented no uneven 15 Monomorium pharaonis ant 2.1mm the top present club spines thorax colour varies from acrobat balck to red stinger is 11 segmented one pair uneven 16 Crematogaster species ant 3.5mm and black present antennae of spines thorax colour saint varies from valentine 3- balck to red 11 segmented no even 17 Crematogaster subnuda ant 5mm and black no stinger antennae spines thorax reddish red brown with stinger is 10segmented imported 2- dark present,stings antennae,2segmented no uneven 18 Solenopsis invicta fire ant 7mm abdomen are painful club spines thorax 3- reddish 12 segemented even 19 Solenopsis germinata fire ant 4.5mm brown with no stinger antennae,no club spineless thorax
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dark abdomen pale yellow 10segmented to light or small stinger antennae,2segmented no uneven 20 Solenopsis diplorhoptum Thiefant 2mm dark brown is present club spines thorax light brown to dark 12 segmented bigheaded 2- reddish antennae,3segmented one pair uneven 21 Phediole spp ant 3.5mm brown no stinger club of spines thorax light brown african to dark 12 segmented bigheaded 2- reddish antennae,3segmented one pair uneven 22 Phediole megacephla ant 3.5mm brown no stinger club of spines thorax black to 4- reddish 11 segmented no uneven 23 Tetramorium species fire ant 5mm colur no stinger antennae spines thorax acrobat colour antor saint varies from valentine 3.5- balck to red stinger is 11 segmented one pair uneven 24 Crematogaster species ant 4.5mm and black present antennae of spines thorax
Subfamily: Ponerinae these ants have razor sharp jaws dark reddish and a 12s segmented procession 8- brown prominent antennae, 3 no even 25 Lepitogenys processionalis ant 10mm colour sting segmented club spines thorax
Subfamily: Dolichoderinae dark reddish 12 segmented 2- brown antennae,3segmented no even 26 Tapinoma indicum ghost ant 5mm colour no stinger club spines thorax uniform brown to 12 segemented no uneven 27 Tapinoma sessile odour ant 3.5mm black colur no stinger antennae,no club spines thorax
Subfamily: Pseudomyrmicinae 12 segmented 11- black in antennae,3segmented no even 28 Tetraponera species ant 12mm colour stinged club spines thorax 12 segmented 12- darkbrown antennae,3segmented no even 29 Tetraponera nigra ant 13mm to black no stinger club spines thorax pedicel red,head and abdomen arboreal black or 12 segmented bicoloured 8.4- brownish antennae,3segmented no even 30 Tetraponera rufonigra ant 12mm black no stinger club spines thorax the body polished 5- isextremely stinges 10 segmented no even 31 Tetraponera allaborans leaf ant 6mm shiny present antennae spines thorax 5- black in no even 32 Tetraponera nigra(flying) flyingant 6mm colour no stinger elbowed antennae spines thorax
Individual ant identification in the Periyanaickenpalayam village, Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu has been analyzed in this study. During this study a total of 32 ant species are belonging to
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five subfamilies. Subfamily Formicinae were represented by 12 species and 4 genera followed by Myrmicinae were 12 species and 5 genera, Subfamily Pseudomyrmicinae consists of 5 species and 1 genus, Ponerinae consisits of 1 genera and 1 species and Doilchoderinae represented by 2 species and 1 genus. The most number of genus was Camponotus with 9 species were identified. In every ant species size, colour, thorax, antennae and stinger were observed.
In the present study, were recorded 32 species of ants in 13 genera representing five subfamilies namely Formicinae, Myrmicinae, Ponerinae, Dolichoderinae and Pseudomyrmicinae. Out of five subfamily, Formicinae is the most abundant having 12 species in 4 genera. This subfamily is widely distributed in all geographic regions. This correlated with the present study, because, we similarly collected the utmost number of ant species from Formcinae subfamily in Periyanaickenpalayam village.
The Formicinae and Myrmicinae are the largest ant subfamilies in the world and the dominant groups in most terrestrial habitats. The prevalence of these subfamilies has been reported to increase with increasing aridity [6 & 7].
Few genera are confined to few localities or habitat types, such as Rhoptro myrmex with record of only one species and Oecophylla smaragdina the (Weaver ant) recorded only from Pohara Forests but not in grassland and in the human habitation area. Weaver ants nest are formed basically of living leaves and stems bound together with larval silk [8].
Several recent studies have revealed that the abundance or species richness of many invaders is often positively correlated with native species diversities [9]. Such positive correlations apparently result from biotic or abiotic factors that covary with native species diversity (e.g., moisture, nutrients, habitat heterogeneity, competitors).
Conclusion
The present investigation on individual identification of ants species in the Periyanaickenpalayam village, Coimbatore district clearly indicated that the richness of ants fauna in the city. The present study showed that the 32 species of ants belonging under the 5 subfamilies were observed and also large number of Camponotus and monomorium genera was observed in Periyanaickenpalayam village.
References
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2. Samson DA, Rickart EA, Gonzales PC. Ant diversity and abundance along an elevational gradient in the Phillippines, Biotropica, 1997; 29:349-363
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3. Andrade, T., “Diversity of ground dwelling ants in Cerrado: An Analysis of temporal variations and distinctive Physiognomies of vegetation Formicidae: Hymenoptera, pp.5, 2007.
4. Agosti, D, “Ant base, World Wide Web electronic publication”, Available at: antbase.org (accessed 03 September 2012), 2004.
5. Wilson, E.O., Causes of ecological success: The case of the ants, The Journal of Animal Ecology vol.56, pp. 1–9, 1975.
6. Lindsey PA & Skinner JD, “Ant composition and activity patterns as determined by pitfall trapping and other methods in three habitats in the semi-arid Karoo”, Journal of Arid Environments, vol.48, pp.551 – 568 , 2001.
7.Marsh AC, “Ant species richness along a climatic gradient in the Namib Desert”, Journal of Arid Environments, vol.11, pp.235 – 241, 1986.
8. Krebs, C.J, Addison- S. Prasad, P Puyravaud, B.R. Ramesh, K.A, “Ecological methodology” Educational Publishers, California, pp: 581, 1999.
9. Levine, J. M., and C. M. D’Antonio. Elton revisited: a review of evidence linking diversity and invasibility. Oikos pp.87: 1526, 1999
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