Nest structure variation and morphology of adult castes of weaver ants Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) rastellata (Latreille, 1802) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Sri Lanka

Structural variation of P. rastelleta nests constructed on a Citrus crenatifolia Lush trees that were in the premises of a farm in Gonapola, Western Province of Sri Lanka, a polydomous nest unit on a folded single leaf, a monodomous horizontal nest between two leaves, a hanging nest between two leav...

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Main Author: R.K. Sriyani Dias
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Southern Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Science, Federal state budgetary institution 2015-08-01
Series:Кавказский энтомологический бюллетень
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ssc-ras.ru/files/files/23_Sriyani%20Dias.pdf
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author R.K. Sriyani Dias
author_facet R.K. Sriyani Dias
author_sort R.K. Sriyani Dias
collection DOAJ
description Structural variation of P. rastelleta nests constructed on a Citrus crenatifolia Lush trees that were in the premises of a farm in Gonapola, Western Province of Sri Lanka, a polydomous nest unit on a folded single leaf, a monodomous horizontal nest between two leaves, a hanging nest between two leaves and a nest on the underside of a single leaf, with silk and plant fragments or “spider silk”, is described with appropriate colour images. Distinguishing morphological features of dealate queen, winged females and males, workers and the morphology of pupae and larvae are described with their dimensions and colour images. Workers were observed in the highest numbers in each nest. Based on the bimodal frequency histograms of the total length and pronotal width of the workers and significant differences observed (z test; p < 0.01) between the mean total length and mean pronotal width of the two groups of workers, major and minor workers were recognized in the species. In addition, several morphological features that distinguish major and minor workers are also described.
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spelling doaj.art-76c5051d01a249e5b2f38f7928f3f1152023-12-03T15:03:13ZengSouthern Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Science, Federal state budgetary institutionКавказский энтомологический бюллетень1814-33261814-33262015-08-01111125130DOI:10.23885/1814-3326-2015-11-1-125-130Nest structure variation and morphology of adult castes of weaver ants Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) rastellata (Latreille, 1802) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Sri LankaR.K. Sriyani Dias0University of KelaniyaStructural variation of P. rastelleta nests constructed on a Citrus crenatifolia Lush trees that were in the premises of a farm in Gonapola, Western Province of Sri Lanka, a polydomous nest unit on a folded single leaf, a monodomous horizontal nest between two leaves, a hanging nest between two leaves and a nest on the underside of a single leaf, with silk and plant fragments or “spider silk”, is described with appropriate colour images. Distinguishing morphological features of dealate queen, winged females and males, workers and the morphology of pupae and larvae are described with their dimensions and colour images. Workers were observed in the highest numbers in each nest. Based on the bimodal frequency histograms of the total length and pronotal width of the workers and significant differences observed (z test; p < 0.01) between the mean total length and mean pronotal width of the two groups of workers, major and minor workers were recognized in the species. In addition, several morphological features that distinguish major and minor workers are also described.http://www.ssc-ras.ru/files/files/23_Sriyani%20Dias.pdfHymenopteraFormicidaeweaver antsarboreal antsPolyrhachis nestinghost plants
spellingShingle R.K. Sriyani Dias
Nest structure variation and morphology of adult castes of weaver ants Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) rastellata (Latreille, 1802) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Sri Lanka
Кавказский энтомологический бюллетень
Hymenoptera
Formicidae
weaver ants
arboreal ants
Polyrhachis nesting
host plants
title Nest structure variation and morphology of adult castes of weaver ants Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) rastellata (Latreille, 1802) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Sri Lanka
title_full Nest structure variation and morphology of adult castes of weaver ants Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) rastellata (Latreille, 1802) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Sri Lanka
title_fullStr Nest structure variation and morphology of adult castes of weaver ants Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) rastellata (Latreille, 1802) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Sri Lanka
title_full_unstemmed Nest structure variation and morphology of adult castes of weaver ants Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) rastellata (Latreille, 1802) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Sri Lanka
title_short Nest structure variation and morphology of adult castes of weaver ants Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) rastellata (Latreille, 1802) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Sri Lanka
title_sort nest structure variation and morphology of adult castes of weaver ants polyrhachis cyrtomyrma rastellata latreille 1802 hymenoptera formicidae in sri lanka
topic Hymenoptera
Formicidae
weaver ants
arboreal ants
Polyrhachis nesting
host plants
url http://www.ssc-ras.ru/files/files/23_Sriyani%20Dias.pdf
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