Romblonella
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| Romblonella | |
|---|---|
| Romblonella opaca worker | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Crematogastrini |
| Genus: | Romblonella Wheeler, 1935 |
| Type species | |
| Rombonella grandinodis Wheeler, 1935 | |
| Diversity[1] | |
| 8 species | |
Romblonella is probably the sister taxon to Stereomyrmex. Closely related genera are Leptothorax and Cardiocondyla.[2]
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.[3]
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).[4] 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.[5]
R. elysii workers are 2 mm long. They were originally described as Crematogaster from a few workers from the Solomon Islands.[6] R. heatwolei workers are almost 4 mm long.[2]
Only for R. palauensis and R. heatwolei have males been described.[2]
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.[citation needed]
Name
The genus is named after the locality where the type species was found.[citation needed]
Species
- Romblonella elysii (Mann, 1919) — Malapina, Big Nggela: Solomon Islands
- Romblonella heatwolei Taylor, 1991 — Wyer Island: Torres Strait: Queensland: Australia
- Romblonella opaca (F. Smith, 1861) — Philippines, Indonesia
- Romblonella palauensis M. R. Smith, 1953 — Auluptagel, Urukthapal, Babelthaub: Palau: Caroline Islands
- Romblonella scrobifera (Emery, 1897)[7] — Aitape, Manus Province, East Sepik Province, Morobe Province, East New Britain Province: New Guinea
- Romblonella townesi M. R. Smith, 1953 — Mount Lasso: Tinian Island: Northern Mariana Islands
- Romblonella vitiensis M. R. Smith, 1953 — Wakaya Island: Fiji Islands
- Romblonella yapensis M. R. Smith, 1953 — Yap Island: Caroline Islands
Images
- Specimen of a Romblonella opaca
- Specimen of a Romblonella palauensis
- Specimen of a Romblonella scrobifera