Myrmica lobulicornis

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Myrmica lobulicornis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Myrmicini
Genus: Myrmica
Species: M. lobulicornis
Binomial name
Myrmica lobulicornis
Nylander, 1857

MCZ-ENT00028806 Myrmica lobicornis subsp. apeninina had.jpg

MCZ-ENT00028806 Myrmica lobicornis subsp. apennina hal.jpg

Specimen Label

Synonyms

Like the taxonomy, the ecology of Myrmica lobicornis and M. lobulicornis has been confounded and little can be added to the information given for M. lobicornis. In our experience, M. lobulicornis lives in more open habitats than M. lobicornis, often being found under stones and having generally larger colonies. It is a slightly less cryptic forager than M. lobicornis (see notes on ecology of that species) and forages among the stems of the vegetation more similar to the mode of foraging of sympatric Myrmica scabrinodis.

At a Glance • Limited invasive  

Identification

Radchenko and Elmes (2010) – A member of the lobicornis complex of the lobicornis species group and strongly resembles Myrmica lobicornis, differing mainly by its wider frons (mean PI 0.34 vs 0.28), its generally smaller scape-lobes and more southerly, montane distribution in Europe. In Europe, together with M. lobicornis, it comprises a complex of closely related species and infraspecific forms.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 46.68900813° to 42.481111°.

 
North
Temperate 		North
Subtropical 		Tropical South
Subtropical 		South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: Andorra, Austria, Canary Islands, France (type locality), Iberian Peninsula, Italy, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland.

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.
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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.
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Biology

Flight Period

X X X
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Source: antkeeping.info.

Association with Other Organisms

Explore-icon.png Explore: Show all Associate data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.

This species is a host for the ant Myrmica myrmicoxena (a workerless inquiline).

Other Insects

This ant has been associated with a butterfly species that has recently been recognized to be two species: Polyommatus icarus and Polyommatus celin. Presently it is unclear if this association is between M. lobulicornis and one or the other of these species, or both (Obregon et al. 2015).

Castes

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Myrmica lobulicornis H casent0904066.jpgMyrmica lobulicornis P casent0904066.jpgMyrmica lobulicornis D casent0904066.jpgMyrmica lobulicornis L casent0904066.jpg
Specimen code casent0904066.jpg. .

Nomenclature

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

  • lobulicornis. Myrmica lobicornis var. lobulicornis Nylander, 1857: lxxix (w.) FRANCE. Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 193 (q.m.). Raised to species: Bondroit, 1920a: 151. Subspecies of lobicornis: Emery, 1921f: 38; Weber, 1948a: 287. Junior synonym of lobicornis: Bernard, 1967: 122; Seifert, 1988b: 38. Revived from synonymy, revived status as species and senior synonym of alpina, appenina, pyrenaea: Seifert, 2005: 6. See also: Radchenko, 2007: 29; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 191.
  • pyrenaea. Myrmica arduennae var. pyrenaea Bondroit, 1918: 106, fig. 53 (w.) FRANCE. Raised to species: Bondroit, 1920a: 151. Subspecies of lobicornis: Finzi, 1926: 108; Santschi, 1931b: 350. Junior synonym of lobicornis: Seifert, 1988b: 38; of lobulicornis: Seifert, 2005: 6.
  • alpina. Myrmica lobicornis subsp. alpina Stärcke, 1927: 80, figs. 1, 3 (w.q.) ITALY. Junior synonym of lobicornis: Bernard, 1967: 122; Seifert, 1988b: 38; of lobulicornis: Seifert, 2005: 6.
  • apennina. Myrmica lobicornis subsp. apennina Stärcke, 1927: 82, fig. 1 (w.) ITALY. Junior synonym of lobicornis: Seifert, 1988b: 38; of lobulicornis: Seifert, 2005: 6.

Description

Queen

Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - Relatively small (HW ≤ 1.10, AL < 1.90 mm). Generally, like the worker by all main diagnostic features. Typically the scape bend has a small dentiform lobe and petiolar node is not strongly angled (seen in profile); the frons is somewhat relatively wider than that of the workers

Male

Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - Head slightly longer than broad, with weakly convex sides and more convex occipital margin, and moderately rounded occipital corners; anterior clypeal margin slightly convex and distinctly notched medially. Antennal scape quite long (SI1 > 0.75, SI2 > 0.80), strongly curved at the base (similar to that of Myrmica lobicornis), antennae 13-segmented, with 5-segmented club; second funicular segment approximately l.3 times longer than third one. Alitrunk relatively long, scutum slightly convex, scutellum does not project dorsally above scutum when seen in profile. Propodeum with blunt, thick subtriangular teeth. Petiole with short peduncle, although distinctly longer than height, its anterior surface straight and node dorsum widely rounded; postpetiole higher than long, with weakly convex dorsum.

Head dorsum densely though not coarsely punctated, central part of clypeus almost smooth, appearing shiny. Frons with longitudinal rugae, temples with fine reticulation. Scutum mostly smooth and shiny, only its central part posteriorly to Mayrian furrows with a few quite coarse longitudinal rugae, scutellum and propodeal dorsum coarsely longitudinally rugose. Sides of alitrunk longitudinally rugulose or rugose. Petiolar node very finely punctated, but appears shiny, postpetiole smooth and shiny.

Head margins and mandibles with numerous, relatively long, slightly curved erect hairs. Alitrunk with somewhat sparser hairs, waist and gaster with abundant standing hairs. Scape with abundant erect to suberect hairs, the longest hairs sub-equal to the maximum scape width. Tibiae and tarsi with relatively short sub decumbent hairs. Body colour dark brown; appendages somewhat lighter.

Etymology

Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - combination of Greek (lobos) = lobe [of ear] with diminutive suffix ulus and Latin cornis (adj) F horned or antlered, to describe the relatively small vertical lobe or projection on the bend of the scape.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • AntArea. Accessed on February 5th 2014 at http://antarea.fr/fourmi/
  • Antarea (at www.antarea.fr on June 11th 2017)
  • Arnan X., M. Gracia, L. Comas, and J. Retana. 2009. Forest management conditioning ground ant community structure and composition in temperate conifer forests in the Pyrenees Mountains. Forest Ecology and Management 258(2): 51–59.
  • Asociacion Iberica de Mirmecologia. 2011. List of species collected during the Taxomara Lisboa 2011. Iberomyrmex 3: 30-31.
  • Bernadou A., V. Fourcassié, and X. Espadaler. 2013. A preliminary checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Andorra. Zookeys 277: 13-23.
  • Bernadou A., X. Espadaler, A. Le Goff, and V. Fourcassie. 2015. Ant community organization along elevational gradients in a temperate ecosystem. Insect. Soc. 62:59–71
  • Bernadou, A., G. Latil, V. Fourcassié, and X. Espadaler. "Les formigues de la Vall del Madriu-Perafita-Claror : diversitat i distribució." Hàbitats, 13 (2006): 10-21.
  • Blatrix R., C. Lebas, C. Galkowski, P. Wegnez, P. Pimenta, and D. Morichon. 2016. Vegetation cover and elevation drive diversity and composition of ant communities (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in a Mediterranean ecosystem. – Myrmecological News 22: 119-127.
  • Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
  • Bracko G. 2007. Checklist of the ants of Slovenia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Natura Sloveniae 9: 15-24
  • Casevitz-Weulersse J., and C. Galkowski. 2009. Liste actualisee des Fourmis de France (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Bull. Soc. Entomol. Fr. 114: 475-510.
  • Espadaler X., X. Roig, K. Gómez, and F. García. 2011. Formigues de les Planes de Son i mata de València (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) Treballs de la Institució Catalana d'Història Natural 16: 609-627.
  • Finzi B. 1926. Le forme europee del genere Myrmica Latr. Primo contributo. Bollettino della Società Adriatica di Scienze Naturali in Trieste. 29: 71-119.
  • Glaser F. 2009. Die Ameisen des Fürstentums Liechtenstein. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Amtlicher Lehrmittelverlag, Vaduz, 2009 (Naturkundliche Forschung im Fürstentum Liechtenstein; Bd. 26).
  • Glaser, F., M. J. Lush, and B. Seifert. "Rediscovered after 140 years at two localities: Myrmica myrmicoxena Forel, 1895 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)." Myrmecological News 14 (2010): 107-111.
  • Jansen G., R. Savolainen, K. Vespalainen. 2010. Phylogeny, divergence-time estimation, biogeography and social parasite–host relationships of the Holarctic ant genusMyrmica(Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 56: 294-304.
  • Lebas C., C. Galkowski, P. Wegnez, X. Espadaler, and R. Blatrix. 2015. The exceptional diversity of ants on mount Coronat (Pyrénées-Orientales), and Temnothorax gredosi(Hymenoptera, Formicidae) new to France. R.A.R.E., T. XXIV (1): 24 – 33
  • Neumeyer R., and B. Seifert. 2005. Commented check list of free living ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) species of Switzerland. Bulletin de la Societe Entomologique Suisse 78: 1-17.
  • Radchenko A. G. 2007. The ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in the collection of William Nylander. Fragmenta Faunistica (Warsaw) 50: 27-41.
  • Radchenko A. G., and G. W. Elmes. 2010. Myrmica ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Old World. Fauna Mundi 3. Warsaw: Natura Optima Dux Foundation, 790 pp.
  • Santschi F. 1931. Notes sur le genre Myrmica (Latreille). Revue Suisse de Zoologie 38: 335-355.
  • Schifani E., and A. Alicata. 2018. Exploring the myrmecofauna of Sicily: thirty-two new ant species recorded, including six new to Italy and many new aliens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Polish Journal of Entomology 87 (4): 323–348.
  • Weber N. A. 1948. A revision of the North American ants of the genus Myrmica Latreille with a synopsis of the Palearctic species. II. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 41: 267-308.
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