The Aenictus ceylonicus species group (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Aenictinae) from Southeast Asia

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Abstract

The genus Aenictus is a diverse group of army ants in the Old World tropics and subtropics. The Southeast Asian species of the Aenictus ceylonicus group are revised to include twenty-three species (4 named and 19 new species): Aenictus appressipilosus sp. n., A. baliensis sp. n., A. brevipodus sp. n., A. concavus sp. n., A. cylindripetiolus sp. n., A. eguchii sp. n., A. formosensis Forel, 1913 stat. n., A. fuchuanensis Zhou, 2001, A. gonioccipus sp. n., A. itoi sp. n., A. jawadwipa sp. n., A. khaoyaiensis sp. n., A. lifuiae Terayama, 1984, A. longicephalus sp. n., A. maneerati sp. n., A. minipetiolus sp. n., A. pilosus sp. n., A. pinkaewi sp. n., A. sundalandensis sp. n., A. thailandianus Terayama & Kubota, 1993, A. watanasiti sp. n., A. wilaiae sp. n., and A. wiwatwitayai sp. n. Aenictus ceylonicus var. formosensis Forel is removed from synonymy with A. ceylonicus and raised to full species. Lectotype and paralectotypes are designated for A. ceylonicus. Redescriptions of Aenictus ceylonicus (Mayr, 1866) (India and Sri Lanka) and A. doryloides Wilson, 1964 (India) are provided. The queen of A. cylindripetiolus is described. A key to the Southeast Asian species of the group is given based on the worker caste. Most of the Southeast Asian species of this species group have more or less limited distribution ranges. This may be due to the poor dispersal ability generally seen among the Aenictus species, in which the propagule (reproductive unit) is an apterous queen plus accompanying workers.

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The Ants

Bert Hölldobler, Edward O. Wilson (1990)

From the Arctic to South Africa - one finds them everywhere: Ants. Making up nearly 15% of the entire terrestrial animal biomass, ants are impressive not only in quantitative terms, they also fascinate by their highly organized and complex social system. Their caste system, the division of labor, the origin of altruistic behavior and the complex forms of chemical communication makes them the most interesting group of social organisms and the main subject for sociobiologists. Not least is their ecological importance: Ants are the premier soil turners, channelers of energy and dominatrices of the insect fauna. TOC:The importance of ants.- Classification and origins.- The colony life cycle.- Altruism and the origin of the worker caste.- Colony odor and kin recognition.- Queen numbers and domination.- Communication.- Caste and division of labor.- Social homeostasis and flexibility.- Foraging and territorial strategies.- The organization of species communities.- Symbioses among ant species.- Symbioses with other animals.- Interaction with plants.- The specialized predators.- The army ants.- The fungus growers.- The harvesters.- The weaver ants.- Collecting and culturing ants.- Glossary.- Bibliography.- Index.

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Synopsis of Aenictus species groups and revision of the A. currax and A. laeviceps groups in the eastern Oriental, Indo-Australian, and Australasian regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Aenictinae)

WEEYAWAT JAITRONG, SEIKI YAMANE (2011)

Twelve species groups are established in the ant genus Aenictus of the eastern part of Oriental region, and Indo-Australian and Australasian regions, and the species of the Aenictus currax group and A. laeviceps group are revised. Nine species (six named and three new species) of the A. currax group occurring in this area are: A. cornutus Forel, A. currax Emery, A. diclops Shattuck, A. glabrinotum Jaitrong et Yamane, sp. nov., A. gracilis Emery, A. huonicus Wilson, A. parahuonicus Jaitrong et Yamane, sp. nov., A. pfeifferi Zettel et Sorger, and A. wayani Jaitrong et Yamane, sp. nov. Thirteen species (six named and seven new species) are recognized in the A. laeviceps group: A. alticola Wheeler et Chapman, A. binghami Forel, A. bodongjaya Jaitrong et Yamane, sp. nov., A. breviceps Forel, stat. nov., A. brevinodus Jaitrong et Yamane, sp. nov., A. fulvus Jaitrong et Yamane, sp. nov., A. hodgsoni Forel, A. laeviceps (F. Smith), A. luzoni Wheeler et Chapman, A. montivagus Jaitrong et Yamane, sp. nov., A. rotundicollis Jaitrong et Yamane, sp. nov., A. siamensis Jaitrong et Yamane, sp. nov., and A. sonchaengi Jaitrong et Yamane, sp. nov. A. fergusoni var. breviceps Forel is removed from synonymy with A. laeviceps and raised to full species. Lectotypes and paralectotyps are designated for A. alticola, A. binghami, A. breviceps, A. cornutus, A. currax, A. gracilis, A. laeviceps, and A. luzoni.