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Nylanderia bourbonica

Nomenclature

Species: Nylanderia bourbonica (Forel, 1886)

Usage: valid

External links

Antweb | Antwiki | BOLD

Diagnostic description

Diagnosis of worker among Antkey species

Worker caste monomorphic. Antenna 12-segmented. Antennal club indistinct. Antennal scape length less than 1.5x head length. Eyes medium to large (greater than 6 facets); do not break outline of head. Dorsum of mesosoma with weakly impressed metanotal groove, but never with a deep and broad concavity; dull with dense overlapping pubescence. Propodeum and petiolar node both lacking a pair of short teeth. Propodeum lacking posteriorly projecting protrusion. Mesopleuron shiny, not dulled by dense pubescence (less than 25 hairs). Metapleuron with a distinct gland orifice. Middle and hind coxae same color as mesosoma, not a strongly contrasting pale white. Waist 1-segmented (may be hidden by gaster). Petiole upright and not appearing flattened. Gaster armed with acidopore. Distinct constriction not visible between abdominal segments 3+4. Gaster (especially first segment) with dense pilosity, giving it a dull appearance. Hairs long thick and produced in pairs. Pubescence uniformly dense across mesosoma. Macrosetae on mesosoma of moderate length, thick and stout, weakly tapering to a blunt tip. Body color dull brown to black.

Among other introduced and commonly intercepted Nylanderia species, N. bourbonica can be distinguished from N. flavipes, N. guatemalensis, N. vaga and N. vividula by the dense amount of pubescence on the dorsal surfaces of the promesonotum, mesopleuron and first gastral segment. Of the two remaining species (N. fulva and N. steinhelli) that have similarly dense pubescence in these regions, N. bourbonica is distinguished from the former by the darker brown to black color and the macrosetae which are moderate and blunt (versus long and flexuous). Nylanderia bourbonica is easily distinguished from N. steinhelli by the color of the coxae which are uniform with the rest of the legs and body (versus strongly contrasting white), and by the mesosomal pubescence which is uniformly dense across mesosoma (versus uneven, becoming denser on dorsum, more sparse laterally on pronotum and mesopleuron).

Look alikes

Nylanderia fulva and Nylanderia steinhelli

Distribution

Click here for updated occurrence data and map on antmaps.org
Click here for updated occurrence data and map on GBIF.org

A worker ant forages on low vegetation. Photo by ©Alexander L. Wild, alexanderwild.com
A worker ant forages on low vegetation. Photo by ©Alexander L. Wild, alexanderwild.com
Adult workers gather nectar. Photo by ©Alexander L. Wild, alexanderwild.com
Adult workers gather nectar. Photo by ©Alexander L. Wild, alexanderwild.com
Lateral view of body, entire, adult worker. Photo by April Nobile, Antweb.org .
Lateral view of body, entire, adult worker. Photo by April Nobile, Antweb.org.
Dorsal view of body, entire, adult worker. Photo by April Nobile, Antweb.org .
Dorsal view of body, entire, adult worker. Photo by April Nobile, Antweb.org.
Anterior view of head, adult worker. Photo by April Nobile, Antweb.org .
Anterior view of head, adult worker. Photo by April Nobile, Antweb.org.
Close-up view of coxa, adult worker. Middle and hind coxae same color as mesosoma. Photo by April Nobile, Antweb.org , modified.
Close-up view of coxa, adult worker. Middle and hind coxae same color as mesosoma. Photo by April Nobile, Antweb.org, modified.
Close-up view of coxa, adult worker. The middle and hind coxae are same color as mesosoma, not a strongly contrasting pale white. Used in Antkey to separate Nylanderia bourbonica and Nylanderia fulva from Nylanderia steinheili .
Close-up view of coxa, adult worker. The middle and hind coxae are same color as mesosoma, not a strongly contrasting pale white. Used in Antkey to separate Nylanderia bourbonica and Nylanderia fulva from Nylanderia steinheili.
Close-up view of thorax / mesosoma, adult worker. Mesopleuron with moderate amount of pubescence. Collected from bait trap in Kaneohe Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden, Oahu, Hawaii.
Close-up view of thorax / mesosoma, adult worker. Mesopleuron with moderate amount of pubescence. Collected from bait trap in Kaneohe Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden, Oahu, Hawaii.
Close-up view of thorax / mesosoma, adult worker. Macrosetae on mesosoma of moderate length, thick and stout, weakly tapering to a blunt tip. Photo by April Nobile, Antweb.org , modified.
Close-up view of thorax / mesosoma, adult worker. Macrosetae on mesosoma of moderate length, thick and stout, weakly tapering to a blunt tip. Photo by April Nobile, Antweb.org, modified.
Lateral view of gaster, adult. The first gastral tergite is covered with dense pubescence, giving it a dull appearance. Used in Antkey to separate Brachymyrmex minutus and Brachymyrmex obscurior from Brachymyrmex heeri and Brachymyrmex patagonicus . Also used to separate Nylanderia bourbonica, Nylanderia fulva and Nylanderia vaga from all other Nylanderia species.
Lateral view of gaster, adult. The first gastral tergite is covered with dense pubescence, giving it a dull appearance. Used in Antkey to separate Brachymyrmex minutus and Brachymyrmex obscurior from Brachymyrmex heeri and Brachymyrmex patagonicus. Also used to separate Nylanderia bourbonica, Nylanderia fulva and Nylanderia vaga from all other Nylanderia species.
Lateral view of setae, adult worker. The macrosetae (or longest hairs), are of moderate length, thick and stout, weakly tapering to a blunt tip. Used in Antkey to separate Nylanderia bourbonica from Nylanderia fulva .
Lateral view of setae, adult worker. The macrosetae (or longest hairs), are of moderate length, thick and stout, weakly tapering to a blunt tip. Used in Antkey to separate Nylanderia bourbonica from Nylanderia fulva.