Meranoplus bicolor

Meranoplus bicolor, is a species of ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae. It is found in many Asian countries, where its habitats range from open grasslands to open-canopy forests. They nest in soil, usually at the base of plants. The nest opening is a simple hole, but it can sometimes have multiple openings. Workers forage on the ground as well as on plants, where they exploit extrafloral nectaries and tend to aphids.

Meranoplus bicolor
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Genus: Meranoplus
Species:
M. bicolor
Binomial name
Meranoplus bicolor
Synonyms
  • Meranoplus bicolor bicolor Wheeler, W.M., 1930
  • Meranoplus bicolor fuscescens Forel, 1903
  • Meranoplus dimicans Walker, 1859
  • Meranoplus villosus Motschoulsky, 1860
  • Myrmica tarda Jerdon, 1851

Distribution

Meranoplus bicolor is native to Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Tibet, southern China, Taiwan, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines. It has also been found in Borneo, New Zealand, Louisiana, and Canada.

In 2021, Filipino–Canadian YouTuber and antkeeper Mikey Bustos was credited for discovering the presence of the species in the Philippines, after his findings were verified by Dr. David General, an ant taxonomist from the University of the Philippines. It is the 555th ant species discovered in the country.[1]

Subspecies
  • Meranoplus bicolor bicolor (Guérin-Méneville, 1844)
  • Meranoplus bicolor fuscescens Wheeler, 1930
  • Meranoplus bicolor lucidus Forel, 1903

References
  1. "Mikey Bustos discovers ant species, raises colony in the Philippines". GMA News Online. GMA Integrated News. 2023-09-09. Retrieved 2023-09-09.


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