Secostruma, a new subterranean tetramoriine ant genus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Abstract. Secostruma , a very specialized new subterranean ant recovered from a soil-core sample taken in Sabah, East Malaysia, is described for the first time. Its most striking adaptations and their possible functions are discussed, and its affinities investigated. Analysis of its main features and comparison with two possible parent-groups leads to the conclusion that Secostruma is a member of the Tetramorium-group of genera.     

A taxonomic study of the ant genus Lasius Fabricius in the British Isles (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The taxonomic status of the species Lasius mixtus, L.umbratus and L.rabaudi is discussed. Keys are given to the males, females and workers of the seven British species of the genus, and taxonomic notes on these species are included.     

中国海胆蚁属分类研究（膜翅目：蚁科）

记录中国海胆蚁属Echinopla蚂蚁3种,即乞拉朋海胆蚁E.cherapunjiensis、条纹海胆蚁E.striat和侧毛海胆蚁E.lateropilosa,后者为中国新记录种.提供了工蚁形态描述、测量数据、地理分布和高清彩图,编制了工蚁分种检索表.     

A review of Bahamian ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) biogeography

Abstract. The results of recent surveys for ants on Staniel Cay, Exumas (and surrounding small cays) and the northeastern region of Andros are presented. These records are compiled with all previously published collection records of ants from the Bahamas into a single database. A list of all known Bahamian species is presented, in accord with current taxonomy. Distributions within the Bahamas are given, along with the status of each species with reference to its origin (endemic, native, or exotic). At present seventy-five named species of ants are known from the Bahamas, which shares 60% of its ant fauna with Florida and 71% with Cuba. More than one third of the species (37%) are exotics, which appear to exist primarily in areas characterized by human disturbance, and apparently have not invaded the native vegetation to a large degree. Both historical and ecological factors are likely to have played important roles in shaping present-day Bahamian ant species diversity and distribution. The number of species on all major Bahamian islands from which ants have been collected is presented as a function of island area. Most islands have not been very thoroughly surveyed. The species-area relationship for the more thoroughly surveyed islands is relatively flat (z= 0.06). Further collecting in this archipelago will probably lead to the discovery of additional species.     

Revision of the dolichoderine ant genus Turneria (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Abstract. The Australasian ant genus Turneria is revised. T.bidentata Forel, T.dahlii Forel and T.pacifica Mann are redescribed and a lectotype designated for T.bidentata. T.frenchi Forel is transferred to Stigmacros (comb.n.), and T.butteli Forel is transferred to Iridomyrmex (comb.n.). Three new species, T.arbusta, T.collina and T.postomma, are described from Papua New Guinea. Males of the genus are described for the first time. A key to the workers of recognized species and a distribution map are provided. The group is analysed cladistically and the resulting species relationships are discussed, along with a comment on the use of polymorphic characters.     

A new genus of myrmicine ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Eocene Baltic amber

Examination of fossil ant specimens from various private and institutional German collections of Baltic amber has revealed a new genus and species of Myrmicinae, described here as Thanacomyrmex hoffeinsorum gen. et sp. nov. The new worker morphotype shares some similarities with the coeval extinct genus Parameranoplus Wheeler, also from Baltic amber, and the extant genera Pristomyrmex Mayr and Acanthomyrmex Emery, suggesting placement of the new fossil in the Myrmecina genus-group within the tribe Crematogastrini. The new genus highlights the tremendous diversity of ants that evolved in the Palaeogene European forests and composed the first major radiation of crown-group ants.     

Subterranean species of the ant genus Crematogaster in Asia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Three Crematogaster ant species, C. (Orthocrema) javanica Menozzi, C. (O.) myops Forel and C. (O.) masukoi sp. nov., share reduced compound eyes which characterizes them among Asian species of the subgenus Orthocrema. The new species is described based on material from Borneo. It can be distinguished from C. javanica and C. myops by its smooth surface of clypeus and acutely produced subpetiolar process. Reduced compound eyes and yellowish body suggest that these three species are subterranean.     

Second species in the Australian ant genus Peronomyrmex Viehmeyer (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

A second species of the rare Australian ant genus Peronomyrmex is described from Victoria. This new species, P. bartoni , represents only the third time the genus has been collected, the previous records being the holotype of P. overbecki Viehmeyer from north-eastern New South Wales and a collection, subsequently lost, from northern Queensland.     

Revision of the dolichoderine ant genus Axinidris Hymenoptera: Formicidae

Abstract. The Afrotropical ant genus Axinidris is revised. The pre viously known species A.acholli Weber is redescribed, as are A.tridens Arnold and A.denticulatum Wheeler, species newly transferred to Axinidris . Lectotypes are also designated for these species. Ten new species bidens, ghanensis, hylekoites, kakamegensis, kinoin, murielae, nigripes, occidentalis, palligastrion and parvus are described. The queen and male of the genus are described for the first time. A key for the separation of workers is presented, and the known biology and distribution are summarized.     

A new record ant species of the genus Cardiocondyla Emery from China(Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

An ant species, Cardiocondyla gibbosa Kuznetzov-Ugamsky, 1927, is newly recorded from China. The specimens were collected from Shule County of Kashgar, Xinjiang(39°14′N, 76° 22′E; elev. 1 248 m). All the specimens are kept in Institute of Zoology, Shaanxi Normal University. A key based on worker caste to known species of Cardiocondyla from China is provided.     

A new data of worker polymorphism in the ant genus Dorylus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Dorylinae)

Recently, in southern and central Vietnam, foraging columns of D. orientalis which contained not only “typical” workers but also a few “atypical” workers were collected. The atypical worker mentioned above is characterized by a set of the following features: (1) head narrowed anteriorly, (2) median portion of clypeus strongly projecting anteriad, and (3) antenna 8-segmented. Sequences of the 658-base standard mitochondrial DNA barcoding region were completely identical between typical and atypical workers. Therefore, the condition observed was a case of worker polymorphism within a colony. The mode of polymorphism observed has the following interesting aspects: (1) workers are clearly subdivided into two series by a set of qualitative characters; (2) the “typical series” is numerically much more dominant than the “atypical series” (the latter occupied less than 1% of the whole of the workers collected); (3) a wider size variation was observed in the former (HW, 0.48–1.41 mm; ML, 0.42–1.12 mm) than in the latter (HW, 0.44–1.13 mm; ML, 0.35–0.79 mm); and (4) within the atypical series, smaller workers are numerically much dominant. Rareness of the workers belonging to the atypical series in foraging column as well as morphological differences between the two series suggests a certain possibility that the atypical series does not adapt to foraging but to other tasks in the colony's life history.     

New synonym and new Japanese record of the ant genus Ponera (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

A new synonym in the ant genus Ponera , and a new species-record from Japan are reported following faunal surveys of Yakushima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture. Morphological comparison of type specimens with material collected on Yakushima and mainland Kyushu and Honshu reveals that Ponera yakushimensis Tanaka is a junior synonym of Ponera scabra Wheeler. Analysis of intraspecific variation in P. scabra is reported. Morphological comparison reveals that a recent putative distribution record of P. scabra from Yakushima was based on a misidentification of Ponera alisana Terayama. This is the first Japanese record of P. alisana , which was originally described from Taiwan. Geographic variation between the P. alisana types and specimens collected on Yakushima is discussed. A revised key to Japanese Ponera species is presented.     

Sperm ultrastructure of five species of the Neotropical ant genus Pseudomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The seminal vesicles of adult males of five species of Pseudomyrmex were prepared for light and transmission electron microscopy. The Pseudomyrmex spermatozoa are long and slender with similar morphology. The head region has an acrosome and a nucleus. In all the studied species, two morphologically distinct types of acrosomal vesicles were observed, a long structure, as observed in all known ants, and a pear‐shaped one, never before observed in ants. The nucleus is elongated and both condensed and loose chromatin are present. The flagellum has an axoneme, a centriolar adjunct, two mitochondrial derivatives and two accessory bodies. The centriolar, the mitochondrial derivatives and the accessory bodies are similar to observations in most ant species that have been studied. The axoneme presents an uncommon 9 + 9 + 1 microtubule arrangement and the central microtubule has 13 protofilaments. The acrosomal dimorphism and the different levels of chromatin organization are exclusive characteristics of Pseudomyrmex. Furthermore, the 9 + 9 + 1 microtubule arrangement is different from all Hymenoptera, as well as from most insects, which present a 9 + 9 + 2 arrangement. These new morphological characters that are specific to Pseudomyrmex, are valuable synapomorphies of the genus and can be used in taxonomic characterization of the Pseudomyrmecinae subfamily and in phylogenetic analyses in Formicidae family.     

Phenetic studies of African army ant queens of the genus Dorylus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Multivariate analyses of queens of fourteen species of the Old World army ant genus Dorylus were undertaken to assist in clarifying the status of the six included subgenera. Results were compared with two similar studies based on major workers and males, respectively. Queens are phenetically less divergent than either of the other two phena examined, although similar sub-generic relationships were observed. Taken together, these phenetic studies suggest that the subgenera Rhogmus and Alaopone are deserving of continued individual status, but that species of Anomma and Dorylus (s.s.) form one diverse taxon. A conservative classification would place Dichthadia and Typhlopone species together with the composite Dorylus (s.s.) - Anomma taxon.     

A synoptic review of the ant genera (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of the Philippines

An overview of the history of myrmecology in the Philippine archipelago is presented. Keys are provided to the 11 ant subfamilies and the 92 ant genera known from the Philippines. Eleven ant genera (12%), including 3 undescribed genera, are recorded for the first time from the Philippines. The biology and ecology of the 92 genera, illustrated by full-face and profile photo-images, of Philippine ants are summarized in the form of brief generic accounts. A bibliography of significant taxonomic and behavioral papers on Philippine ants and a checklist of valid species and subspecies and their island distributions are provided.     

The ant genus Carebara Westwood in the Arabian Peninsula (Hymenoptera,Formicidae)

The ant genus Carebara of the Arabian Peninsula is revised. Carebara abuhurayri Sharaf & Aldawood, 2011 is synonymized under Carebara arabica Collingwood & van Harten, 2001. Carebara arabica is redescribed and a Neotype is fixed based on a specimen collected from southwestern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A new species, C. fayrouzae sp. n. is described from Saudi Arabia based on queens, major and minor workers. Keys to major and minor workers of the two Arabian Carebara species are given.     

Volatile secretory products of an australian formicine ant of the genus Calomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The mandibular gland secretions of workers, gynes and males of an Australian species of Calomyrmex¹ have been analysed and the following volatile components have been identified: nerol (8), geraniol (9), 6-methylhept-5-en-2-one (2), 6-methylhept-5-en-2-ol (4), 3-(2-methylpropyl)-2,5-dimethylpyrazine (5), 3-(2-methylbutyl)-2,5-dimethylpyrazine (6), 3-(3-methylbutyl)-2,5-dimethylpyrazine (7), 2-(1-methylethyl)-4-methylhex-2-enal (1), 2-(1-methylethyl)-5-methylhex-2-enal (3) and a 2,4-dimethyl-5-hexanolide (M1) (males only). Behavioural tests with specimen compounds from four classes of components present in the workers' secretion indicate that the pyrazine derivatives (and possibly, 6-methylhept-5-en-2-one) are implicated in alarm reaction, but no behavioural role can be ascribed to the other components. The novel lactone present in the male secretion is presumed to function as a sex pheromone.     

Taxonomic studies on the ant genus Cerapachys Smith (Hymenoptera,Formicidae) from India

The Indianspeciesof the ant genus Cerapachys Smith are keyed. Twelve species are recognized of which 6 are described as new. The species are: Cerapachys aitkenii Forel, Cerapachys alii sp. n., Cerapachys anokha sp. n., Cerapachys besucheti Brown, Cerapachys biroi Forel, Cerapachys indicus Brown, Cerapachys longitarsus (Mayr), Cerapachys nayana sp. n., Cerapachys schoedli sp. n., Cerapachys seema sp. n., Cerapachys sulcinodis Emery and Cerapachys wighti sp. n. Geographic distribution and group affinities of the new species are discussed. A revised key to the Indian species is provided. The rare ergatoid queens of Cerapachys nayana, Cerapachys schoedli and Cerapachys seema are reported. Formed in response to selective pressures these ergatoid queens have a significant role in dispersal strategies and contribute much to our understanding of the biology of these ants.