Tapinoma israelis sensu Berville et al. (2013)

Seifert, Bernhard, Kaufmann, Bernard & Fraysse, Lorenzo, 2024, A taxonomic revision of the Palaearctic species of the ant genus Tapinoma Mayr 1861 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Zootaxa 5435 (1), pp. 1-74 : 55

Tapinoma israelis sensu Berville et al. (2013)

Three worker samples from Israel (SaNo 137, 139 and 142) misidentified by Berville et al. (2013) as T. israelis and used in their cuticular hydrocarbon study were allocated with p>0.995 to the T. phoenicaeum cluster considering all 16 NUMOBAT characters and all for species of the T. simrothi group.

Material examined. Numeric phenotypical data were taken in 28 nest samples with 87 workers. They originated from Cyprus (1 sample), Iran (2) and Israel (25). For details see supplementary information SI1, SI2 .

Geographic range. So far only known from Cyprus, 23 sites in in Israel and 2 sites in the Iran ranging east to 54.4°E. The southern range border is unknown. Images of worker ants from Wadi Hanifa / Saudi Arabia (24.67°N, 46.60°E) provided in www.antweb.org under the specimen identifiers CASENT0906355 and CASENT 0919801) might belong to T. phoenicaeum but the low accuracy of image evaluation does not allow a safe separation from T. karavaievi . The wide altitudinal range of 28 samples is given by 364 ± 465 [-305, 1303] m.

Diagnosis:—Worker ( Tab. 5): All shape ratios given below are, in contrast to those in Tab. 5, primary ratios without RAV and all data are given as arithmetic mean ± standard deviation. Slightly smaller than T. simrothi, CS 860 ± 84 µm. Head moderately elongated, CL/CW 1.097 ± 0.043. Postocular distance much smaller than in T. simrothi, PoOc /CL 0.377 ± 0.013; excavation of hind margin of vertex smaller than in T. simrothi, ExOcc 1.24 ± 0.75%. Anteromedian clypeal excision shallower and narrower than in T. simrothi, ExCly /CS 10.58 ± 0.98%, ExClyW 5.16 ± 0.62%. The edge of clypeal excision curves slightly down below the level of adjacent clypeal surface, thus appearing rather blunt. Sum of pubescence hairs and smaller setae protruding across the margin of clypeal excision including its dorsal edge moderate, nExCly 5.6 ± 2.4. Scape moderately long, SL/CS 0.971 ± 0.027. Minimum distance of the inner margins of antennal socket rings rather small, dAN/CS 0.293 ± 0.008. Eye slightly smaller than in related species, EL/CS 0.248 ± 0.010. Metanotal groove moderately deep, MGr/CS 3.24 ± 0.73%. Mesosoma longer than in T. simrothi and moderately wide, ML/CS 1.301 ± 0.029, MW/CS 0.636 ± 0.023. Second funiculus segment longer than in T. simrothi, Fu 2L/CS 13.96 ± 0.50%, IFu2 1.668 ± 0.089. Pubescence, seta and pigmentation characters as in T. simrothi .

Taxonomic comments. The separation from the other three species of the T. simrothi group has been shown above. Berville et al. (2013) demonstrated differences in cuticular hydrocarbon patterns between Israelian T. phoeniceum (misidentified by them as T. israelis ) and Iberian T. simrothi . This in line with observations of D. d’Eustacchio and M. Centorame (pers. comm. 2015) who noted, when collecting samples in the field, that the Israelian T. phoenicaeum caused an allergic skin reaction which they did not observe in T. simrothi from Morocco.

Biology. Tapinoma phoenicaeum was collected in our study in basically any natural, rural or urban habitat. Alates were observed from 4 March to 6 April. Hefetz & Lloyd (1983) described the situation in Israel as follows “It is found in the temperate zones as well as in the oases of the desert, and it is a major house pest. These ants are notorious for the large mounds, sometimes as high as half a meter, which they build during the winter. Each mound is carved with galleries forming a well-aerated solarium where the workers rear the brood. If a mound is accidentally destroyed, the ants enter in alarm frenzy, some rushing to the exposed areas with open mandibles, biting fiercely at any moving object; meanwhile other workers carry the brood to the safety of deeper undisturbed galleries. At this time a characteristic sweet smell usually permeates the air around the mound. The smell has been traced to the chemicals emanating from a pair of anal glands located at the tip of the abdomen.”