Description of the immatures of the ant, Myrmelachista catharinae

Daniel Russ Solis1a*, Márcia Akemi Nakano2b, Eduardo Gonçalves Paterson Fox1c, Mônica Lanzoni Rossi3d, Rodrigo Machado Feitosa4e, Odair Correa Bueno1f, Maria Santina de Castro Morini2g

1Centro de Estudos de Insetos Sociais, Instituto de Biociências, São Paulo State University, Postal Code 13506-900, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
2Laboratório de Mirmecologia, Universidade de Mogi das Cruzes, Postal Code 08701-970, Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo, Brasil
3Laboratório de Histopatologia e Biologia Estrutural de Plantas, Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, University of São Paulo, Postal Code 13400-970, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
4Museu de Zoologia, University of São Paulo, Postal Code 04263-000, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

The Neotropical ant genus Myrmelachista Roger comprises 69 described species and subspecies, and still is a poorly studied group. Larvae play a paramount role in colony nutrition in social hymenopterans and bear considerable value in the reconstruction of group phylogenies, however, they are generally neglected. Larvae of different instars of Myrmelachista catharinae Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are herein described in detail by light and scanning electron microscopy. The number of larval instars was estimated as three based on the frequency distribution of maximum head capsule widths. The described larvae confirmed some traits typical of the genus: general shape of body and mandibles, general aspect and distribution of body hairs, and the number of sensilla on the palps and galea. Differently from other Myrmelachista larvae previously described, M. catharinae presented two distinct kinds of second instars, some additional types of body hairs, different number of antennal sensilla, and a distinct labrum shape. M. catharinae presented ten pairs of spiracles, which is the first record for this genus.

Keywords: ant, Formicinae, larval instars, Plagiolepidini

Correspondence: a*entomo75@yahoo.com, bmar_nakano@hotmail.com, cofoxofox@gmail.com, dmonicalr@cena.usp.br, erfeitosa@usp.br, fodaircb@rc.unesp.br, gmorini@umc.br, *Corresponding author

Received: 17 December 2009 | Accepted: 31 March 2010 | Published: 25 February 2011

ISSN: 1536-2442 | Volume 11, Number 24

Solis DR, Nakano MA, Fox EGP, Rossi ML, Feitosa RM, Bueno OC, Morini MSC. 2011. Description of the immatures of the ant, Myrmelachista catharinae. Journal of Insect Science 11:24 available online: insectscience.org/11.24


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