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Aenictus gracilis Emery, 1893
Life   Insecta   Hymenoptera   Formicidae   Aenictus

Aenictus gracilis, head
© Copyright Gary Alpert, 2005-2008 · 0
Aenictus gracilis, head

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Aenictus gracilis, side
© Copyright Gary Alpert, 2005-2008 · 0
Aenictus gracilis, side
Aenictus gracilis, top
© Copyright Gary Alpert, 2005-2008 · 0
Aenictus gracilis, top

Aenictus gracilis, male, head
© Copyright Gary Alpert, 2005-2008 · 0
Aenictus gracilis, male, head
Aenictus gracilis, male, side
© Copyright Gary Alpert, 2005-2008 · 0
Aenictus gracilis, male, side

Aenictus gracilis, male, top
© Copyright Gary Alpert, 2005-2008 · 0
Aenictus gracilis, male, top
Aenictus gracilis, worker, head
© Copyright Gary Alpert, 2005-2008 · 0
Aenictus gracilis, worker, head

Aenictus gracilis, worker, side
© Copyright Gary Alpert, 2005-2008 · 0
Aenictus gracilis, worker, side
Aenictus gracilis, worker, top
© Copyright Gary Alpert, 2005-2008 · 0
Aenictus gracilis, worker, top
Overview
This ant was collected in a transect study on the boundary of Mt. Isarog Natural Park, Camarines Sur, Luzon Island.

Names
Scientific source:

Photographs
This is the mite that rides on the mesosoma of Aenictus gracilis workers. This mite is named Aenictiques chapmani in honor of the collector.

Geographic distribution
Cuernos de Negros Mountains, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental Province, Negros Island; Mt. Isarog Natural Park, Camarines Sur Province, Luzon Island.

Natural history
On Mt. Isarog, this species was collected as the workers were leaving their bivouac in a shallow depression of a fallen log. Within their column were several alate males.

On Cuernos de Negros, Dr. James W. Chapman collected unusually large phoretic (hitch-hiking) mites riding on the mesosoma of some of the workers. This mite is so unique in having large forelegs, that it was placed in its own superfamily.


How to encounter
Search for bivouacs and raiding columns. Hand-sift leaf litter.

References
Wilson, E.O. 1964. The true army ants of the Indo-Australian area. Pacific Insects 6:427-483.

Jacot, A.P. 1939. A new antennophorid mite, rider of the Philippine ant Aenictus martini. Philippine Journal of Science 69: 433-434.


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Updated: 2024-03-28 21:59:33 gmt
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