Formica candida

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Formica candida
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Formicini
Genus: Formica
Species: F. candida
Binomial name
Formica candida
Smith, F., 1878

Formica candida casent0173328 profile 1.jpg

Formica candida casent0173328 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels


Common Name
Tsuya-kuroyama-ari
Language: Japanese

Formica candida nests in the soil under stones and near grass roots. Chromosome number 2n=52 (Imai, 1969) - different from other species of subgenus Serviformica, which have 2n=54 (Japanese Ant Image Database).

Identification

Within Japan this species is distinguished from other Formica species by the sparsity of pubescence on the dorsum of its first gastral tergite. Long white hairs are often seen on the ventral side of the head.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 56.15° to 27.433333°.

   
North
Temperate 		North
Subtropical 		Tropical South
Subtropical 		South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: India, Nepal.
Palaearctic Region: Albania, Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, China, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Japan, Kyrgyzstan (type locality), Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mongolia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

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

Foraging/Diet

Formica candida collect honeydew. Novgorodova (2015b) investigated ant-aphid interactions of a dozen honeydew collecting ant species in Western Siberia pine and aspen-birch-pine forests (54°7´N, 83°06´E, 200 m, Novosibirsk) and mixed-grass-cereal steppes with aspen-birch groves (53°44´N, 78°02´E, 110 m, near Karasuk) in the Novosibirsk Region and coniferous forests in the northeastern Altai (north end of Lake Teletskoe, 51°48´N, 87°17´E, 434 m). All of the ants studied had workers that showed high fidelity to attending particular aphid colonies, i.e, individual foragers that collect honeydew tend to return to the same location, and group of aphids, every time they leave the nest. F. candida showed some specialization beyond this in larger colonies (<1,000 workers). Some ants specialized on attending specific aphid colonies and primarily guarding the aphids from potential enemies. F. candida tended Symydobius oblongus (Heyden) and Aphis craccivora Koch.

Association with Other Organisms

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  • This species is a host for the ant Formica brunneonitida (a temporary parasite) (Seifert & Schultz, 2021).
  • This species is a host for the ant Formica pisarskii (a temporary parasite) (Seifert & Schultz, 2021).
  • This species is a host for the ant Formica sanguinea (a dulotic parasite).
  • This species is a host for the ant Polyergus nigerrimus (a dulotic parasite) (Trager, 2013; de la Mora et al., 2021).

Castes

Images from AntWeb

Formica candida casent0173330 head 1.jpgFormica candida casent0173330 profile 1.jpgFormica candida casent0173330 dorsal 1.jpgFormica candida casent0173330 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0173330. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Formica candida casent0173332 head 1.jpgFormica candida casent0173332 profile 1.jpgFormica candida casent0173332 dorsal 1.jpgFormica candida casent0173332 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0173332. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Formica candida casent0173334 head 1.jpgFormica candida casent0173334 profile 1.jpgFormica candida casent0173334 dorsal 1.jpgFormica candida casent0173334 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0173334. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Formica candida casent0173336 head 1.jpgFormica candida casent0173336 profile 1.jpgFormica candida casent0173336 dorsal 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0173336. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Nomenclature

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

  • candida. Formica candida Smith, F. 1878b: 11 (q.) KYRGYZSTAN. [Smith's description is repeated by Bingham, 1903: 335 (footnote).] Probable synonym of picea Nylander: Emery, 1925b: 249. Junior synonym of picea Nylander: Dlussky, 1967a: 61. Hence candida first available replacement name for Formica picea Nylander, 1846a: 917 [Junior primary homonym of Formica picea Leach, 1825: 292 (now in Camponotus).]: Bolton, 1995b: 192. Valid species, not synonymous with picea Nylander: Seifert, 2004: 35. Current subspecies: nominal plus formosae.

Description

Worker

Seifert (2004): Mean size smaller than Serviformica average: CS 1.240 mm. Head and scape shorter than in the next related species, i.e. F. picea, F. gagatoides and F. kozlovi: CL / CW1.4 1.101, SL / CS1.4 1.010 (Tab. 2). Frontal triangle as shining as the adjacent surfaces. Cuticular surface of head, mesosoma and gaster, as result of strongly reduced pubescence and very weak microsculpture, very shining; a denser pubescence is usually developed only on propodeum and petiole. On dorsal surface of first gaster tergite, average distance of transverse microripples 7.7 µm (RipD) and of pubescence hairs 113 µm (PDG). Clypeus, procoxae, ventral parts of meso- and metacoxae and all ventral and dorsal gaster sclerites with quite numerous and very long erect setae. Seen in lateral profile, hind vertex with 3 - 7 and central vertex with 2 - 8 setae. Both sides of pronotum usually with 2 - 16 and of mesonotum with 1 - 9 long, erect setae. Propodeum and petiole scale only very occasionally with single short and weak setae. Flexor sides of both hind tibiae with a sum of 0 - 5 semierect to subdecumbent setae. Petiole scale variable, its dorsal margin in frontal view fully convex or with a straight or concave median part; scale in lateral view not very thick and with a tapering apex. An average colouration pattern is: head, mesosoma, coxae and gaster blackish brown; appendages lighter, mandibles light to dark reddish brown. Slightly lighter or darker specimens may occur.

For morphometric details of 117 worker specimens see Tab. 1


Smith (1878): Shining black; the mandibles, antennae, and legs ferruginous; the latter slightly fuscous above, as are also a few of the apical joints of the flagellum above. The head, the width of the thorax; the clypeus with a sharp central carina; the front area semiopaque; the mandibles stout, and with longitudinal punctures. The metathorax semiopaque, and with a fine cinereous pile, which also covers the squama, legs, and thorax on the sides and beneath. Abdomen oblong-ovate, very smooth and shining, and with a sprinkling of pale hairs at the apex; the extreme apex pale testaceous.


Karyotype

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  • n = 6, 2n = 52 (Japan) (Imai, 1969) (as F. picea).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Antonov I. A. 2013. Ant Assemblages (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Cities of the Temperate Zone of Eurasia. Russian Journal of Ecology 44(6): 523–526.
  • Dubovikoff D. A., and Z. M. Yusupov. 2018. Family Formicidae - Ants. In Belokobylskij S. A. and A. S. Lelej: Annotated catalogue of the Hymenoptera of Russia. Proceedingss of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences 6: 197-210.
  • Fowles, A.P. 1996. A provisional checklist of the invertebrates recorded from Wales. 2. Aculeate wasps, bees and ants (Hymenoptera: Aculeata). Countryside Council for Wales
  • Gratiashvili N., Barjadze S. 2008. Checklist of the ants (Formicidae Latreille, 1809) of Georgia. Proceedings of the Institute of Zoology (Tbilisi) 23: 130-146.
  • Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
  • Hua Li-zhong. 2006. List of Chinese insects Vol. IV. Pages 262-273. Sun Yat-sen university Press, Guangzhou. 539 pages.
  • Kim B.J. 1996. Synonymic list and distribution of Formicidae (Hymenoptera) in Korea. Entomological Research Bulletin Supplement 169-196.
  • Lelej A. S. 2012. Annotated catalogue of the Insects of Russian Far East. Volume 1. Hymenoptera. Dalnauka: Vladivostok. 635 p.
  • Liu X. 2012. Taxonomy, diversity and spatial distribution characters of the ant family Formicidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) in southeastern Tibet. PhD Thesis 139 pages
  • Liu X., Z. H. Xu, X. Y. Zhou, N. N. Yu, and C. L. Zhang. 2011. Ant communities of West slope of Mount Demula and Bomi Valley in Southeastern Tibet. Forest Research 24(4): 458-463.
  • Liu X., Z. Xu, C. Zhang, N. Yu, and G. Xu. 2012. Distribution patterns of ants from West slope of Mount Demula and Bomi Valley in Southeastern Tibet. Journal of Northwest Forestry University 27(4): 77-82.
  • Liu X., Z. Xu, X. Zhou, N. Yu, and C. Zhang. 2011. Ant Communities of West Slope of Mount Demula and Bomi Valley in Southeastern Tibet. Forest Research 24(4): 458-463.
  • Liu X., Z.-H. Xu, C.-L. Zhang, N.-N., and G.-L. 2011. Distribution patterns of ants from West Slope of Mount Demula and Bomi Valley in southeastern Tibet. Journal of Northwest Forestry University 27(4): 77-82.
  • Mo F., Z. Xu, Y. Song, C. Li, and Q. He. 2015. Ant communities in Yadong section of Mt. Himalaya. Journal of Nanjing Forestry University 39(3): 85-90.
  • Petrov I. Z., B. Petrov, D. Milicic, T. Karan-Znidarsic. 2007. Contribution to the Myrmecofauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of East and South Serbia. Acta Zoologica Bulgarica 59(3): 295-299.
  • Radchenko, A. 2005. Monographic revision of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of North Korea. Annales Zoologici (Warsaw) 55: 127-221.
  • Radchenko, A. 2005. Monographic revision of the ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of North Korea. Annales Zoologici 55(2): 127-221.
  • Ran H., and S. Y. Zhou. 2012. Checklist of chinese ants: formicomorph subfamilies (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) II. Journal of Guangxi Normal University: Natural Science Edition 30(4): 81-91.
  • Schultz, R., A. G. Radchenko, and B. Seifert. "A critical checklist of the ants of Kyrgyzstan (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)." Myrmecologische Nachrichten 8 (2006): 201-207.
  • Seifert, B.. "The "Black Bog Ant" Formica picea Nylander, 1846 a species different from Formica candida Smith, 1878 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)." Myrmecologische Nachrichten 6 (2004): 29-38.
  • Shlyakhtenok A. S. 2007. Hymenoptera Aculeata of Raised Bogs in Belarus. Entomological Review 87(2): 136–147.
  • Terayama M., S. Kubota, and K. Eguchi. 2014. Encyclopedia of Japanese ants. Asakura Shoten: Tokyo, 278 pp.
  • Terayama. M. 2004. Geological and ecological distribution of Japanese ants communities. (translated from Japanese) Reports of the Saitama Prefecture Animal Research Association. 48:24
  • Tie Ru, and Xu Sheng-quan. 2005. Ant species list in central part of Mt Qinling. Sichuan Journal of Zoology 24(1): 46.
  • Vesni? A. 2011: Revidirani sistematski prijegled mrava Bosne i Hercegovine. Unutar : S. Lelo (urednik), Fauna Bosne i Hercegovine – Biosistematski pregledi. 7. izmijenjeno i popravljeno interno izdanje Udruženja za inventarizaciju i zaštitu životinja, Ilijaš, Kanton Sarajevo, pp: 205-207.
  • Xia Yongjuan, and Zheng Zhemin. 1997. A survey of Formicidae form Xinjiang. Journal of Shaanxi Normal University 25(2): 64-66.
  • Xu Z., J. Chu, C Zhang, and N. Yu. 2011. Ant species and distribution pattern in Gongbo Nature Reserve in Southeastern Tibet. Sichuan Journal of Zoology 30(1): 118-123.
  • Xu Z., J. Chu, C. Zhang, and N. Yu. 2011. Ant Species and D istribution Pattern in GongboNature Reserve in Southeastern T ibet. Sichuan Journal of Zoology 30(1): 118-123.
  • Yoshimura M., T. Hirata, A. Nakajima, and K. Onoyama. 2003. Ants found in scats and pellets taken from the nests of the Japanese Wryneck Jynx torquilla japonica. Ornithol. Sci. 2: 127-131.
  • Yu N., Z. Xu, C. Zhang, J. Chu, B. Yang, and X. Liu. 2011. Distribution patterns of ant species from Mount Sejila, southeastern Tibet. Journal of Beijing Forestry University 33(5): 75-80.
  • Yu N., Z. Xu, C. Zhang, J. Chu, B. Yang, and X. Liu. 2011. Distribution patterns of ant species from mount Sejila, southeastern Tibet. Journal of Beijing Forestry University 33(5): 75-80
  • Zhang C., Z. Xu, N. Yu, Q. He, and X. Liu. 2012. Distribution Patterns of Ant Species on East Slope of Mount Demola and Zayu Valley in Southeastern Tibet. Journal of Northeast Forestry University 40(3): 87-92
  • Zhigulskaya Z. A. 2009. The ants of the Chuya Depression and the Yustyd river basin in Southeastern Altai. Contemporary Problems of Ecology 2009 2(3): 210-215.
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