Kingdom Animalia Class Insecta Family Formicidae Scientific name Romblonella | Phylum Arthropoda Order Hymenoptera Subfamily Myrmicinae Rank Genus | |
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Similar Vombisidris, Metapone, Calyptomyrmex, Poecilomyrma, Rhopalomastix | ||
Romblonella is a genus of myrmicine ants.
Contents
Systematics
Romblonella is probably the sister taxon to Stereomyrmex. Closely related genera are Leptothorax and Cardiocondyla.
Biology
Very little is known about these uncommon ants. Most species were found to nest in twigs on trees and to forage on low vegetation.
Description
Workers of R. opaca are about 4 mm long. They have a small sting. R. opaca was described from four specimens found on Romblon Island, Philippines, by Wheeler (1935). However, the species had already been described by F. Smith in 1861 as Myrmica opaca, which had been collected at Tondano, Sulawesi by Alfred Russel Wallace.
R. elysii workers are 2 mm long. They were originally described as Crematogaster from a few workers from the Solomon Islands. R. heatwolei workers are almost 4 mm long.
Only for R. palauensis and R. heatwolei have males been described.
Distribution
Romblonella is found from the Philippines south through New Guinea, with one species known from Australia. The distribution stretches to the islands of the western South Pacific.
Name
The genus is named after the locality where the type species was found.