Kempfidris
| Kempfidris | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Solenopsidini |
| Genus: | Kempfidris Fernández, Feitosa & Lattke, 2014 |
| Species: | K. inusualis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Kempfidris inusualis Fernández, Feitosa & Lattke, 2014
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Monomorium inusuale Fernández, 2007 (type species of Kempfidris) | |
Kempfidris is a
Neotropical genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae containing the single species Kempfidris inusualis.[1] Known from Brazil, Ecuador and Venezuela, the species was originally described as Monomorium inusuale in 2007, but was reclassified as the type species
for the new genus Kempfidris in 2014. The species is only known from workers and almost nothing is known about their natural history.
Description
The genus was described in 2014 based on the workers of a single species, K. inusualis, originally described by
The most outstanding feature of Kempfidris is the series of minute, hair-bearing
dacetine ant. Other specialized pygidial structures found in ants are the denticles or spines of Cerapachyinae (now Dorylinae) and the large, upward-curving teeth in Pachycondyla crassinoda workers, but their position and form are very different. Most members of the solenopsidine group are smooth, with little sculpturing, but this species presents a moderate amount of sculpturing on the head, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole.[5]
Distribution
Kempfidris is known from
conspecific workers by their darker color (almost black) and more prominent propodeal crests that form small denticles. Given the similarity among the samples examined, Fernández, Feitosa & Lattke (2014) decided to consider these morphological differences as intraspecific variation.[3]
Biology
Almost nothing is known about the natural history of K. inusualis. Most of the specimens studied were apparently obtained from
Amazon Basin. All things considered, this could also be a collecting artifact, as the aforementioned period approximately coincides with academic holidays in many universities and represents a lower probability of conflict between lectures and field trips.[3]
References
- ^ Bolton, B. (2015). "Kempfidris". AntCat. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
- ^ Fernández, Feitosa & Lattke 2014, p. 1
- ^ a b c Fernández, Feitosa & Lattke 2014, p. 9
- ^ Billen 2009, p. 4
- ^ Fernández, Feitosa & Lattke 2014, pp. 5–6
- Billen, B. (17–21 November 2009). "Diversity and morphology of exocrine glands in ants". Proceedings, XIX Simpósio Mirmecologia. Ouro Preto, Brasil: 1–6.
- Fernández, F. (2007). "Two new South American species of Monomorium Mayr with taxonomic notes on the genus". Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute. 80: 128–145.
- Fernández, F.; Feitosa, R. M.; Lattke, J. (2014). "Kempfidris, a new genus of myrmicine ants from the Neotropical region (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)" (PDF). European Journal of Taxonomy (85). .
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