Shana's focal taxon
From BiodivBorneo09
Focal Taxon
Shana
Formicinae are a subfamily of ants that can shoot formic acid out of their gasters. They are characterized by a single petiole connecting their thorax and abdomen and by the substitution of an acidophore for a stinger. Formicinae are the second most common ant subfamily on Borneo.
The species below are identified to genus level with morphotype species names.
Contents |
Formicinae
Observations
Weaver Ants
| Oecophylla mean Place of Discovery: steps to chalet 1, Lambir- 6/15/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: reacted with opened mandibles, wide stance, and raised gaster. responded to pooter-ing attempts with clouds of formic acid. Social Behavior: huge trails of ants, with guards in threat response positions around workers carrying food (such as Camponotus) Basic Morphology: this species was reddish in color, medium in size, with an elongate petiole and no visible hairs Habitat: terrestrial Morphotype Code: Oecomean | 
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| Oecophylla brown Place of Discovery: Nature Trail, Maliau- 7/15/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: reacted with opened mandibles, wide stance, and raised gaster. Social Behavior: large aggregation of ants on trail Basic Morphology: this species was brownish in color, medium in size, with an elongate petiole and no visible hairs Habitat: terrestrial Morphotype Code: Oecobrown |
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| Echinopla jess Place of Discovery: Rotting Fruit Study Site, Maliau- 7/13/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: reacted raised gaster and opened mandibles. attempted to hide within nest after capture attempts Social Behavior: small nest on the underside of a leaf- one ant was standing guard on the exterior of the nest Basic Morphology: this species had a black gaster with red head and thorax, was medium in size, and had no large hairs Habitat: arboreal Morphotype Code: Echijess | 
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Crazy Ants
| Anoplolepis itsy-bitsy Place of Discovery: Abby's computer, Lambir Main Hall- 6/12/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: ran around like crazy (hence its common name- crazy ants) Social Behavior: very large groups but little interaction between the group members Basic Morphology: this tiny ant was black, with very little hair, and had only 11 antennal segments Habitat: terrestrial Morphotype Code: Anopitsy | 
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| Paratrechina fruity Place of Discovery: On a fruiting tree, Maliau- 7/13/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: ran away super super quickly Social Behavior: very large group traveling up and down the tree trunk Basic Morphology: this ant had a red gaster and brown torax and head, with very little hair, and spikes on its propodeum Habitat: terrestrial Morphotype Code: Parafruity | 
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| Anoplolepis hungry Place of Discovery: snacks table, Lambir Main Hall- 6/18/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: ran around like crazy- this is the second species known commonly as crazy ants Social Behavior: very large groups; groups of up to four ants would touch mandibles and stand still for several moments Basic Morphology: this miniscule ant had a brown gaster and orange body and head, with very little hair, and had only 11 antennal segments Habitat: terrestrial Morphotype Code: Anophungry | 
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| Anoplolepis tandas Place of Discovery: Gaya Bathroom- 6/24/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: ran around like crazy; when in the pooter, they put their mandibles against the end of their gasters... no idea why. Social Behavior: very large group, all surrounding a dead beetle. some were dragging it, some were standing guard Basic Morphology: this miniscule ant had a brown gaster and orange body and head, with very little hair, and had only 11 antennal segments. it was differentiated from the above ant by having a larger 1st tergite than 2nd tergite Habitat: terrestrial Morphotype Code: Anoptandas | 
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| Anoplolepis hubris Place of Discovery: Deramakot Canteen- 7/5/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: ran around crazily Social Behavior: tons of ants working together to spin a huge katydid around in a circle. Basic Morphology: this miniscule ant had a brown gaster and orange body and head, with very little hair, and had only 11 antennal segments. it was differentiated from the above ant by having a larger 2nd tergite than 1st tergite and a short distance between the beginning of the antenna and the clypeus Habitat: terrestrial Morphotype Code: Anophubris | 
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Canopy Ants
| Polyrhachis golden Place of Discovery: Management Trail, Deramakot- 7/4/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: didn't care, ran around on my hand for a bit :) Social Behavior: solitary on leaf Basic Morphology: this lovely ant is covered in golden hairs and is characterized by the long, curving spikes on its body Habitat: canopy Morphotype Code: Polygolden | 
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| Echinopla golden Place of Discovery: tree house, Lambir Tree Tower- 6/13/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: ignored pokes Social Behavior: large trail of ants traveling up and down the ladder to the canopy Basic Morphology: this ant is likewise covered with golden hairs and has an unarmed propodeum Habitat: canopy Morphotype Code: Echigolden | 
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| Camponotus canopy Place of Discovery: tree house, Camel Trophy Hut at Maliau- 7/9/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: raised gaster Social Behavior: large trail of ants traveling along canopy branches Basic Morphology: this brown ant is small with stereotypical camponotus features Habitat: canopy Morphotype Code: Campcanopy | 
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Super Spiny Ants
| Polyrhachis pugnacious Place of Discovery: Jess found her!, Deramakot- 7/5/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: Jess? Social Behavior: Jess? Basic Morphology: this intense ant is highly armed with spikes and is jet black. Habitat: terrestrial Morphotype Code: Polypug | 
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| Polyrhachis nepenthes Place of Discovery: inside a pitcher plant, Lambir, CTFS plot- 6/16/2009, also at Maliau Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: IT DRUMS! the ants drum their gasters against the plant when agitated Social Behavior: solitary post in a single pitcher, although several ants inhabited the pitchers of a single Nepenthes plant and congregated on the stem Basic Morphology: this individual is black with a silver sheen and has only a few visible hairs. its thorax is broad and it has an armed propodeum Habitat: terrestrial Morphotype Code: Polynepen | 
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| Polyrhachis spiny Place of Discovery: Active Compartment, Deramakot- 7/5/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: tried to hide Social Behavior: solitary Basic Morphology: this ant has a golden gaster and black head and thorax. like all polyrhachis, it has an armed propodeum Habitat: terrestrial Morphotype Code: Polyspiny | 
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| Polyrhachis lyncanthrope Place of Discovery: Active Compartment, Deramakot- 7/5/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: ran away Social Behavior: solitary Basic Morphology: this ridiculous looking ant is very, very hairy, and very very spiky Habitat: terrestrial Morphotype Code: Polylycan | 
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| Polyrhachis leafy Place of Discovery: Maliau Studies Center- 7/8/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: ran to underside of leaf Social Behavior: solitary post on single leaf Basic Morphology: this ant is brown and black, medium sized, and has a few visible hairs on its body Habitat: terrestrial Morphotype Code: Polyleafy | 
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Hairy Ants
| Euprenolepis hirsute Place of Discovery: trail to Latak waterfall, Lambir- 6/17/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: ignored pokes Social Behavior: small trail Basic Morphology: this ant was most distinguished by the tons of hair it had covering its entire body, including its antenna. Habitat: terrestrial Morphotype Code:Euprhirsui | 
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Camponotus
| Camponotus gigas Place of Discovery: Management Trail, Deramakot- 7/4/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: tried to run away Social Behavior: solitary forager Basic Morphology: this huge behemoth dominates the forest floor when you see it foraging. it has a red gaster and black head and thorax Habitat: terrestrial Morphotype Code: Campgigas | 
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| Camponotus red Place of Discovery: Termite hunt, Deramakot- 7/5/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: Mindy? Social Behavior: Mindy? Basic Morphology: this red ant is small with very little visible hair. its pronotum is compact and its petiole is erect Habitat: terrestrial Morphotype Code: Campred | 
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| Camponotus tree Place of Discovery: Nature Trail on a fruiting tree, Maliau- 7/14/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: Ran away Social Behavior: long trail of ants going up and down the tree trunk Basic Morphology: this individual is small, black, and had a lot of hairs. its thorax formed a roughly triangular shape Habitat: arboreal Morphotype Code: Camptree | 
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| Camponotus muddy Place of Discovery: Leaf litter, Maliau- 7/13/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: hid under leaves Social Behavior: foraging alone Basic Morphology: this ant had a similar morphology to the above species, but was larger and had a more rounded head Habitat: terrestrial Morphotype Code: Campmuddy | 
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| Camponotus intellectual Place of Discovery: Gaya Lecture Hall, during talk about fungi- 6/24/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: tried to bite Social Behavior: solitary Basic Morphology: this medium sized ant had a brown gaster and orange head and thorax. its pronotum was compact and it had the characteristic equally sized first and second tergites on its gaster Habitat: terrestrial Morphotype Code: Campintell | 
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| Camponotus cupid Place of Discovery: Active Compartment, Deramakot- 7/5/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: Mindy? Social Behavior: Mindy? Basic Morphology: this large ant has a heart shaped head but the stereotypical camponotus body shape (compact pronotum, separated antenna and clypeus, erect petiole, and equally sized first and second gaster) Habitat: terrestrial Morphotype Code: Campcupid | 
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Others
| Echinopla shiny Place of Discovery: Leaf in Maliau- 7/13/2009 Threat Behavior- i.e. response to poking: hid on underside of leaf Social Behavior: solitary forager Basic Morphology: this medium sized ant had a shiny, metallic body with a compact pronotum and a triangular gaster Habitat: terrestrial Morphotype Code: Echishiny | 
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Phylogeny
Character Matrix
Formicinae Character Matrix
Character Traits: 1) Number of Antennal Segments 2) Presence of Spikes on the Propodeum 3) Petiole Shape 4) Pronotum Shape 5) Mandible Shape 6) Presence of a Groove between Mesonotum and Metanotum 7) Distance between Clypeus and Antenna 8) Ratio of the First and Second Tergite Segments 9) Mesonotum and Anepisterum Shape and 10) Size
Spatial Distribution
Many species were present at multiple sites, although some were only observed in one location. A one in the table indicates presence at a certain site, while a zero indicates that no individuals of the species were observed during the study at that particular site.
References
Ants of Lowland Sabah
Hashimoto, Y. 2000. Identification Guide to Bornean Ants
