Aphaenogaster iberica

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Aphaenogaster iberica
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Aphaenogaster
Species group: testaceopilosa
Species: A. iberica
Binomial name
Aphaenogaster iberica
Emery, 1908

Aphaenogaster iberica casent0280966 p 1 high.jpg

Aphaenogaster iberica casent0280966 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Synonyms

Gonçalves et al (2017) found Aphaenogaster iberica to be abundant in the Iberian vineyards they sampled (pitfall trapping).

At a Glance • Limited invasive  

Identification

A member of the A. testaceopilosa group. The only species which resembles A. iberica is Aphaenogaster spinosa. Workers of A. spinosa are shinier and with smaller SI/CI. According to the description of Emery (1908) A. spinosa gynes are smooth and shiny on the lateral sides of the head, instead of matt, as in A. iberica. The scape of the male is shorter SL/CL < 43, than in A. spinosa >48. (Boer 2013)

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 42.5333° to 33.416667°.

   
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Gibraltar, Iberian Peninsula, Portugal, Spain (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

AntMapLegend.png

Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
pChart

Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
pChart

Biology

Castes

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • iberica. Aphaenogaster testaceopilosa subsp. iberica Emery, 1908c: 321, fig. 10 (w.m.) SPAIN.
    • Subspecies of testaceopilosa: Forel, 1909c: 104; Emery, 1921f: 63; Emery, 1924c: 164; Santschi, 1931a: 3; Santschi, 1932c: 70; Ceballos, 1956: 299.
    • Status as species: Bondroit, 1918: 162; Santschi, 1933c: 390; Collingwood & Yarrow, 1969: 61; Collingwood, 1978: 80 (in key); Barquin Diez, 1981: 74; Espadaler & Riasol, 1983: 226; Hohmann, et al. 1993: 146; Bolton, 1995b: 70; Espadaler, 1997b: 29; Collingwood & Prince, 1998: 13 (in key); Gómez & Espadler, 2006: 226; Boer, 2013: 75 (redescription); Borowiec, L. 2014: 13; Lebas, et al. 2016: 246; Gómez, et al. 2018: 221 (in key).
    • Senior synonym of angusta: Espadaler & Riasol, 1983: 226; Bolton, 1995b: 70; Boer, 2013: 76.
    • Senior synonym of conica: Viehmeyer, 1922: 205; Santschi, 1925g: 341; Ceballos, 1956: 299; Collingwood, 1978: 67; Espadaler & Riasol, 1983: 226; Bolton, 1995b: 70.
    • Senior synonym of vieirai: Espadaler & Riasol, 1983: 226; Bolton, 1995b: 70; Boer, 2013: 76.
  • angusta. Aphaenogaster angusta Santschi, 1925g: 340, fig. 1 (w.) SPAIN.
    • Status as species: Ceballos, 1956: 297; Collingwood & Yarrow, 1969: 62; Collingwood, 1978: 80 (in key).
    • Junior synonym of iberica: Espadaler, 1983: 226; Bolton, 1995b: 68; Boer, 2013: 76.
  • conica. Aphaenogaster conica Viehmeyer, 1914b: 40 (w.) SPAIN.
    • [Misspelled as ionica by Collingwood, 1978: 67.]
    • Status as species: Emery, 1921f: 62.
    • Junior synonym of iberica: Viehmeyer, 1922: 205; Santschi, 1925g: 341; Ceballos, 1956: 299; Collingwood, 1978: 67; Espadaler & Riasol, 1983: 226; Bolton, 1995b: 69.
  • vieirai. Aphaenogaster iberica var. vieirai Santschi, 1933c: 390.
    • [First available use of Aphaenogaster testaceopilosa subsp. iberica var. vieirai Emery, 1908c: 321 (w.m.) PORTUGAL; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
    • As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Emery, 1921f: 63.
    • Junior synonym of iberica: Espadaler & Riasol, 1983: 226; Bolton, 1995b: 74; Boer, 2013: 76.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Boer (2013) :

Worker

Rugulose sculpture on dorsal side of pronotum fine, longitudinal or transverse or scabriculous, on propodeum absent or with transverse rugulae. Lateral sides of mesosoma with fine longitudinal rugulae or absent. Head with longitudinal rugulae and with some cross-connections, occiput mainly ruguloreticulated. Terminal side of propodeum, beneath the propodeal spines and petioles microreticulated. Postpetiole with fine longitudinal (seldom transverse) microstriae which continue on first gastral tergite. Dorsum of first gastral tergite with or without microstriae. Lateral side of temple and underside of head shiny satin. Terminal side of propodeum, beneath the propodeal spines and petiole glossy. Dorsal side of postpetiolus matt to glossy. Pronotum and dorsal side of gaster satin to moderately glossy. Lateral sides of gaster shiny satin to shiny. Occiput close to the collared edge shiny, rest of the head largely matt. Antennal club 4-segmented. Lateral shape of petiole with rounded to oval top. Petiole somewhat higher than postpetiole. Setosity mainly on propodeum and anterior side of fore coxa somewhat longer than those on the frontal side of the head, rest of the mesosoma, gaster and underside of the head.

Measurements (n = 30). CI 60–76 (71); CL 1.35–2.02 (1.59) mm; CW 0.95–1.50 (1.15) mm; PHI 27–37 (33); PI 67–85 (77); PPPI: 47–69 (54); PSI 133–250 (202); PSLWI 105–186 (138); PWI 20–25 (23); RPH 118–173 (144); RPSI 27–107 (70); SI 147–175 (161); SI/CI 196–277 (227); SL 1.55–2.14 (1.79) mm; SPD 1–3 (1.4); SPL 1–4 (1.7).

Queen

Rugulae on lateral and dorsal parts of mesosoma. Longitudinal rugulae on clypeus. Head anterior to the occiput with longitudinal rugulae without or with cross-connections, occiput ruguloreticulated. Ventral to the propodeal spines smooth. Transverse rugulae on dorsal pronotum and propodeum. Punctation distinct on the head, weak to very weak on the mesosoma and petioles. Transverse microstriae near base of first gastral tergite. Anterior side of petiole smooth. Mesoscutum matt glossy, dorsal side of gaster satin. Mesosoma, petiole and gaster matt to glossy. Antennal club 4-segmented. Scape longitudinally rugulose. Wings with a brownish tint. Scutellum rises above mesoscutum and does not bend over metanotum.

Measurements (n = 5). CI 79–82 (80); CL 1.59–1.77 (1.70) mm; CW 1.30–1.41 (1.38) mm; OCI 28–31 (30); PHI 42–44 (43); PI 65–73 (70); PPPI 67–75 (70); PSI 193–236 (223); PSLWI: 108–145 (126); PWI 28–31 (30); RPH 134–159 (151); RPSI 54–81 (70); SI 123–131 (128); SI/CI 152–166 (159); SL 1.59–1.84 (1.75) mm; SPL 4–5 (4.8).

Male

Weak or no rugulose sculpture on mesonotum. If there are propodeal projections, than rugulae are present between them. Punctation on head (partly), pronotum, mesoscutum, scutellum, lateral sides of mesosoma and petioles. Microstriae on base of dorsal side of first gastral tergite. Clypeus smooth. Head, pronotum, mesoscutum, scutellum, lateral sides of mesosoma and petioles matt. Dorsal side of propodeum and gaster satin to wax glossy. Antennal club 5-segmented. Pubescence on scape and hind tibia appressed to decumbent, their length shorter than the diameter of the scape/tibia. Scutellum erected above mesoscutum, bent over metanotum. Frontal midline weak or absent. A transverse groove in the middle of the propodeal dorsum. Posterior part of propodeum raised, forming two knobs or triangular projections, with longitudinal groove in between.

Measurements (n = 4). CI 88–96 (92); CL 0.73–0.89 (0.81) mm; CW 0.70–0.78 (0.74) mm; EYI 40–45 (43); OCI 41–46 (44); SL/CL 40–43 (42); SL 0.32–0.38 (0.34) mm.

Karyotype

  • n = 17, 2n = 34, karyotype = 6M+4SM+8ST+16T (Spain) (Palomeque et al., 1993a; Palomeque et al., 1993b; Lorite et al., 2000) (ocurrence of supernumery chromosome segment).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Abril S., and C. Gomez. 2013. Rapid assessment of ant assemblages in public pine forests of the central Iberian Peninsula. Forest Ecology and Management 293: 79–84.
  • Acosta, F. J., M. D. Martínez Ibáñez, and M. A. Morales. "Contribución al conocimiento de la mirmecofauna del encinar peninsular. I." Boletín de la Asociación Española de Entomología 6 (2) (1983): 379-391.
  • Acosta, F. J. Las comunidades de hormigas en las etapas seriales del encinar. Madrid: Universidad Complutense, 1980.
  • Asociacion Iberica de Mirmecologia. 2011. List of species collected during the Taxomara Lisboa 2010. Iberomyrmex 3: 32-33.
  • Asociacion Iberica de Mirmecologia. 2012. List of species collected during the Taxomara Tres Cantos 2012. Iberomyrmex 4: 17-18.
  • Asociacion Iberica de Mirmecologia. 2013. List of species collected during the Taxomara 2013. Iberomyrmex 4: 35-36.
  • Asociacion Iberica de Mirmecologia. 2016. List of species collected during the Taxomara Murcia 2016. Iberomyrmex 8: 48-49.
  • Azcarate F. M., and B. Peco. 2012. Abandonment of grazing in a mediterranean grassland area: consequences for ant assemblages. Insect Conservation and Diversity 5: 279–288.
  • Boer P. 2013. Revision of the European ants of the Aphaenogaster testaceopilosa-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 156: 57-93.
  • Bondroit, J. "Les fourmis de France et de Belgique." Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 87 (1918): 1-174.
  • Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
  • Borowiec L., and S. Salata. 2017. New records of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from southern Portugal. Acta Entomologica Silesiana 25(3): 1-10.
  • Cagniant H., and A. Ledoux. 1974. Nouvelle description d'Aphaenogaster senilis sur des exemplaires de la région de Banyuls-sur-Mer (P.-O.), France. Vie et Milieu. Série C. Biologie Terrestre 24: 97-110.
  • Cammell, M. E., M. J. Way, and M. R. Paiva. "Diversity and structure of ant communities associated with oak, pine, eucalyptus and arable habitats in Portugal." Insectes Sociaux 43 (1996): 37-46.
  • Carpintero S., J. Reyes-Lopes, and G. M. Luque. 2011. Ant community structure under Retama sphaerocarpa shrubs in a semi-arid environment. Entomological Science 14: 147–153.
  • Catarineu C., G. G. Barbera, and J. L. Reyes-Lopez. 2017. A new ant species, Temnothorax ansei sp. N. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the arid environments of South-eastern Spain. Sociobiology 64(2): 138-145.
  • Collingwood C., and A. Prince. 1998. A guide to ants of continental Portugal (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Boletim da Sociedade Portuguesa de Entomologia. Suplemento 5: 1-49.
  • Collingwood, C. A., and I. H. H. Yarrow. "A survey of Iberian Formicidae." EOS (Revista española de entomología) 44 (1969): 53-101.
  • Emery, C. "Beiträge zur Monographie der Formiciden des paläarktischen Faunengebietes. (Hym.) (Fortsetzung.) III. Die mit Aphaenogaster verwandte Gattungengruppe." Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 1908 (1908): 305-338.
  • Espadaler, X., and J. M. Riasol. "Distribución, variabilidad y sinonimias en Aphaenogaster iberica Emery, 1908 y dos adiciones a la fauna ibérica." Actas del I Congreso Ibérico de Entomología I (1983): 219-228.
  • Espadaler, X., and J. Reyes-López. "Dos nuevas localidades para una (¿rara?) hormiga endémica ibérica,Temnothorax blascoi (Espadaler, 1997) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)." Boletín de la Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa 42 (2008): 449-450.
  • Espadaler, X. "Formicidos de las sierras de Cazorla, del Pozo y Segura (Jaén, España)." Ecología 11 (1997): 489-499.
  • Garcia Garcia F., and A. D. Cuesta-Esgura. 2017. First catalogue of the ants of Burgos province, Spain (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Boletín de la Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa 60: 245–258.
  • Gomez K., D. Martinez, and X. Espadaler. 2018. Phylogeny of the ant genus Aphaenogaster (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Iberian Peninsula, with the description of a new species. Sociobiology 65: 215-224.
  • González Martín J. D., and X. Espadaler. 2011. Formicidos del País Vasco (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Nuevas aportaciones. Heteropterus Revista de Entomologia 11(1): 109-122.
  • Gonçalves M. F., and J. A. Pereira. 2012. Abundance and diversity of soil arthropods in the olive grove ecosystem. Journal of Insect Science 12:20 available online: insectscience.org/12.20
  • Gómez C., and S. Abril. 2011. Selective logging in public pine forests of the central Iberian Peninsula: Effects of the recovery process on ant assemblages Forest Ecology and Management 262: 1061-1066.
  • Hernandez Cuba O., J. L. Perez-Bote, and J. M. Garcia Jimenez. 2006. Los formicidos (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) del Parque Natural de Cornaldo (suroeste de la Peninsula Iberica). Boletin Sociedad Entomologica Aragonesa 38: 356-358.
  • Martínez Ibáñez, M. D., and A. Tinaut. "Nuevas especies de formícidos (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) para la Sierra de Albarracín (Teruel)." Real Sociedad Española de Historia Natural Tomo extra (1996): 174-177.
  • Martínez Ibáñez, M. D., and X. Espadaler. "Revisión de las hormigas ibéricas de la colección M. Medina y nuevos datos de distribución." Actas de las VIII Jornadas de la Asociación Española de Entomología (1986): 1022-1034.
  • Morillo C. 1981. Inventario y fenologia de los Formicidae de un encinar de Espana central. Rev. Ecol. Biol. Sol. 18(2): 243-251.
  • Nieves-Aldrey J. L., F. Fontal-Cazalla, A. M. Garrido-Torres, and C. Rey del Castillo. 2003. Inventorio de Hymenoptera (Hexapoda) en el ventorrillo: un rico enclave de biodiversidad en la Sierra de Guadarrama (Espana Central). Graellsia 59(2-3): 25-43.
  • Ordóñez-Urbano C., J. Reyes-López, and S. Carpintero-Ortega. 2007. Estudio faunísidos de los formícidos (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) asociados a los bosques de ribera en la Provincia de Córdoba (España). Primeras Aportaciones. Boletin Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa 40: 367-375.
  • Ortiz, F. J., and A. Tinaut. "Introducción al conocimiento de las hormigas de la provincia de Almería." Publicaciones del Instituto de Estudios Almerienses. Boletín (Ciencias) 8 (1988): 223-231.
  • Ortiz, F. J. "Formícidos del litoral granadino." Memoria de Licenciatura Universida (1985): 206 pp.
  • Pascual, M. R. "Estudio taxonómico y ecológico de los Formícidos de las Sierras de Alfacar, La Yedra, Huétor y Harana." Tesis Doctoral Universida (1986): 264 pp.
  • Reyes-Lopez J., S. Carpintero. 2014. Comparison of the exotic and native ant communities (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in urban green areas at inland, coastal and insular sites in Spain. Eur. J. Entomol. 111(3): 421–428.
  • Reyes-López J., S. Carpintero-Ortega, and E. Retamoza-Muñoz. 2010. Adiciones a la relación de especies de hormigas (Hym., Formicidae) del Parque Natural del Cabo de Gata- Níjar (Almería, España) Boletín de la Asociación Española de Entomología 34: 67-76.
  • Reyes-López, J., J. López-Tirado, and R. Obregón-Romero. "Nuevas citas de hormigas parásitas y esclavistas (Hym., Formicidae) para Sierra Mágina (Andalucía)." Boletín de la Asociación Española de Entomología 35, no. 3-4 (2011): 497-501.
  • Rodríguez, A. "Contribución al conocimiento de las hormigas (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) de Sierra Morena Central." Boletín de la Asociación Española de Entomología 5 (1982): 181-188.
  • Ruiz Heras P., M. D. Martinez Ibanez, F. J. Cabrero-Sanudo, and M. A. Vazquez Martinez. 2011. Primeros datos de Formícidos (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) en parques urbanos de Madrid. Boletín de la Asociación española de Entomología, 35(1-2): 87-106.
  • Salgueiro, J. "Primeiros registros de Formicídeos (Hymenoptera) para dúas áreas protegidas portuguesas. Adiçao de duas novas especies á mirmecofauna de Portugal." Boletín de la Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa 32 (2003): 109-110.
  • Sanchez-Gil Jimeno R., and J. L. Reyes-Lopez. 2016. Study of ants species of the Sierra de San Carlos del Valle (Ciudad Real) and updating the provincial check list (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Boln. Asoc. esp. Ent. 40 (1-2): 93-109.
  • Santos S. A. P., J. E. Cabanas, and J. A. Pereira. 2007. Abundance and diversity of soil arthropods in olive grove ecosystem (Portugal): Effect of pitfall trap type. European Journal of Soil Biology 43: 77-83.
  • Santschi F. 1925. Fourmis d'Espagne et autres espéces paléartiques EOS (Revista española de entomología) 1: 339-360.
  • Santschi, F. "Liste de fourmis d'Espagne recueilliés par Mr. J. M. Dusmet." Boletín de la Sociedad Entomológica de España 15 (1932): 69-74.
  • Schmitz, H. "Ein Verzeichnis portugiesischer Ameisen (Formicidae, Hymenoptera)." Brotéria Ser. Cienc. Nat. 24 (1955): 27-37.
  • Tinaut A. 2016. Ants of the Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama Mountains Natural Park (Andalusia, Spain) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Boln. Asoc. esp. Ent., 40 (1-2): 125-159.
  • Tinaut A., O. Mira, J. M. Vidal, and A. Aguirre-Segura. 2009. The ants of Cabo de Gata (Almería). Faunistics aspects (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Boln. Asoc. esp. Ent., 33 (1-2): 227-251.
  • Tinaut A., and F. J. Ortiz. 1988. Introduccion al conocimiento de las hormigas de la provincia de Almeria (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Publicaciones del Instituto de Estudios Almerienses. Boletín (Ciencias) 8: 223-231.
  • Tinaut, A., J. Jiménez Rojas, and R. Pascual. "Estudio de la mirmecofauna de los bosques de Quercus Linneo 1753 de la provincia de Granada." Ecología 8 (1995): 429-438.
  • Tinaut, A. "Descripción del macho de Aphaenogaster cardenai Espadaler, 1981." Miscellanea Zoologica 9 (1986): 245-249.
  • Trigos Peral G., and J. L. Reyes-Lopez. 2015. New record of Temnothorax algiricus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from the Iberian Peninsula and ten additional new records for the ant fauna from Málaga, with preliminary list of species from Natural Park Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara y Alhama (Andalusia, Spain). Boln. Asoc. esp. Ent. 39 (3-4): 411-416.
  • Viehmeyer H. 1914. Neue und unvollständig bekannte Ameisen der alten Welt. Archiv für Naturgeschichte (A)79(12): 24-60.
  • de Haro, Andrés, and C. A. Collingwood. "Prospección mirmecológica en la Cordillera Ibérica." Orsis 6 (1991): 129-126.
  • de Haro, Andrés, and C. A. Collingwood. "Prospección mirmecológica por Andalucia." Boletín de la Estación Central de Ecología 6 (12) (1977): 85-90.
  • de Haro, Andrés, and C. A. Collingwood. "Prospección mirmecológica por las sierras de Aitana-Alfaro y los cabos de la Nao-San Antonio (Alicante) y su comparación con la fauna balear y de Córcega-Cerdeña." Orsis 3 (1988): 165-172.
  • de Haro, Andrés. "Formícidos del Valle de las Batuecas y parte occidental de la Cordillera Central (Salamanca)." Boletín de la Real Sociedad Española de Historia natural (Madrid) 72 (1974): 229-235.