Aphaenogaster spinosa

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Aphaenogaster spinosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Aphaenogaster
Species group: testaceopilosa
Species: A. spinosa
Binomial name
Aphaenogaster spinosa
Emery, 1878

Aphaenogaster spinosa casent0280970 p 1 high.jpg

Aphaenogaster spinosa casent0280970 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Synonyms

Casevitz-Weulersse (1990a) calculated after an ecological survey from 234 samples in 189 localities, that A. spinosa is one of the most common epigeic ant species on the island of Corsica (France). The species is dominant in nearly every habitat, especially at altitudes below 400 m, but is also present above 1200 m. (Boer, 2013)

Identification

A member of the A. testaceopilosa group. Boer (2013) - The worker of Aphaenogaster semipolita resemble A. spinosa because of their body shine, but the two can easily be separated by the characters given in the key. These species are allopatric. Aphaenogaster spinosa most resembles Aphaenogaster iberica, especially because of the sturdy propodeal spines. Both species differ in the ratio between the SI and the CI. In both species, the degree of shiny parts varies greatly. For gynes and males see A. iberica.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Although this species is commonly collected, its distribution area is restricted to central Italy, along the Tyrrhenian Sea, Sardinia and Corsica (Rigato & Toni, 2011).

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 43.716667° to 39.35376374°.

 
North
Temperate 		North
Subtropical 		Tropical South
Subtropical 		South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: France (type locality), Italy (type locality), 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

Castes

Nomenclature

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

  • spinosa. Aphaenogaster testaceopilosa var. spinosa Emery, 1878b: 54 (footnote), fig. (w.) ITALY (Sardinia).
    • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
    • Type-locality: Italy: Sardinia I., S. Vito, Tacco Sant’Antonio (R. Gestro).
    • Type-depository: MSNG.
    • Emery, 1908c: 320 (q.m.).
    • Subspecies of testaceopilosa: Emery & Forel, 1879: 463; André, 1883b: 362; Emery, in Dalla Torre, 1893: 107 (footnote); Emery, 1908c: 320; Karavaiev, 1912a: 4; Krausse, 1912b: 163; Emery, 1915a: 257; Emery, 1916b: 131; Emery, 1921f: 63; Finzi, 1933: 162.
    • Status as species: Dalla Torre, 1893: 105; Bondroit, 1918: 162; Santschi, 1933c: 390; Santschi, 1934d: 273; Grandi, 1935: 99; Bernard, 1967: 133 (redescription); Baroni Urbani, 1969a: 326; Baroni Urbani, 1971c: 46; Baroni Urbani, 1971d: 1039; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987b: 269 (in key); Casevitz-Weulersse, 1990b: 150; Le Moli & Rosi, 1991: 29; Bolton, 1995b: 73; Poldi, et al. 1995: 3; Petrov, 2006: 89 (in key); Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009: 486; Boer, 2013: 85 (redescription); Borowiec, L. 2014: 18; Lebas, et al. 2016: 246.
    • Senior synonym of corsica: Boer, 2013: 85; Blatrix, et al. 2020: 426.
    • Senior synonym of etrusca: Boer, 2013: 85.
    • Senior synonym of nitida: Baroni Urbani, 1971d: 1039; Casevitz-Weulersse, 1990c: 435; Bolton, 1995b: 73; Boer, 2013: 85; Blatrix, et al. 2020: 427.
    • Senior synonym of romana: Baroni Urbani, 1971d: 1039; Bolton, 1995b: 73; Boer, 2013: 85.
    • Material of the nomen nudum corsica referred here by Baroni Urbani, 1971d: 1039; Bolton, 1995b: 73.
    • Distribution: France (Corsica), Italy (+ Sardinia), Switzerland.
  • corsica. Aphaenogaster corsica Casevitz-Weulersse, 2010: 5, pl. 1, figs. A,C,E (w.) FRANCE (Corsica).
    • Type-material: holotype worker, 7 paratype workers.
    • [Note: the author also mentions “6 males that were taken 27.ix.1973 close to the same nest”; these are listed separately from the type-material and are apparently not to be regarded as paratypes.]
    • Type-locality: holotype France: Corsica, vic. Belgodère, side of route N.197, 327 m., 42°35’09’’N, 9°01’01’’E, 28.ix.1973 (J. Casevitz-Weulersse); paratypes with same data.
    • Type-depository: MNHN.
    • Junior synonym of spinosa: Boer, 2013: 85; Blatrix, et al. 2020: 427.
  • etrusca. Aphaenogaster spinosa subsp. etrusca Baroni Urbani, 1969a: 328, fig. 1 (w.) ITALY.
    • Type-material: holotype worker, paratype workers (number not stated, “numerous”).
    • Type-locality: holotype Italy: Volterra (Pisa) (C. Baroni Urbani); paratypes with same data.
    • Type-depositories: NHMB (holotype); MSNV, NHMB (paratypes).
    • Subspecies of spinosa: Baroni Urbani, 1971c: 48; Bolton, 1995b: 69; Poldi, et al. 1995: 3.
    • Junior synonym of spinosa: Boer, 2013: 85.
  • nitida. Aphaenogaster testaceopilosa var. nitida Krausse, 1912b: 163.
    • [First available use of Stenamma (Aphaenogaster) testaceopilosum subsp. spinosum var. nitidum Emery, 1895b: 70 (in text) (w.) ITALY; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
    • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
    • Type-locality: Italy: nr Pisa (no collector’s name; probably C. Emery).
    • Type-depository: MSNG.
    • Finzi, 1933: 162 (m.).
    • As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Emery, 1908c: 321; Emery, 1915a: 257; Emery, 1915d: 74 (fig. caption); Emery, 1916b: 131; Emery, 1921f: 63; Finzi, 1933: 162; Baroni Urbani, 1971c: 46.
    • Subspecies of testaceopilosa: Finzi, 1924a: 13.
    • Subspecies of spinosa: Bondroit, 1918: 162; Santschi, 1933c: 390; Grandi, 1935: 99; Poldi, et al. 1995: 3 (error).
    • Junior synonym of spinosa: Baroni Urbani, 1971d: 1039; Casevitz-Weulersse, 1990b: 152; Bolton, 1995b: 71; Boer, 2013: 85; Blatrix, et al. 2020: 427.
  • romana. Aphaenogaster spinosa var. romana Santschi, 1933c: 390.
    • [First available use of Stenamma (Aphaenogaster) testaceopilosum subsp. spinosum var. romanum Emery, 1895b: 70 (in text) (w.) ITALY; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
    • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
    • Type-locality: Italy: Rome, Villa Borghese (no collector’s name; probably C. Emery).
    • Type-depository: MSNG.
    • As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Emery, 1908c: 321; Karavaiev, 1912a: 4; Emery, 1916b: 131; Emery, 1921f: 63; Baroni Urbani, 1971c: 47.
    • Junior synonym of spinosa: Baroni Urbani, 1971d: 1039; Bolton, 1995b: 72; Boer, 2013: 85.

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

Lateral sides of mesosoma with longitudinal rugulae. Rugulae on dorsum of pronotum and propodeum fine or absent. Head with longitudinal rugulae with some cross-connections, rugulae sometimes almost lacking especially on occiput and temples. Punctation on head (often absent on occiput and temples) and mesosoma. Occiput, temples, legs and lateral sides of petioles microreticulated. Terminal side of propodeum, beneath the propodeal spines smooth and shiny, sometimes transversely costulate. Dorsum of petioles smooth to weak rugulose and punctate. Dorsal side of postpetiole with longitudinal costulae which continue on first gastral tergite as microstriae; first gastral tergite may be smooth. Lateral side of temples, underside of head, terminal side of propodeum, beneath the propodeal spines, lateral sides of gaster and lateral sides of petioles shiny. Dorsal side of first gastral tergite matt to shiny. Ventral part of petioles wax gloss to shiny. Antennal club 4-segmented. Lateral shape of petiole with narrow, round top. Petiole equal in height as postpetiole or somewhat higher.

Measurements (n = 46). CI 74–84 (79); CL 1.27–1.59 (1.47) mm; CW 0.95–1.33 (1.14) mm; PHI 30–34 (31); PI 71–87 (79); PPPI 46–60 (52); PSI 177–267 (221); PSLWI 115–183 (141); PWI 22–25 (23); RPH 113–156 (132); RPSI 59–100 (77); SI 123–151 (138); SI/CI 146–201 (176); SL 1.36–1.75 (1.58) mm; SPD 1–3 (1.7); SPL 1–5 (2.3).

Queen

According to Emery (1908): Lateral sides of head shiny. Space between the rugulae on the thorax smooth and rather shiny.

Male

Rugulae are absent on the whole body. Partly striated on mesosomal dorsum. Head punctate, rest of body smooth or at least weakly punctate. Dorsum of gaster weakly microreticulate. Head glossy. Mesosoma and lateral sides of gaster shiny. Dorsum of gaster glossy. Antennal club 5-segmented. Pubescence on hind tibia and scape appressed to decumbent, their length about equal to diameter of tibia/scape. Scutellum erect above mesoscutum. Mandibles with one large apical tooth, 2 or 3 smaller teeth, and 2–3 denticles. Anterior and posterior half of propodeum makes a nearly right angle. A weak longitudinal groove between the two knobs at the terminal side of the propodeum.

Measurements (n = 6). CI 92–95 (93); CL 0.76–0.81(0.80) mm; CW: 0.72–0.78 (0.74) mm; EYI 39–43 (41); OCI 45–53 (50); SL/CL 48–52 (50); SL 0.41 mm.

Type Material

Holotype: France, Corsica: Region Belgodère, 27.ix.1973 (Casevitz-Weulersse), 1 worker holotype of A. corsica Casevitz-Weulersse and paratypes of the same date and location, 7 workers, 5 males. Syntypes: Italy, Sardinia: 1872, 5 workers (Vito & Gestro, Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Genoa); syntypes of A. spinosa etrusca: Italy, Volterra (Pisa), iv.1963, 8 workers and 30.v.1962, 2 workers (Baroni Urbani, BUMW).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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