First record of the myrmicine ant genus Carebara Westwood, 1840 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from Saudi Arabia with description of a new species, C. abuhurayri sp. n

The myrmicine ant genus Carebara is recorded for the first time in Saudi Arabia from the Arabian Peninsula as a whole. A new species Carebara abuhurayrisp. n. is described based on workers collected from Al Bahah region. One of the smallest ant species known to occur in Arabia, Carebara abuhurayri is found in an area inhabited by many ant species including Tetramorium sericeiventre Emery, 1877, Pheidole minuscula Bernard, 1952, Pheidole sp., Monomorium destructor (Jerdon, 1851), Monomorium exiguum (Forel, 1894) and Monomorium sp. and Crematogaster sp.     

Survey of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the urban area of Uberlândia, MG, Brazil

Uberlandia, MG, Brazil, underwent an accelerated process of urbanization with a population growth of 3,54% each year, higher than the national average. One of the problems emergent from urbanization is the use of different habitats for a great variety of insects. The objective of this study was to identify species of house-invading ants that occur in the urban area of Uberlandia. The occurrence of the house-invading species in regard to the time of urbanization, neighborhood infrastructure, age and maintenance of private houses was also assessed. The ants were collected using bait-traps in 120 residences from 12 neighborhoods which were put in three groups. Fourteen species of ants were catalogued, with Camponotus (Mayr), Monomorium (Mayr) and Tapinoma (Foerster) being the most frequent genera. Only Camponotus vittatus (Forel), Monomorium pharaonis (L.), Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius) and Brachymyrmex sp. (Mayr) were collected in all three groups. The relation between the ants collected and the age and maintenance of the private houses showed that Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille) was most frequent (60%) in poorly preserved or precarious constructions. Whereas, C. vittatus and Camonotus melanoticus (Emery) occurred in all categories of maintenance. Overall, C. vittatus which had not been found in any previously published survey of urban ants, was the most frequent species in urban areas of the Cerrado.     

中国细长蚁属系统分类研究(膜翅目,蚁科)

在中国记载细长蚁属Tetraponera F. Smith昆虫13种,其中在云南省描述5新种,报道中国1新纪录种.编制了工蚁的分种检索表.评论了该属中国种类的分类历史.13个已知种依次是红黑细长蚁T.rufonigra(Jerdon),凹唇细长蚁T.concava sp.nov.,宾氏细长蚁T.binghami(Forel),狭唇细长蚁T.attenuata F.Smith,显赫细长蚁T.notabilis Ward,光亮细长蚁T.nitida(F.Smith),隆背细长蚁T.convexa sp.nov.,榕细长蚁T.microcarpa Wu et Wang,叉唇细长蚁T.furcata sp.nov.,尖唇细长蚁T.protensa sp.nov.,飘细长蚁T.allaborans(Walker),无缘细长蚁T.amargina sp.nov,平静细长蚁T.modesta(F.Smith).显赫细长蚁T.notabilis Ward为中国新纪录种.     

中国厚结猛蚁属(膜翅目:蚁科)十三种蚂蚁的形态测量学研究

【目的】为了探索形态测量学方法在蚁科昆虫分类中的应用价值和我国厚结猛蚁属Pachycondyla种间的系统发育关系,对国内保存有标本的厚结猛蚁属13种进行了形态测量学研究。【方法】选取厚结猛蚁属13种各9个个体进行测量,以体长(TL)、头长(HL)、头宽(HW)、触角柄节长(SL)、前胸背板宽(PW)性状特征及头长宽比(CI)、触角柄节比(SI)共12个度量特征为变量,进行主成分分析和聚类分析。【结果】研究表明,3个主成分在头长、头宽、头长宽比及触角柄节比有较高的载荷值,差异显著。聚类结果显示,13种厚结猛蚁聚成4支:第1支(短背厚结猛蚁P.brevidorsa(Xu)、拟黑厚结猛蚁P.melanaria(Emery)、红足厚结猛蚁P.rufipes(Jerdon)和列氏厚结猛蚁P.leeuwenhoeki(Forel))与第2支(片突厚结猛蚁P.lobocarena Xu、郑氏厚结猛蚁P.zhengi Xu和敏捷厚结猛蚁P.astute Smith)的相似度最高,亲缘关系最近;与第3支(多毛厚结猛蚁P.pilosior(Wheeler)、安南厚结猛蚁P.annamita(Andrè)、邵氏厚结猛蚁P.sauteri(Forel)和爪哇厚结猛蚁P.javana(Mayr))的相似度次之,亲缘关系较远;与第4支(中华厚结猛蚁P.chinensis(Emery)和黄足厚结猛蚁P.luteipes(Mayr))相似度最低,亲缘关系最远。聚类关系与传统分类的结果基本一致:中华厚结猛蚁与黄足厚结猛蚁外部形态特征相似,聚为一支;郑氏厚结猛蚁、敏捷厚结猛蚁、邵氏厚结猛蚁、爪哇厚结猛蚁与片突厚结猛蚁外部形态特征相似,聚为另一支,亲缘关系较近。【结论】研究结果证明形态测量学方法具有很好的应用价值,适用于蚁科昆虫分类研究。     

春砂仁的访花昆虫种类及其访花和筑巢行为

阳春砂仁(Amomum villosumLour.)是我国四大南药之一,但花的形态结构较特殊,不易自然授粉。通过野外调查,在3个砂仁种植场共采集到砂仁的访花昆虫21种,其中蜜蜂类11种,蚂蚁类10种。蜜蜂类中,以黄绿彩带蜂Nomia strigataSmith和东方蜜蜂中华亚种Apis(Siamatapis)cerana ceranaFabricius较常见;蚂蚁类中,以细纹小家蚁Monomorium destructor(Jerdon)和黑头酸臭蚁Tapinomamelanocephalum(Fabricius)较常见。此外,还观察记录了黄绿彩带蜂、东方蜜蜂和蚂蚁的访花行为,以及黄绿彩带蜂的筑巢行为。     

河南开封地区的蚂蚁资源

蚂蚁是河南开封地区大型土壤动物的优势类群,其种群数量庞大,分布较广。通过调查获得开封地区蚂蚁的基本资料:包括5亚科,18属,43种。优势种为铺道蚁、粗面收获蚁和日本弓背蚁,且不同生境、不同地域内的蚂蚁种类和分布都有差异。     

角唇宽猛蚁工蚁的发现及中国云南小盲猛蚁属一新种记述 (膜翅目:蚁科)(英文)

首次发现并描述角唇宽猛蚁PlatythyreaclypeataForel的工蚁。宽猛蚁属PlatythyreaRoger和角唇宽猛蚁P .clypeataForel为中国新记录属种。在中国记载小盲猛蚁属ProbolomyrmexMayr 2种 :长结小盲猛蚁P .longinodusTerayamaetOgata分布于台湾省 ,长柄小盲猛蚁P .longiscapussp .nov .新种分布于云南省。     

吉林西部草原地区蚂蚁种类及分布

在吉林西部草原地区蚂蚁是大型土壤动物的优势类群,数量巨大,但种类少,仅发现3亚科9属14种。放牧场、撂荒地、农田、人工林、乡间土路、院落6种生境中分布最多的蚂蚁是红林蚁和铺道蚁,撂荒地和人工林的蚂蚁种类和巢口密度最大。在割草场分布的蚂蚁主要是玉米毛蚁、黄墩蚁和铺道蚁,它们均修建明显的地上蚁丘,蚁丘呈环带状分布,即主要分布在草地与碱斑的交界处,并且从草场边缘向中心,蚁丘的数量逐渐减少。利用拥挤度指数对蚁丘的分布格局进行分析,表明蚁丘呈聚集分布,并对可能影响蚁巢分布的因素进行了探讨。     

PHENOLOGY OF THREE ANT SPECIES IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS

i
Seasonal variation in the composition of colonies is described, with particular reference to the incidence of sexual castes. The ant species are Oecophylla smaragdina F., Iridomyrmex cordatus Fr. Smith and Anoplolepis longipes Jerdon.     

Associations of ant species to land cover types and human disturbance in south‐west Gabon

We recorded ground‐foraging ant species in forest and savannah habitats along a 52‐km‐long road planned for upgrade in the buffer zone of the Moukalaba‐Doudou National Park in south‐west Gabon. Sixty stations were established with three sampling points on each side of the future road and baited with peanut butter to record the presence of invasive Wasmannia auropunctata (Roger, 1863). We documented 46 ant species including one genus and eight species not previously reported in Gabon, but no evidence of the presence of W. auropunctata. We also found species known to have an opportunistic behaviour such as Cardiocondyla emeryi (Forel, 1881), Tetramorium simillimum (Smith, 1851) and Trichomyrmex destructor (Jerdon, 1851). Species richness in forested stations was significantly higher than in savannah. Among the most common ant species in the area, we identified 13 associated with forests, eight associated with savannahs and one generalist. Four species were highly tolerant to human disturbance. Our study, even if biased towards stress‐tolerant species, provides new insights about ant species associations with habitats and contributes to the establishment of a reference system to classify African ant species that could be used to monitor the success of restoration of areas impacted by human activities.     

Two new Australian Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), including a highly distinctive species

Abstract Two new Australian ants of the genus Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are described. The most distinctive of the two species, Monomorium sublamellatum sp. n., pushes back the diagnostic boundaries of the genus Monomorium , and can not be placed at present in existing Australian species-groups of Monomorium . Monomorium punctulatum sp. n. belongs to the Monomorium rubriceps species-group.     

The ant community response to the arrival of Monomorium sydneyense forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) at sulphur point,Tauranga, New Zealand

Abstract

Impacts of highly invasive ants in new ecosystems are well documented, but many more ant species are establishing in new ranges for which there is little or no information. We studied the effects of the recently discovered Australian ant, Monomorium sydneyense Forel, on the ant community of Sulphur Point in Tauranga, New Zealand. At the community scale, the species composition in invaded areas was significantly different from that in areas free of M. sydneyense. However, no single ant species was significantly more or less abundant in the presence of M. sydneyense. Some resident ant species categorised in the same functional group as the invader appeared to be scarcer when sympatric with M. sydneyense, but the local abundances of these species were always spatially variable, so the effects were not statistically significant Patchy distribution of M. sydneyense, and other aspects of its behaviour, such as poor foraging abilities and a lack of unicoloniality (where there is little or no aggression between conspecific ants from spatially separate nests), appear to allow resident ant species to coexist with M. sydneyense at Sulphur Point.     

中国稀切叶蚁属系统分类研究(膜翅目,蚁科)

记载中国稀切中蚁属Oligomsrmex Mayr18种,其中描述8新种。分别编制了兵蚁和工蚁的检索表。评论了该属中国种类的分类历史。18个已知种依是卷须稀切叶蚁O.capreolus Wheeler,高结稀切叶蚁O.altinodus sp.nov,弯刺稀切叶蚁O.curvispinus sp.nov,条纹稀切叶蚁O.striatus sp.nov,尖刺稀切叶蚁O.acutispinus sp.nov,惠勒稀切叶蚁O.wheeleri Ettershank,钝齿稀切叶蚁O.obtusi-dentus sp.nov,双角稀切叶蚁O.bihornatus sp.nov,多音稀切叶蚁O.polyphemus Wheeler,邵氏稀切叶蚁O.sauteri Forel,香港稀切叶蚁O.taiponicus Wheeler,直背稀切叶蚁O.rectidorsus sp.nov,湖南稀切叶蚁O.hunanensis Wu et Wang,纹头稀切叶蚁O.reticapitus sp.nov,拟亮稀切叶蚁O.pseudolusciosus Wu et Wang,光亮稀切叶蚁O.lusciosus Wheeler,江西稀切叶蚁O.jiangxiensis Wu et Wang,阿美稀切叶蚁O.amius Forel。     

DISCOVERY OF THE WORKER CASTE OF PLATY‐THYREA CLYPEATA FOREL AND A NEW SPECIES OF PROBOLOMYRMEX MAYR IN YUNNAN,CHINA (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE)*

Abstract The worker caste of the ant species Platythyrea clypeata Forel is discovered and described for the first time. The genus Platythyrea Roger and the species P. clypeata Forel are newly recorded in China. Two species of the genus Probolomyrmex Mayr are recorded in China: P. longinodus Terayama et Ogata from Taiwan Province, and P. longiscapus sp. nov. from Yunnan Province.     

Mass Occurrence and Dominant Behavior of the European Ant Species <Emphasis Type="Italic">Formica fuscocinerea</Emphasis> (Forel)

Recently, masses of the ant Formica (Serviformica) fuscocinerea (Forel) have been occurring at numerous sites in Southern Germany. Although F. fuscocinerea is native to Southern Germany, these mass occurrences resemble ant invasions in density and dominance. This study aimed to investigate the underlying mechanisms that promote sudden mass occurrence of a previously inconspicuous ant species within its native range. To estimate the competitive dominance of F. fuscocinerea, species occurrence and abundance considering biotic and abiotic parameters were studied in a natural habitat where F. fuscocinerea co-occurred with two other common ant species, Myrmica ruginodis (Nylander) and Lasius niger (Linnaeus). To understand the species’ distribution in the field, laboratory experiments on interspecific competition were conducted. Finally, the colony structure of F. fuscocinerea was investigated with intraspecific aggression tests. Formica fuscocinerea dominated an area that, as indicated by strongly frequented foraging trails on the trees, provided important food sources, e.g. trophobionts, to the ants. Other ant species coexisted only at the periphery of the F. fuscocinerea range. Laboratory experiments revealed F. fuscocinerea as highly dominant species. Additionally, F. fuscocinerea showed a complete lack of intraspecific aggression between ants originating from distances up to 58 km, indicating weak or nonexistent behavioral boundaries among ants of physically separated nests. Since extraordinarily high worker densities, strong interspecific dominance and a lack of colony boundaries within supercolonies are considered to be important traits of several invasive ant species we conclude that the same traits also promote the dominance of F. fuscocinerea.     

西双版纳入侵长足捷蚁与土著黄猄蚁的种间竞争

【目的】入侵物种能够通过竞争影响本地物种的种群,从而影响入侵地的生物多样性。长足光捷蚁Anoplolepis gracilipes是全球最具破坏力的入侵蚂蚁之一。本研究旨在明确西双版纳地区入侵长足捷蚁与土著优势种蚂蚁黄猄蚁Oecophylla smaragdina之间的竞争关系。【方法】通过野外调查和室内控制试验相结合的方法,观察和对比分析长足捷蚁和黄猄蚁的体型大小,雾凉季和雨季的巢穴外觅食活动规律,觅食能力(搜寻食物的时间、在觅食时间内召集的最大工蚁数),打斗行为(不同打斗组合的攻击强度和死亡率)以及对饥渴的耐受性(无食物和水分供应时平均存活时间和存活率随时间的变化)。【结果】长足捷蚁工蚁体长(3.66±0.06 mm)显著小于黄猄蚁工蚁(8.27±0.16 mm)。在雾凉季时,长足捷蚁具有比黄猄蚁更长的觅食活动时间;而在雨季时,两种蚂蚁均在下午温度较高时段觅食活动的个体数量减少。苹果、蜂蜜和火腿肠3种食物作为诱饵时,长足捷蚁具有更快搜寻食物的能力,4~8 min便能找寻到食物,而黄猄蚁需要8~21 min才能找寻到食物,此外在寻找到食物后,长足捷蚁也有更快召集同伴的能力。在人工控制试验中,1头长足捷蚁和1头黄猄蚁同时存在时主要以不攻击和低强度攻击为主,而当两种蚂蚁中的任意其中一种的个体数量增加到5头时,攻击强度会显著增加,两种蚂蚁均存在种间协作行为。在饥渴状态下,两种蚂蚁工蚁的平均存活时间差异不显著,但长足捷蚁最长存活120 h,黄猄蚁最长存活96 h。【结论】在西双版纳地区,长足捷蚁相较于土著黄猄蚁具有更强的觅食的能力,雾凉季觅食活动时间更长,暗示长足捷蚁可能具有较强的温度适应能力。有必要加强对这一入侵蚂蚁的研究,并密切关注其种群在该地区的发展。     

A new colony structure of the invasive Argentine ant (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Linepithema humile</Emphasis>) in Southern Europe

The Argentine ant (Linepithema humile, Mayr) is a highly invasive species that has successfully spread from its native range in South America across many zones of the globe. In Southern Europe, two continental supercolonies have been identified, the Catalonian supercolony and the main European supercolony spreading over 6,000 km. In Corsica, a French Mediterranean island, the Argentine ant has been present for 60 years. Here we compare patterns of intraspecific aggression and cuticular hydrocarbon profiles of Argentine ants in Corsica to three mainland European colonies. Chemical analyses reveal the existence of cuticular signature variations among the six study sites relative to a gradient of aggression. We find two distinct colony groups not belonging to the Catalonian supercolony, suggesting that the new population originates either (1) from an independent introduction event from the native range resulting in a third European supercolony, or (2), given the chemical proximity and the moderate level of aggression between the two groups, from an existing European population followed by a drift producing a division within the main European supercolony.     

Fungus-growing ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on Santa Catarina Island, Brazil: patterns of occurrence

A taxonomic survey on fungus-growing ants (Attini) was made at 14 beaches on Santa Catarina Island (SC), Brazil. The samplings were manual, in soil or litterfall, in the following habitats: sandy beach, herbaceous vegetation and shrubby vegetation. From 12 species of Attini (ten of Acromyrmex Mayr and two of Cyphomyrmex Mayr), the most frequent were Cyphomyrmex morschi Emery and Acromyrmex crassispinus Forel, collected, respectively, on eight and ten of the monitored beaches. Altogether, Sorensen's similarity coefficients were high (range: 0.59-0.80), in spite of the lower numbers of ant species on sandy beaches.     

A preliminary checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera,?Formicidae) of Andorra

Within the last decade, checklists of the ant fauna of several European countries have been published or updated. Nevertheless, no ant checklists have hitherto been published for the principality of Andorra, a small landlocked country located in the eastern part of the Pyrenees. This work presents a critical list of the ant species of Andorra based on a review of the literature and on the biological material we collected during several field campaigns conducted in Andorra since the year 2005. Seventy-five species belonging to 21 genera of Formicidae were recorded. Nine species were recorded for the first time in Andorra: Aphaenogaster gibbosa (Latreille, 1798), Camponotus lateralis (Olivier, 1792), Camponotus piceus (Leach, 1825), Formica exsecta Nylander, 1846, Lasius piliferus Seifert, 1992, Tapinoma madeirense Forel, 1895, Temnothorax lichtensteini (Bondroit, 1918), Temnothorax niger (Forel, 1894), Temnothorax nigriceps (Mayr, 1855). The most speciose genera were Formica Linnaeus, 1758 and Temnothorax Forel, 1890 with 14 and 12 species, respectively. The ant fauna of Andorra is mostly dominated by Central European species (some are typical cold climate specialists); however species belonging to the Mediterranean ant fauna were also found. This can be explained by the particular geographic situation of Andorra which is characterized by a high mountain Mediterranean climate.     

成都地区居室庭院蚂蚁种类调查

2005～2008年对成都地区居室庭院环境中的蚂蚁种类进行了调查,共发现3个亚科12属的蚂蚁26种,其中,切叶蚁亚科Myrmicinae的蚂蚁无论种类和数量在成都地区都占绝对优势,优势种为印度大头蚁Pheidole indica Mayr和史氏盘腹蚁Aphaenogaster smythiesi Forel.居室庭院蚂蚁在成都地区的分布以印度大头蚁Pheidole indica Mayr、史氏盘腹蚁Aphaenogaster smythiesi Forel和亮立毛蚁Paratrechina vividula Nylander的分布最广.