Meranoplus cryptomys

Meranoplus cryptomys is a Malagasy species of ant in the genus Meranoplus.

Meranoplus cryptomys
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Meranoplini
Genus:	Meranoplus
Species:	M. cryptomys
Binomial name
Meranoplus cryptomys Boudinot & Fisher, 2013

Despite the infrequent collection of this presumably rare species, M. cryptomys has a relatively broad range within the spiny forest/thickets and savanna woodland habitats of Madagascar. Workers of Meranoplus cryptomys are only known from two individuals collected at Tsimanampetsotsa, while gynes have been collected at the Isalo and Andohahela National Parks and the Beza Mahafaly Reserve. Neither hand-collected workers nor nests have been collected; all known individuals are from Malaise or pitfall traps. Although two female castes have not been collected together, they share characteristics unique to the Malagasy Meranoplus and indicate they belong to the same species: comparatively short scapes, widely set clypeal denticles, high oculomandibular indices (OMI), characters of sculpturation, and the striking orange bicoloration. The strong orange and black bicolored coloration of M. cryptomys is notable for its similarity to that of M. mayri. These two species overlap in range across the south and southeast of Madagascar, from Andohahela to Isalo. Males are unknown.[1]

References

1. Boudinot, Brendon E.; Fisher, Brian L. (2013), "A taxonomic revision of the Meranoplus F. Smith of Madagascar (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) with keys to species and diagnosis of the males." (PDF), Zootaxa, 3635 (4): 301–339, doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3635.4.1

• This article incorporates text from a scholarly publication published under a copyright license that allows anyone to reuse, revise, remix and redistribute the materials in any form for any purpose: Boudinot, Brendon E.; Fisher, Brian L. (2013), "A taxonomic revision of the Meranoplus F. Smith of Madagascar (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) with keys to species and diagnosis of the males." (PDF), Zootaxa, 3635 (4): 301–339, doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3635.4.1 Please check the source for the exact licensing terms.