Dolichoderus taschenbergi

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Dolichoderus taschenbergi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Dolichoderinae
Tribe: Dolichoderini
Genus: Dolichoderus
Species: D. taschenbergi
Binomial name
Dolichoderus taschenbergi
(Mayr, 1866)

Dolichoderus taschenbergi casent0005172 profile 1.jpg

Dolichoderus taschenbergi casent0005172 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen Label

Synonyms

These ants form large colonies with numerous foraging trails to nearby vegetation where works collect a variety of prey items and attend homopterans for honeydew. Nests are often at the base of a tree or shrub with thatched plant fibers mixed with soil and roots.

Photo Gallery

  • Worker.
  • Worker and dealate queen. Photo by Tom Murray.
  • Dealate queen. Photo by Tom Murray.

Identification

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Nova Scotia, Canada westward to Manitoba and North Dakota. Southward, the ant reaches both North and South Carolina and is also known from Mississippi.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 53.991° to 33.001°.

   
North
Temperate 		North
Subtropical 		Tropical South
Subtropical 		South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Nearctic Region: Canada, United States (type locality).

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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Abundance

The southern records are particularly spotty and the species is clearly more abundant in the northern part of its range.

Biology

D. taschenbergi workers. May 2019, Rhode Island. Photograph by Robert D. Kenney.
D. taschenbergi workers. May 2019, Rhode Island. Photograph by Robert D. Kenney.

In the spring, workers of this species will form a mass of ants in exposed areas to warm themselves. This can help them to jump-start their spring time activites as they emerge from their long winter estivation.

Flight Period

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

Nomenclature

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

  • taschenbergi. Hypoclinea taschenbergi Mayr, 1866a: 498 (w.) U.S.A. Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1951: 173 (l.); Mackay, 1993b: 100 (q.m.). Combination in Dolichoderus: Mayr, 1886d: 437; in D. (Hypoclinea): Emery, 1894c: 229. Senior synonym of aterrimus: Creighton, 1950a: 336; of the unnecessary replacement name wheeleriella: Smith, M.R. 1951a: 834. See also: Wheeler, G.C & Wheeler, J. 1966: 728; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1416; Francoeur & Elias, 1985: 303; Johnson, C. 1989a: 4; Mackay, 1993b: 99; Shattuck, 1994: 69.
  • gagates. Dolichoderus taschenbergi var. gagates Wheeler, W.M. 1905d: 310 (w.) U.S.A. [Junior primary homonym of gagates Emery, above.] Replacement name (first): aterrimus Wheeler, W.M. 1915b: 417. Replacement name (second, unnecessary): wheeleriella Forel, 1916: 458.
  • aterrimus. Dolichoderus (Hypoclinea) taschenbergi var. aterrimus Wheeler, W.M. 1915b: 417. Replacement name for gagates Wheeler, W.M. 1905d: 310. [Junior primary homonym of gagates Emery, 1890a: 69.] Junior synonym of taschenbergi: Creighton, 1950a: 336.
  • wheeleriella. Dolichoderus taschenbergi var. wheeleriella Forel, 1916: 458. Unnecessary (second) replacement name for gagates Wheeler, W.M. 1905d: 310. Junior synonym of taschenbergi: Smith, M.R. 1951a: 834.

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

Description

Worker

Johnson (1989) - The insect is basically a concolorous dark often blackish ant. The mandibles and antennae are light brown; head, alitrunk, legs and petiole dark brownish-black. The gaster is dark brown but somewhat less so than head and alitrunk. Again color is interpreted widely; Wheeler (1905a) described a group of individuals as "...sparkles like a mass of jet beads".

Structurally, a fine granulation sculptures the head particularly behind the eyes where distinct but shallow foveolae also occur. A similarly delicate granulation or punctation sculptures the pronotum. The fine sculpture and dark color generally reduce reflectivity of head and pronotum to a dull sheen. A more strongly developed granulation exists on the mesonotum plus fine, longitudinal striations The stronger granulation continues over the propodeum with distinct depressions. The mesonotum and propodeum are essentially opaque reflecting little or no light. The integument of petiole and especially gaster is smooth and shining in strong light. There are a few erect hairs usually on head and occasionally a hair (rarely 2 or 3) on anterior of pronotum and 1 or 2 hairs occasionally on the first segment of the gaster. These hairs are shorter in length and much less numerous than observed in D. pustulatus or especially in D. plagiatus and D. species A. No erect hairs on scapes. In dorsal view, length and width of the propodeum are approximately equal, a characteristic of this species. The integument within concavity of the declivous face of the propodeum is granulate and opaque though lighter in color than surrounding cuticle.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Canadensys Database. Dowloaded on 5th February 2014 at http://www.canadensys.net/
  • Choate B., and F. A. Drummond. 2012. Ant Diversity and Distribution (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Throughout Maine Lowbush Blueberry Fields in Hancock and Washington Counties. Environ. Entomol. 41(2): 222-232.
  • Choate B., and F. A. Drummond. 2013. The influence of insecticides and vegetation in structuring Formica Mound ant communities (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Maine lowbush blueberry. Environ. Entomol. 41(2): 222-232.
  • Clark Adam. Personal communication on November 25th 2013.
  • Cole A. C., Jr. 1949. The ants of Mountain Lake, Virginia. Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science 24: 155-156.
  • Coovert G. A. 2005. The Ants of Ohio (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Ohio Biological Survey, Inc. 15(2): 1-207.
  • Coovert, G.A. 2005. The Ants of Ohio (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Ohio Biological Survey Bulletin New Series Volume 15(2):1-196
  • Dash S. T. and L. M. Hooper-Bui. 2008. Species diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Louisiana. Conservation Biology and Biodiversity. 101: 1056-1066
  • Davis W. T., and J. Bequaert. 1922. An annoted list of the ants of Staten Island and Long Island, N. Y. Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society 17(1): 1-25.
  • Del Toro, I. 2010. PERSONAL COMMUNICATION. MUSEUM RECORDS COLLATED BY ISRAEL DEL TORO
  • Dennis C. A. 1938. The distribution of ant species in Tennessee with reference to ecological factors. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 31: 267-308.
  • Diethe, O. 1995. A Dolichoderus taschenbergi Queen Found in a Polygynous Colony of D. plagiatus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Psyche 102(3-4):147-150.
  • Drummond F. A., A. M. llison, E. Groden, and G. D. Ouellette. 2012. The ants (Formicidae). In Biodiversity of the Schoodic Peninsula: Results of the Insect and Arachnid Bioblitzes at the Schoodic District of Acadia National Park, Maine. Maine Agricultural and forest experiment station, The University of Maine, Technical Bulletin 206. 217 pages
  • Emery C. 1895. Beiträge zur Kenntniss der nordamerikanischen Ameisenfauna. (Schluss). Zoologische Jahrbücher. Abteilung für Systematik, Geographie und Biologie der Tiere 8: 257-360.
  • Francoeur A., and S. A. Elias. 1985. Dolichoderus taschenbergi Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from an early Holocene fossil insect assemblage in the Colorado Front Range. Psyche (Camb.) 92: 303-307.
  • Glasier J. R. N., J. H. Acorn, S. E. Nielsen, and H. Proctor. 2013. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Alberta: A key to species based primarily on the worker caste. Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification 22: 1-104.
  • Glasier J. R. N., S. E. Nielsen, J. Acorn, and J. Pinzon. 2019. Boreal sand hills are areas of high diversity for Boreal ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Diversity 11, 22; doi:10.3390/d11020022.
  • Guénard B., K. A. Mccaffrey, A. Lucky, and R. R. Dunn. 2012. Ants of North Carolina: an updated list (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 3552: 1-36.
  • Ivanov, K. 2019. The ants of Ohio (Hymenoptera, Formicidae): an updated checklist. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 70: 65–87.
  • Ivanov K., L. Hightower, S. T. Dash, and J. B. Keiper. 2019. 150 years in the making: first comprehensive list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Virginia, USA. Zootaxa 4554 (2): 532–560.
  • Kansas State Entomology Collection. Dowloaded the 30th of May 2011 at http://biodis.k-state.edu/collections/entomology/
  • Letendre M., A. Francoeur, R. Beique, and J.-G. Pilon. 1971. Inventaire des fourmis de la Station de Biologie de l'Universite de Montreal, St-Hippolyte, Quebec (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Le Naturaliste Canadien 98(4): 591-606.
  • Lubertazi, D. Personal Communication. Specimen Data from Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard
  • Lynch J. F. 1988. An annotated checklist and key to the species of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Chesapeake Bay region. The Maryland Naturalist 31: 61-106
  • MacGown, J.A. and JV.G. Hill. Ants of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Tennessee and North Carolina).
  • Menke, S.B. Personal Communication. Field Museum Specimen Data
  • Merle W. W. 1939. An Annotated List of the Ants of Maine (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Entomological News. 50: 161-165
  • Ortius D. 1995. A Dolichoderus taschenbergi queen found in a polygynous colony of D. plagiatus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Psyche 102: 147-150.
  • Ouellette G. D., F. A. Drummond, B. Choate and E. Groden. 2010. Ant diversity and distribution in Acadia National Park, Maine. Environmental Entomology 39: 1447-1556
  • Paiero, S.M. and S.A. Marshall. 2006. Bruce Peninsula Species list . Online resource accessed 12 March 2012
  • Piers H. 1922. List of a small collection of ants (Formicidae) obtained in Queen's County, Nova Scotia, by the late Walter H. Prest. Proceedings and Transactions of the Nova Scotian Institute of Science, 15(4), 169-173.
  • Prest W. H., and H. Piers. 1922. List of a Small Collection of Ants (Formicidae) obtained in Queen's County, Nova Scotia. Nova Scotian Institute of Science 15(4): 169-173.
  • Procter W. 1938. Biological survey of the Mount Desert Region. Part VI. The insect fauna. Philadelphia: Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology, 496 pp.
  • Talbot M. 1976. A list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Edwin S. George Reserve, Livingston County, Michigan. Great Lakes Entomologist 8: 245-246.
  • Van Pelt A., and J. B. Gentry. 1985. The ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Savannah River Plant, South Carolina. Dept. Energy, Savannah River Ecology Lab., Aiken, SC., Report SRO-NERP-14, 56 p.
  • Warren, L.O. and E.P. Rouse. 1969. The Ants of Arkansas. Bulletin of the Agricultural Experiment Station 742:1-67
  • Wesson L. G., and R. G. Wesson. 1940. A collection of ants from southcentral Ohio. American Midland Naturalist 24: 89-103.
  • Wheeler G. C., J. N. Wheeler, and P. B. Kannowski. 1994. Checklist of the ants of Michigan (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The Great Lakes Entomologist 26(4): 297-310
  • Wheeler G. C., and E. W. Wheeler. 1944. Ants of North Dakota. North Dakota Historical Quarterly 11:231-271.
  • Wheeler G. C., and J. Wheeler. 1987. A Checklist of the Ants of South Dakota. Prairie Nat. 19(3): 199-208.
  • Wheeler W. M. 1905. Ants from the summit of Mount Washington. Psyche (Cambridge) 12: 111-114.
  • Wheeler W. M. 1905. The North American ants of the genus Dolichoderus. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 21: 305-319.
  • Wheeler W. M. 1908. The ants of Casco Bay, Maine, with observations on two races of Formica sanguinea Latreille. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 24: 619-645.
  • Wheeler, G.C., J. Wheeler and P.B. Kannowski. 1994. CHECKLIST OF THE ANTS OF MICHIGAN (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE). Great Lakes Entomologist 26:1:297-310
  • Wheeler, G.C., J. Wheeler, T.D. Galloway and G.L. Ayre. 1989. A list of the ants of Manitoba. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Manitoba 45:34-49
  • Wing M. W. 1939. An annotated list of the ants of Maine (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Entomological News 50:161-165.
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