A new species of Hypothyce (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Melolonthinae) from Alabama, United States of America

A new species, Hypothyce rayi MacGown & Hill, sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Melolonthini), is described from east central Alabama, USA. Three other species of Hypothyce, H. burnei Skelley, H. mixta Howden and H. osburni (Cartwright) are known to occur in the United States. We discuss differences between these species and provide an updated identification key to the genus

The global distribution of known and undiscovered ant biodiversity

Invertebrates constitute the majority of animal species and are critical for ecosystem functioning and services. Nonetheless, global invertebrate biodiversity patterns and their congruences with vertebrates remain largely unknown. We resolve the first high-resolution (~20-km) global diversity map for a major invertebrate clade, ants, using biodiversity informatics, range modeling, and machine learning to synthesize existing knowledge and predict the distribution of undiscovered diversity. We find that ants and different vertebrate groups have distinct features in their patterns of richness and rarity, underscoring the need to consider a diversity of taxa in conservation. However, despite their phylogenetic and physiological divergence, ant distributions are not highly anomalous relative to variation among vertebrate clades. Furthermore, our models predict that rarity centers largely overlap (78%), suggesting that general forces shape endemism patterns across taxa. This raises confidence that conservation of areas important for small-ranged vertebrates will benefit invertebrates while providing a “treasure map” to guide future discovery.The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Postdoctoral Fellowships for Foreign Researchers Program, Japan Ministry of the Environment, Environment Research, and Technology Development Fund no. 4-1904, the Leverhulme Trust, the National Science Foundation, Australian Research Discovery Grant, Foundational Biodiversity Information Programme (South Africa), and the USDA and NIFA support of the Mississippi Entomological Museum.https://www.science.org/journal/sciadvam2023Zoology and Entomolog

Species of Formica

ABSTRACT We revise the Nearctic endemic Formica pallidefulva group based on study of types and other museum specimens and material in J. Trager's collection. The latter material originates from 30 years of accumulated samples, both from free-living colonies of F. pallidefulva group species, and from "slave" populations in colonies of Polyergus lucidus s. l., which have single-species host populations. Among the currently available names for the group, the four valid taxa are F. archboldi, F. dolosa, F. incerta and F. pallidefulva. There is a fifth common, but previously unrecognized new species, described here as Formica biophilica Trager, n. sp. Earlier taxonomies of this group were constrained by typological thinking and inadequate treatment of metric characters. For this study, well preserved individuals, nest series and types of all but one taxon were studied (no types seen for F. pallidefulva). Analysis focused on form, length, abundance and distribution of macrochaetae (pilosity); length and density of microchaetae (pubescence); standard measurements and indices; distinct habitat preferences of the various species; and host selection by Polyergus lucidus, s. l. Our results leave little doubt that F. incerta n. stat., rev. stat. and F. biophilica n. sp. deserve recognition as species, that F. nitidiventris is a synonym of F. pallidefulva and that F. schaufussi is a synonym of F. pallidefulva. Thus, the current concept of schaufussi (incorrect in reference to the lectotype) must give way to the next available name for the same population, dolosa n. stat. In this paper, we provide diagnoses, qualitative morphological characteristics, tabulated quantitative characters, natural history notes for all species and a key to the workers. As occurs in other groups of closely related ant species (e.g

A review of the Nearctic Odontomachus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae) with a treatment of the males

Macgown, Joe A., Boudinot, Brendon, Deyrup, Mark, Sorger, D. Magdalena (2014): A review of the Nearctic Odontomachus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae) with a treatment of the males. Zootaxa 3802 (4): 515-552, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3802.4.

Geographic Spread of Pheidole obscurithorax (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The South American big-headed ant Pheidole obscurithorax was first found in North America in Mobile, Alabama in 1949. Since then, this species has also been recorded in Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Texas. We compiled and mapped published and unpublished specimen records of P. obscurithorax from >170 sites in South America and the US to evaluate the current geographic range of this species and its possible future spread. We documented the earliest known records for nine geographic areas (South American countries and US states). Site records of P. obscurithorax ranged 27.5 degrees of latitude (from 6.7°S to 34.2°S) in South America, and 3.5 degrees of latitude (from 28.0°N to 31.5°N) in North America. It may be that the North American populations of P. obscurithorax have a fairly narrow range of climatic tolerances. Earlier genetic analyses of native and exotic populations of P. obscurithorax found that the North America populations appear to originate from a single introduction from a population most closely related to native study populations from a stretch along the Paraná River in Argentina from Resistencia (27.5°S) to Santa Fe (31.6°S). This latitudinal range matches the current latitudinal range of P. obscurithorax in North America. Alternatively, the much greater latitudinal range of P. obscurithorax in South America suggests that exotic populations of P. obscurithorax may have potential for much additional expansion in North America and beyond. In South America, P. obscurithorax has a similar native range as the invasive fire ant Solenopsis invicta. In the North America, exotic populations of P. obscurithorax may spread like S. invicta has, across the southeast of the US and into the West Indies.Fil: Wetterer, James K.. Mississippi State University; Estados UnidosFil: MacGown, Joe A.. Mississippi State University; Estados UnidosFil: Calcaterra, Luis Alberto. Fundación para el Estudio de Especies Invasivas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

First Record of Pyramica epinotalis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) for the United States

Pyramica epinotalis is an arboreal dacetine ant previously known only from Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and southern Mexico. Here we report the first records of P. epinotalis for the United States. Collections were made in three parishes across southern Louisiana in cypress-tupelo swamps using floating pitfall traps placed in floating vegetation and arboreal pitfall traps placed on trunks and limbs of three wetland tree species. One additional specimen of this species was collected in Highlands County, Florida. Based on collections of specimens in Louisiana, including multiple dealate females at different localities, P. epinotalis appears to be well established in this state. We discuss the design and implementation of modified arboreal pitfall traps that were instrumental in this discovery

The global distribution of known and undiscovered ant biodiversity

Invertebrates constitute the majority of animal species and are critical for ecosystem functioning and services. Nonetheless, global invertebrate biodiversity patterns and their congruences with vertebrates remain largely unknown. We resolve the first high-resolution (~20-km) global diversity map for a major invertebrate clade, ants, using biodiversity informatics, range modeling, and machine learning to synthesize existing knowledge and predict the distribution of undiscovered diversity. We find that ants and different vertebrate groups have distinct features in their patterns of richness and rarity, underscoring the need to consider a diversity of taxa in conservation. However, despite their phylogenetic and physiological divergence, ant distributions are not highly anomalous relative to variation among vertebrate clades. Furthermore, our models predict that rarity centers largely overlap (78%), suggesting that general forces shape endemism patterns across taxa. This raises confidence that conservation of areas important for small-ranged vertebrates will benefit invertebrates while providing a "treasure map" to guide future discovery