Cataglyphis bombycina

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Cataglyphis bombycina
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Formicini
Genus: Cataglyphis
Species: C. bombycina
Binomial name
Cataglyphis bombycina
(Roger, 1859)

Cataglyphis bombycinus casent0102114 profile 1.jpg

Cataglyphis bombycinus casent0102114 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

Subspecies
Synonyms

The ‘‘silver ant’’ of the Sahara, the Sinai and the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula, this species has a polymorphic caste of workers and a monomorphic soldier caste.

Identification

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 36.802778° to 21.568056°.

     
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Mali, Saudi Arabia.
Palaearctic Region: Algeria, Israel, Libya (type locality), Tunisia.

Distribution based on AntMaps

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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


Behaviour of workers around nest entrances, and exit of a soldier. Filmed in Djerba, Tunisia by Philipp Hönle.

Leniaud et al. (2015) - The silver ant is common in the sand dunes of North Africa. This species has a polymorphic caste of workers and a monomorphic soldier caste. Colonies are large, with a widespread network of galleries, and queens and soldiers are usually located in the deeper parts of the nest. In mature colonies, soldiers represent only 1–2 % of the work force (S.Aron, pers. obs.). C. bombycina colonies are headed by a single queen that is mated with several males (Leniaud et al. 2013). The 2015 study examined the potential influence of genetics on caste determination. Reconstructing paternal genotypes from worker pedigree, they found that queens in the study population (Merzouga) had mated with 6–14 males. This is almost twice as high as the 5.7 males previously reported in the population of Amerzgane (Leniaud et al. 2013).

The contribution of each father in offspring production varied in all colonies, with some patrilines contributing up to 10 times more to worker and soldier progeny than other patrilines. In 2 of 7 colonies examined, the propensity to develop into the worker or soldier caste varied significantly between patrilines. Across all colonies, most patrilines produced both workers and soldiers. Collectively the results suggested a moderate genotypic influence to soldier caste determination in the silver ant. Environmental influences, especially trophic factors are believed to remain as the major determinant of caste determination.

In Merzouga, the ants live in the extremely dry sand dunes of Saharan desert. Colonies extend several meters deep and are exceptionally populous for the genus. In contrast, Amerzgane is a rugged area along the Atlas Mountains foothills; it receives more rainfall, nourishing wadis and valleys. The population occupies an old wadi facing south, and colonies are much smaller than in Merzouga.

Castes

C. bombycina dealate queen, minor worker and soldier. From Mauritania. Photo by Patrick Landmann.

Unlike most other species in this genus, C. bombycina has large soldiers characterized by saber-shaped mandibles occurring together with winged queens and size-polymorphic workers. Molet et al. (2014) used morphometrics to show that the soldier caste exhibits a mosaic phenotype, i.e. combining queen and worker traits. Soldiers appear to function both for defense (specialized mandibles) and food storage (big abdomen).

Ovaries of a soldier of C. bombycina, showing 10 ovarioles and presumed trophic eggs. The empty spermatheca can be seen lower right. Photo by Christian Peeters.

Nomenclature

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

  • bombycina. Formica bombycina Roger, 1859: 232, pl. 7, fig. 1 (s.w.q.m.) LIBYA, EGYPT, SUDAN (“Tripolis, Aegypten, Nubien und am rothen Meer”).
    • [Misspelled as bombicinus by Menozzi, 1934: 157.]
    • Athias-Henriot, 1947: 249 (l.).
    • Combination in Cataglyphis: Mayr, 1862: 701; Emery, 1912f: 98;
    • combination in Myrmecocystus: Emery, 1891b: 17;
    • combination in Myrmecocystus (Cataglyphis): Santschi, 1910f: 234;
    • combination in Cataglyphis (Machaeromyrma): Forel, 1916: 441; Emery, 1925b: 267.
    • Status as species: Mayr, 1862: 701; Mayr, 1863: 402; Roger, 1863b: 12; Mayr, 1877: 20 (in list); Emery, 1878b: 48; André, 1882b: 168 (in key); Emery, 1884a: 377; Forel, 1886f: 205; Emery, 1891b: 17; Dalla Torre, 1893: 216; Forel, 1895d: 232; Forel, 1902a: 156; Forel, 1903b: 453; Mayr, 1904b: 11; Emery, 1906d: 59; Forel, 1909e: 387; Santschi, 1910f: 234; Karavaiev, 1912a: 17; Wheeler, W.M. & Mann, 1916: 173; Stitz, 1917: 349; Viehmeyer, 1923: 93; Emery, 1925b: 267; Menozzi, 1927g: 381; Santschi, 1929b: 30; Santschi, 1929c: 106; Santschi, 1929g 166; Santschi, 1932f: 518; Menozzi, 1932c: 95; Menozzi, 1932e: 454; Menozzi, 1934: 157; Santschi, 1934b: 34; Santschi, 1934f: 175; Finzi, 1936: 193; Santschi, 1936e: 82; Santschi, 1938a: 43; Menozzi, 1940: 271; Finzi, 1940: 165; Donisthorpe, 1942a: 33; Athias-Henriot, 1947: 249; Donisthorpe, 1947e: 111; Bernard, 1948: 164; Bernard, 1953a: 206; Délye, 1960: 261; Cagniant, 1964: 93; Hamann & Klemm, 1967: 419; Kugler, J. 1981: 87 (in key); Kugler, J. 1988: 259; Agosti, 1990b: 1484; Bolton, 1995b: 134; Radchenko, 1997c: 435; Radchenko, 1998: 502 (in key); Cagniant, 2006a: 194; Cagniant, 2009: 48; Vonshak, et al. 2009: 39; Legakis, 2011: 34; Borowiec, L. 2014: 53 (see note in bibliogrpahy).
    • Senior synonym of lameerei: Cagniant, 2006a: 194 (by implication).
    • Senior synonym of lucasi: Cagniant, 2006a: 194.
    • Senior synonym of phaeogaster: Dalla Torre, 1893: 217; Emery, 1925b: 267; Agosti, 1990b: 1484; Bolton, 1995b: 134.
    • Current subspecies: nominal plus bruneipes, sinaitica.
  • lameerei. Myrmecocystus lameerei Forel, 1902a: 156 (w.q.) ALGERIA.
    • Junior synonym of lucasi: Emery, in Forel, 1902g: 463; Emery, 1925b: 266; Santschi, 1929b: 54; Bernard, 1953a: 202; Agosti, 1990b: 1485; Bolton, 1995b: 136.
    • Junior synonym of bombycina: Cagniant, 2006a: 194 (by implication).
  • lucasi. Myrmecocystus lucasi Emery, 1898c: 147 (w.) TUNISIA.
    • Bernard, 1953a: 203 (m.).
    • Combination in Cataglyphis: Emery, 1912f: 104;
    • combination in C. (Machaeromyrma): Santschi, 1929b: 30.
    • Status as species: Emery, 1906d: 60; Emery, 1925b: 266; Santschi, 1929b: 60 (in key); Bernard, 1948: 164; Bernard, 1953a: 202; Agosti, 1990b: 1485; Bolton, 1995b: 136; Borowiec, L. 2014: 57 (error).
    • Junior synonym of bombycina: Cagniant, 2006a: 194.
  • phaeogaster. Camponotus phaeogaster Walker, 1871: 10 (w.) “ARABIA (Wady Ferran)”.
    • Junior synonym of bombycina: Dalla Torre, 1893: 217; Emery, 1925b: 267; Agosti, 1990b: 1484; Bolton, 1995b: 136.

Description

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Agosti D. 1990. Review and reclassification of Cataglyphis (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Journal of Natural History 24: 1457-1505.
  • Agosti, D. 1990. Review and reclassification of Cataglyphis (Hymentopera: Formicidae) . Journal of Natural History 24:1457-1505.
  • Barech G., M. Khaldi, S. Ziane, A. Zedam, S. Doumadji, M. Sharaf, and X. Espadaler. 2016. A first checklist and diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the saline dry lake Chott El Hodna in Algeria, a Ramsar Conservation Wetland. African Entomology 24(1): 143–152.
  • Bernard F. 1953. Les fourmis du Tassili des Ajjer. Pp. 121-250 in: Bernard, F. (ed.) 1953. Mission scientifique au Tassili des Ajjer (1949). Volume I. Recherches zoologiques et médicales. Paris: P. Lechevalier, 302 pp.
  • Bernard, F.. "Les insectes sociaux du Fezzân. Comportement et biogéographie." En: Bernard, F., Peyerimhoff, P. de Mission sc (1948): 87-200.
  • Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
  • Cagniant H. 2009. Le genre Cataglyphis Foerster, 1850 au Maroc (Hyménoptères Formicidae). Orsis 24: 41-71.
  • Cagniant, H.. "Liste actualisee des fourmis du Maroc (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)." Myrmecologische Nachrichten 8 (2006): 193-200.
  • Cagniant, H.. "Étude de quelques fourmis marocaines. Statistique provisoire des Formicidae du Maroc." Bulletin de la Société d' Histoire naturelle de l' Afrique du Nord 53 (1964): 83-118.
  • Chemala A., M. Benhamacha, D. M. Ould el Hadj, F. Marniche, and S. Daoudi. 2017. A preliminary list of the ant fauna in Northeastern Sahara of Algeria (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology 64(2): 146-154.
  • Delye, G., and J. L. Bonaric. "Fourmis du sud Marocain." Etude de certains milieux du Maroc et de leux evolution recente RCP 249 (1973).
  • Donisthorpe H. 1942. The Formicidae (Hym.) of the Armstrong College Expedition to the Siwa Oasis. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (11)9: 26-33.
  • Donisthorpe H. 1947. Results of the Armstrong College Expedition to Siwa Oasis (Libyan Desert), 1935: A second list of the Formicidae (Hymenoptera). Bulletin de la Société Fouad Ier d'Entomologie 31: 109-111.
  • Délye G. 1960. Fourmis du Tassili des Ajjer. Bulletin de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle de l'Afrique du Nord 51: 259-272.
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  • Délye, G., and J. C. Bonaric. "Les fourmis arenicoles du sud marocain (Hym. formicidae)." Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France 3 (1973): 107-110.
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  • IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection
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