Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 4410 No. 3: 18 Apr. 2018
Type: Article
Published: 2018-04-18
DOI: 10.11646/Zootaxa.4410.3.4
Page range: 497–510
Abstract views: 93
PDF downloaded: 2

Taxonomic identity of the ghost ant, Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius, 1793) (Formicidae: Dolichoderinae)

Grupo de Investigación en Insectos Neotropicales, Programa de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Magdalena, Carrera 32 # 22–08, Santa Marta, Magdalena, Colombia.
Hymenoptera Cosmopolitan species morphological variation new synonymy taxonomic stability tramp species

Abstract

This paper revises the taxonomy of Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius, 1793) as follows: T. melanocephalum = Tapinoma luffae (Kuriam, 1955) syn. nov., = Tapinoma melanocephalum coronatum Forel, 1908 syn. nov., = Tapinoma melanocephalum malesianum Forel, 1913 syn. nov. A neotype of Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius, 1793) is designed here. Lectotypes of Tapinoma melanocephalum coronatum Forel, 1908 and T. melanocephalum malesianum Forel, 1913 are designated. Formica wallacei is proposed as a replacement name for Formica familiaris (= T. melanocephalum senior synonym). The worker, queen and male are redescribed and diagnosed. The morphological variability of populations is discussed. All castes are included in full color images.

 

References

  1. Armbrecht, I., Jimenez, E., Alvarez, G., Ulloa-Chacon, P. & Armbrecht, H. (2001) An ant mosaic in the Colombian rain forest of Chocó (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology, 37, 491–510.

    Bolton, B. (1995) A new general catalogue of the ants of the world. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 504 pp.

    Bolton, B. (2017) An online catalog of the ants of the world. Available from: http://antcat.org (accessed 2 February 2017)

    Bolton, B., Alpert, G., Ward, P.S. & Naskrecki, P. (2007) Bolton’s catalogue of ants of the world. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. [CD-ROM]

    Brown, W.L. Jr. (1988) Neoclystopsenella (Bethylidae) a synonym of Tapinoma (Formicidae). Psyche, 94, 337.
    https://doi.org/10.1155/1987/60367

    Bustos, X. & Cherix, D. (1998) Contribution a la biologie de Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Actes des Colloques Insectes Sociaux, 11, 95–101.

    Emery, C. (1892 (“1891”)) Note sinonimiche sulle formiche. Bollettino della Società Entomologica Italiana, 23, 159–167.

    Emery, C. (1887 (“1886”)) Catalogo delle formiche esistenti nelle collezioni del Museo Civico di Genova. Parte terza. Formiche della regione Indo-Malese e dell'Australia. [part b]. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, 24, 209–240.

    Evenhuis, N.L. (2016) The insect and spider collections of the world website, Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. Available from: http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/codens/ (accessed 11 December 2016)

    Fabricius, J.C. (1793) Entomologia systematica emendata et aucta. Secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, adjectis synonimis, locis observationibus, descriptionibus. Tome 2. Hafniae Impensis Christ. Gottl. Proft., Copenhagen, 519 pp.

    Fabricius, J.C. (1804) Systema Piezatorum secundum ordines, genera, species, adjectis synonymis, locis, observationibus, descriptionibus. C. Reichard, Brunswick, xiv + 425 + 30 pp. [pp. i–xiv + 15–439 + 1–30]

    Forel, A. (1891) Les Formicides. [part]. In: Grandidier, A., 1891. Histoire physique, naturelle, et politique de Madagascar. Vol. XX. Histoire naturelle des Hyménoptères. Deuxième partie. 28e fascicule. Hachette et Cie, Paris, pp. i–v + 1–237.

    Forel, A. (1895) Les Formicides de l'Empire des Indes et de Ceylan. Part V. The journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 9, 453–472.

    Forel, A. (1908) Fourmis de Costa-Rica récoltées par M. Paul Biolley. Bulletin de la Société Vaudoise des Sciences Naturelles, 44, 35–72.

    Forel, A. (1913) Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse einer Forschungsreise nach Ostindien ausgeführt im Auftrage der Kgl. Preuss. Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin von H. v. Buttel-Reepen. II. Ameisen aus Sumatra, Java, Malacca und Ceylon. Gesammelt von Herrn Prof. Dr. v. Buttel-Reepen in den Jahren 1911-1912. Zoologische Jahrbücher. Abteilung für Anatomie und Ontogenie der Tiere Abteilung für Anatomie und Ontogenie der Tiere, 36, 1–148.

    Fowler, H.G., Bueno, O.C., Sadatsune, T. & Montelli, A.C. (1993) Ants as potential vectors of pathogens in hospitals in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science, 14, 367–370.
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400014879

    Gómez-Nuñez, J.C. (1971) Tapinoma melanocephalum as an inhibitor of Rhodnius prolixus populations. Journal of Medical Entomology, 8, 735–737.
    https://doi.org/10.1093/jmedent/8.6.735

    ICZN (1999) International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Fourth Edition. The International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature, c/o Natural History Museum, London, 306 pp.

    Jaramillo, G.I. & Chacón de Ulloa, P. (2003) La hormiga fantasma Tapinoma melanocephalum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): fecundidad de queens y desarrollo de colonias experimentales. Revista Colombiana de Entomología, 29, 227–230.

    Jerdon, T.C. (1851) A catalogue of the species of ants found in Southern India. Madras Journal of Literature and Science, 17, 103–127.

    Jesus, C.M.D., Fox, E.G.P., Solis, D.R., Yabuki, A.T., Rossi, M.L. & Bueno, O.C. (2010) Description of the larvae of Tapinoma melanocephalum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The Florida entomologist, 93, 243–247.
    https://doi.org/10.1653/024.093.0214

    Kempf, W.W. (1972) Catálogo abreviado das formigas da região Neotropical. Studia Entomologica, 15, 3–344.

    Kurian, C. (1955) Bethyloidea (Hymenoptera) from India. Agra University journal of research. Science, 4, 67–155.

    Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau, A. (1835 ("1836")) Histoire naturelle des insectes. Hyménoptères. Tome I. Librairie Encyclopédique de Roret, Paris, 547 pp.

    Mayr, G. (1862) Myrmecologische Studien. Verhandlungen der Zoologisch-Botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien, 12, 649–776.

    Moreira, D., Morais, V.D., Vieira-da-Motta, O., Campos-Farinha, A.E.D.C. & Tonhasca Junior, A. (2005) Ants as carriers of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospitals. Neotropical Entomology, 34, 999–1006.
    https://doi.org/10.1590/S1519-566X2005000600017

    Nickerson, J.C., Bloomcamp, C.L. & Fasulo, T.R. (2004) Ghost Ant, Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius) (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae). University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, EDIS. Available from: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in532 (accessed 2 February 2017)

    Olaya-Masmela, L.A., Chacón de Ulloa, P. & Payán, A. (2005) Hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) en centros hospitalarios del Valle del Cauca como vectores de patógenos nosocomiales. Revista Colombiana de Entomología, 31, 183–187.

    Pérez, O., González, R. Bisset, J.A., Navarro, A., Hernández, N. & Martínez, A. (2004) Efectos de Tapinoma melanocephalum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) sobre huevos de Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) en insectario. Revista Cubana de Medicina Tropical, 56, 167–171.

    Rodovalho, C.M., Santos, A.L., Marcolino, M.T., Bonetti, A.M. & Brandeburgo, M.A. (2007) Urban ants and transportation of nosocomial bacteria. Neotropical Entomology, 36, 454–458.
    https://doi.org/10.1590/S1519-566X2007000300014

    Roger, J. (1862) Beiträge zur Kenntniss der Ameisenfauna der Mittelmeerländer. II. ‎ Deutsche entomologische Zeitschrift, 6, 255–262.

    Santschi, F. (1928a) Formicidae (Fourmis). Insects Samoa, 5, 41–58.

    Santschi, F. (1928b) Nouvelles fourmis d'Australie. Bulletin de la Société Vaudoise des Sciences Naturelles, 56, 465–483.

    Shattuck, S.O. (1994) Taxonomic catalog of the ant subfamilies Aneuretinae and Dolichoderinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). University of California publications in Entomology, 112, 1–241.

    Smith, F. (1857) Catalogue of the hymenopterous insects collected at Sarawak, Borneo; Mount Ophir, Malacca; and at Singapore, by A. R. Wallace. [part]. Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, 2, 42–88.
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1857.tb01759.x

    Smith, F. (1860a) Descriptions of new species of hymenopterous insects collected by Mr. A. R. Wallace at Celebes. Journal and Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London, 5, 57–93.
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1860.tb01021.x

    Smith, F. (1860b) Catalogue of hymenopterous insects collected by Mr. A. R. Wallace in the islands of Bachian, Kaisaa, Amboyna, Gilolo, and at Dory in New Guinea. Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, 5, 93–143.
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1860.tb01022.x

    Wetterer, J.K. (2009) Worldwide spread of the ghost ant, Tapinoma melanocephalum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecological News, 12, 23–33.

    Wheeler, W.M. (1922) Ants of the American Museum Congo Expedition, a contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 45, 1–1139.

    Wilson, E.O. & Taylor, R.W. (1967) The ants of Polynesia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Pacific Insects, 14, 1–109.

    Yoshimura, M. & Fisher, B.L. (2011) Revision of male ants of the Malagasy region (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Key to genera of the subfamily Dolichoderinae. Zootaxa, 2794, 1–34.

    Zarzuela, M.D., Campos-Farinha, A.D.C. & Peçanha, M.P. (2005) Evaluation of urban ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as carriers of pathogens in residential and industrial environments: I. Bacteria. Sociobiology, 45, 9–14.

    Zimsen, E. (1964) The type material of I. C. Fabricius. Muuksgaard, Copenhagen, 656 pp.