Tapinoma simrothi festae Emery 1925

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 : 56-57

Tapinoma simrothi festae Emery 1925 [type investigation]

This species has been described from Rhodes / Greece based on a male and gyne. Investigated were 1 male and 1 gyne syntype labelled “Rodi”, “ T.simrothi festae Emery ” [Emery’s handwriting], “ANTWEB CASENT 0904018”, “ SYNTYPUS Tapinoma simrothi festae Emery, 1925 ”; depository MCSN Genova .

The type gyne is an unmistakable combination of rather large size ( CS 1110 µm), short head (CL/ CW 0.908), very shallow clypeal excision (ExCly/ CS 3.75 %), rather many hairs at clypeal excision (nExCly 10), broad frons (dAN/ CS 0.315) and very wide mesosoma ( MW / CS 1.222 ). The unique character combination of small CL/CW, large dAN/ CS and very small EXCly/ CS is repeated in workers which allows, in the absence of type workers, clearly allocating worker samples to this species ( Tab. 2) .

Material examined. Numeric phenotypical data were taken in 12 samples with 30 workers and one gyne. They originated from Greece (7 samples) and Turkey (5). For details see supplementary information SI1, SI2 .

Geographic range. Known so far only from a small geographic region between 35 and 39.5°N, 25 and 28°E. The range includes the Greek islands Crete , Rhodos , Chios and Samos and the western coastal margin of continental Asia Minor. All sites were situated at elevations below 200 m.

Diagnosis:—Worker ( Tab. 2, Figs. 24–26 ): All shape ratios given below are, in contrast to those in Tab. 2, primary ratios without RAV and all data are given as arithmetic mean ± standard deviation. Slightly larger than glabrella, CS 808 ± 95 µm. Head much shorter than in species of similar size, CL/CW 1.030 ± 0.043. Postocular distance smaller than in species of similar size, PoOc/CL 0.383 ± 0.014. Anteromedian clypeal excision extremely shallow and very wide, ExCly/CS 3.78 ± 0.50 %, ExClyW 9.25 ± 2.08 %. Sum of pubescence hairs and smaller setae protruding a few microns across margin of clypeal excision low, nExCly 2.68 ± 1.16. Posterior margin of head in full face view in much more excavated than in other species of similar body size, ExOcc/CS 1.51 ± 0.89 %. Scape moderately long, SL/CS 0.989 ± 0.017. Minimum distance of the inner margins of antennal socket rings much wider than in other species of similar body size, dAN 0.322 ± 0.007. Eye medium-sized, EL/CS 0.267 ± 0.007. Metanotal groove moderately deep, MGr/CS 3.88 ± 0.84 %. Mesosoma moderately wide and long, MW/CS 0.678 ± 0.025, ML/CS 1.319 ± 0.026. Second funiculus segment very short, Fu2L/CS 12.47 ± 0.21 %, IFu2 1.455 ± 0.099. Seta condition, pubescence and pigmentation similar to T. erraticum .

Taxonomic comments. A view on Figs. 24–26 and Tab. 2 shows that this is one of the few Tapinoma species which cannot be confused.

Biology. In Crete, this species was observed in dry habitats such as sandy beach, stone walls in antic ruins, gardens. Nests have been seen in sun-exposed places, often simply in ground or under stones. Nest density seems to be weak. Workers were observed alone collecting dead arthropods, or forming tracks to collect mealybugs honeydew, even in the blazing sun. They show a strong tendency to flee when the nest is disturbed.

Figures

FIGURE 24. Tapinoma festae, head in full face view, Izmir-Konak / Turkey, 2013.05.17.

FIGURE 25. Tapinoma festae, lateral view, Izmir-Konak / Turkey, 2013.05.17.

FIGURE 26. Tapinoma festae, anterior head in dorsofronal view, Izmir-Konak / Turkey, 2013.05.17.