Notes on Ant Larvae 1989-1991
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University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Center for Systematic Entomology, Gainesville, Insecta Mundi Florida September 1991 Notes On Ant Larvae 1989-1991 George C. Wheeler Florida State Collection of Arthropods, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Gainesville, FL Jeanette Wheeler Florida State Collection of Arthropods, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Gainesville, FL Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/insectamundi Part of the Entomology Commons Wheeler, George C. and Wheeler, Jeanette, "Notes On Ant Larvae 1989-1991" (1991). Insecta Mundi. 427. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/insectamundi/427 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for Systematic Entomology, Gainesville, Florida at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Insecta Mundi by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Vol. 5, No. 3-4, September-December 1991 167 Notes On Ant Larvae 1989-1991 George C. Wheeler' and Jeanette Wheeler Research Associates, Florida Collection of Arthropods Gainesville, Florida 3358 NE 58th Avenue Silver Springs, Florida 32688 Introduction species studied based solely upon the head. The 44 In 1976 we published "Ant Larvae: Review and drawings of the whole head are in anterior (=full- Synthesis," which we regarded as a summary of face) view and of the mouth parts enlarged. The our life-time of research. During the following drawings are quite good except that the diameters years so many new larvae were added to our of the hairs are greatly exaggerated. collection and so much was published about ant Pierce 1987. This author has written a thor- larvae that we decided another general treatment ough review of the relations between ants and was desirable; so in 1986 we published a "Ten-Year lycaenid larvae, but unfortunately has not named Supplement" to include additions and revisions to many of the ant species involved. The larvae of our Memoir. In 1987 and 1988 additional material several lycaenid species feed on ant brood. warranted a supplement to the "lo-year Supple- Wheeler and Wheeler 1989a. The printer failed ment" in 1989a. This article is the third supple- to heed many of the corrections we made on the ment to the Memoir. galley proof although our manuscript had been In the supplement, two genera are charac- corrected. This was especially true of Literature terized, one generic characterization is revised, and Cited. Therefore, we have prepared corrected copies references in the literature are increased by 43. of this part, which we will be glad to mail upon Changes in our Memoir (1976) and its supplements request. In addition the references on page 458 to (1986, 1989a) are noted. Amblyopone and Mystrium should have been deleted. Family Formicidae Hijlldobler and Wilson 1990. These authors Subfamily Myrmeciinae have cited many references to our publications on Body profile myrmecioid. Body hairs short.and ant larvae. We cite some of these in appropriate moderately abundant. Head hairs smooth and places here And hereafter. unbranched. Mandible large, pogonomyrmecoid. On page 22 is our figure showing our classifica- Labium with dorsal transverse welt, which is tion of the body profiles of ant larvae (1976: Fig. 3). densely beset with coarse spinules; palp a slight On page 21 they state: "Ant larvae have been elevation bearing 5-7 sensilla; opening of sericteries systematically described by Wheeler and Wheeler wide and salient. (1951-1986, syntheses 1976 and 1979), with a supplementary analysis supplied by Picquet Genus MYRMECIA Fabricius (1958)." This implies that Picquet's article sup- Body profile myrmecioid. Body hairs short; plements our publications, but a casual glance moderately numerous, uniformly distributed, shows that this is incorrect as to its contents, while unbranched, smooth or more or less denticulate, Picquet's article was published in 1958; and a sup- rarely uncinate. Head subpyriform in anterior plement is something added later. view. Head hairs few, unbranched, smooth or Picquet 1958. The larvae of 18 species are denticulate. Labrum small, short and bilobed, described and figured. The author's conclusions posterior surface with large isolated spinules and from this study were expressed by a key to the sensilla of various sizes. Mandible large, pogono- George C. Wheeler died on February 19, 1991. Insecta Mundi myrmecoid and heavily sclerotized; basal half Platythyrea schultzi Fore1 usually bearing isolated spinules. Maxilla and Wheeler and Wheeler 1989b:51. Description. labium spinulose with many large isolated spin- ules. Genus PROBOLOMYRMEX Mayr Myrmecia sp. Probolomyrmex angusticeps M. R. Smith Hijlldobler and Wilson 1990:347, Fig. 8-48. Taylor 1965:348. Description of mature larvae Photograph of larvae. based on pharate pupa with figures on p. 348. Taylor said: "The Probolomyrmex larva is distin- Genus NOTHOMYRMECIA Clark guished from those of all other known ponerine Body profile myrmecioid. Body hairs short, ants by the shape of the body and the unique moderately abundant and unbranched; of 2- types: posterodorsal suspensory organ, which is analagous (1) rather stout, slightly curved and with minute (but clearly not homologus) with the dorsal 'door- denticles near the apex, on all somites; (2) shorter, knob' tubercles found in some genera of the tribe sharply bent and denticulate, on venter of anterior Ponerini (see G. C. and J. Wheeler, 1952, 1964)." somites. Head subcircular in anterior view. Head But we have to challange the above: body shape is hairs moderately numerous and moderately long, the one character that cannot be determined from smooth and unbranched. Labrum short, moderate- the prepupa. sized. Mandible large, pogonomyrmecoid. Maxilla Holldobler and Wilson 1990:348. "Workers... coarsely spinulose. Labium with a dorsal trans- carry the larvae by the [posterodorsall tubercles. verse welt, which is densely beset with coarse They also attach the larvae to the roof of the nest spinules. Hyopharynx with a few minute spinules. with the apparently adhesive outer surface of the knob-like endings." Nothomyrmecia macrops Clark Holldobler and Wilson (1990:165, Fig.3-19). A Tribe Proceratiini photograph of living larvae. Genus PROCERATIUM Roger Subfamily Ponerinae Proceratium watasei, P. itoi, P. japonicum Tribe Amblyoponini Masuko 1986. Queens cut holes in the integu- Genus AMBLYOPONE Dalla Torre ment of worker larvae and feed on the exuding hemolymph. Amblyopone silvestri Wheeler Masuko 1986. Queens cut holes in the integu- Tribe Ponerini ment of mature or nearly mature larvae and feed Genus HYPOPONERA Santschi upon the exuding larval hemolymph. Wheeler and Wheeler 1989b:52. Correction in Masuko 1990. The external anatomy of five characterization. instars is described and illustrated by SEM. Wheeler and Wheeler 1989a:458. Headings and Genus PLECTROCTENA F. Smith references should have been deleted by printer. Genus MYSTRIUM Roger Plectroctena conjugata Santschi Wheeler and Wheeler 1989b:52. Description. Wheeler and Wheeler 1989a:458. Headings and references should have been deleted by the printer. Genus PONERA Latreille Tribe Platythyreini Genus PLA NTHYREA Roger Ponera coarctata Latreille Picquet 1958:22, Figs. 24-27. Platythyrea lamellosa Roger Genus SIMOPELTA Mayr Wheeler and Wheeler 1989b:51. Description. Wheeler and Wheeler 1989b:52. Characteriza- tion. Vol. 5, No. 3-4, September-December 1991 Genus STREBLOGNATHUS Mayr numerous, short, unbranched, smooth. Mouth parts Wheeler and Wheeler 1989b:53. Characteriza- small. Mandible tetraponeroid. tion. Tetraponera (=Pachysima) latifrons Emery Streblognathus aethiopicus (F. Smith) Holldobler and Wilson 1990:166, Figs. 3-20 Wheeler and Wheeler 1989b:53. Characteriza- repeat Wheeler 1918, Fig. 9 and our 1956, Text tion. Fig. 5. Subfamily Cerapachyinae Subfamily Myrmicinae Genus CERAPACHYS F. Smith Tribe Myrmicini Genus MYRMICA Latreille Cerapachys turneri Fore1 Holldobler and Wilson 1990:569. Workers of Myrmica laevinodis Nylander species in this group store, after stinging, the Picquet 1958:30, Figs. 38-42. living larvae of Pheidole. Myrmica ruginodis Nylander Subfamily Dorylinae Picquet 1958:31, Fig. 43. Genus NEIVAMYRMEX Borgmeier Tribe Pheidolini Neivamyrmex pilosus (F. Smith) Genus APHAENOGASTER Mayr Akre and Torgerson 1968. The staphylinid beetle Diploeciton nevermanni Reichensperger is Aphaenogaster cockerelli (E. Andr6) predaceous on the ant brood. Holldobler and Wilson 1990:239, Fig 7-21. Photograph of larvae. Subfamily Leptanillinae Genus LEPTANILLA Emery Aphaenogaster gib bosa Latreille Picquet 1958:25, Figs. 32-35. Leptanilla japonica Baroni-Urbani Aphaenogaster subterranea Latreille Masuko 1987. Unique among ant larvae is a Picquet 1958:24, Figs. 28-31. pair of hemolymph feeding pores. Through these Holldobler and Wilson 1990:68, Fig 3-2. A good the queen feeds on the hemolymph of the larvae. photograph of larvae placed on food by workers. Masuko also found that when a worker moves a larva it grasps with its posterior mouth parts the peculiar anteroventral projection from the pro- Genus PHEIDOLE Westwood thorax of the larva. Wheeler and Wheeler 1988:185-189. Descrip- Pheidole bicornis Fore1 tion of young larvae. Letourneau 1990. Larvae of a clerid beetle Phyllobaenus sp. feed upon the Pheidole brood. Subfamily Pseudomyrmecinae Genus TETRAPONERA F. Smith Tribe Solenopsidini REVISED CHARACTERIZATION. Body profile Genus