Formica fukaii

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Formica fukaii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Formicini
Genus: Formica
Subgenus: Coptoformica
Species: F. fukaii
Binomial name
Formica fukaii
Wheeler, W.M., 1914

Formica fukaii casent0906310 p 1 high.jpg

Formica fukaii casent0906310 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels


Common Name
Tsuno-akayama-ari
Language: Japanese

Queens usually construct founding nests singly, but in some cases they are temporary parasites of Formica japonica (Kubota & Kondoh, 1954; Hayashida, 1963) or Formica lemani (Yamaoka, 1977). Formica fukaii builds small mounds of dead grass and attends aphids and scale insects (Teranishi, 1934; Kono & Sugihara, 1939). It is the most westerly distributed of the red-colored Japanese Formica species, with many records from the Chugoku District. The westernmost collections are from Hiroshima and Tottori prefectures (Japanese Ant Image Database).

At a Glance • Temporary parasite  

Identification

Seifert (2000) - All Japanese material, including four worker syntypes from MCZ Cambridge, labelled “Saitama, Japan Formica exsecta var. fukai Syntypes, MCZ Cotype 23247”, clearly differs from Formica exsecta and Formica mesasiatica by constant absence of setae from first (workers) or first and second gaster tergites (queens), by the reduced coxal pilosity, by the complete reduction of setae in median and caudal parts of clypeus, and by the frequent reduction of setae in the ocellar region. The frontal and gastral pubescence distance is extremely low in both workers and queens and achieves in the latter caste values not found in other species. Agosti gave as pubescence density on median part of second gaster tergite 2295 hairs/mm2 for a fukaii queen but only 1348 hairs/mm2 as upper extreme for eight measured exsecta queens. The complete reduction of standing promesonotal setae in the fukaii queens is another differential character.

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 42.9096° to 34.7775°.

   
North
Temperate 		North
Subtropical 		Tropical South
Subtropical 		South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: China, Japan (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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Biology

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.

As a member of the subgenus Coptoformica, this species can establish nests independently or by invading the nests of Formica japonica or Formica lemani.

This species is a host for the ant Polyergus samurai (a slave maker) (Trager, 2013; de la Mora et al., 2021) (a relatively rare host).

Castes

Nomenclature

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

  • fukaii. Formica exsecta var. fukaii Wheeler, W.M. 1914a: 26 (w.) JAPAN. Kupyanskaya, 1990: 201 (q.m.). Raised to species: Sonobe & Dlussky, 1977: 23. [Misspelled as fukali by Emery, 1925b: 257 and as fukalii by Wu, 1990: 5.] See also: Seifert, 2000a: 533.

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

Description

Worker

Seifert (2000) - Very large (CL 1481 ± 40, 1418-1548; CW 1413 ± 49, 1343-1486). Head shape similar to exsecta (CL/CW 1.048 ± 0.012, 1.025-1.063). Scape very long (SL/CL 1.046 ± 0.018, 1.018-1.071). Standing setae on clypeus restricted to the anterior part (ClySet 1.83 ± 0.39,1-2). Lateral semierect setae in the ocellar triangle rarely present (OceSet 33%). Eye hairs always strongly developed (EyeHL 28.5 ± 2.8, 25-34). Pubescence in the occellar triangle always very dense (sqrtPDF 4.02 ± 0.31, 3.65-4.90). Craniad profile of forecoxae only exceptionally with single apical setae (nCOXA 0.08 ± 0.29, 0-1). Lateral metapleuron and ventrolateral propodeum without standing setae (nMET 0.0 ± 0.0). Outer edge of the hind tibial flexor side hairy (nHTFL 7.20 ± 2.33, 1.0-10.0). First gaster tergite always without standing setae (TERG 2.75 ± 0.45, 2-3). Pubescence distance on first gaster tergite extremely low (sqrtPDG 3.93 ± 0.13, 3.68-4.16).

Queen

Seifert (2000) - Very large (CL 1672, CW 1707, ML 2948). Head broad (CL/CW 0.979), scape long (SL/CL 0.967). Clypeus only in anterior part with setae. Lateral semierect setae in the ocellar triangle absent. Eye hairs long and numerous (EyeHL 46). Pubescence in the occellar triangle extremely dense (sqrtPDF 3.11). Occipital corners of head only with short decumbent hairs (OccHD 15). Brilliance of dorsal head surface intermediate (GLANZ 2.0). Craniad profile of forecoxae without or only single apical setae (nCOXA 0-1). Promesonotum without standing setae (MnHL 0). Outer edge of the hind tibial flexor side with several setae (nHTFL 7.0). Semierect setae on gaster tergites beginning on the third tergite (TERG 3.0). Pubescence distance on first gaster tergite extremely low (sqrtPDG 3.23).

Type Material

Saitama, Japan. Syntypes 4 workers (Museum of Comparative Zoology) [investigated].

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Hayashida K. 1964. Studies on the ecological distribution of ants in Kutchan and its adjacent area. Journal of the Sapporo Otani Junior College 2: 107-129.
  • Ichinose K. 1990. The Ant Fauna of the Tomakomai Experiment Forest, Hokkaido University (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with Notes on the Nuptial Season. Research Bulletins of College Experiment Forests 47(1) 137-144.
  • Kupianskaia A.N. 1990. Murav'I (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) Dal'nego Vostoka SSSR (1989). Vladivostok. 258 pages.
  • Li Z.h. 2006. List of Chinese Insects. Volume 4. Sun Yat-sen University Press
  • 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, 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.
  • Morisita M. 1945. Ants of the southern part of Hokkaido, Japan. [In Japanese.] Mushi 16:21-28. 
  • Sonobe, R.; Dlussky, G. M. 1977. On two ant species of the genus Formica (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from Japan. Kontyû 45:24
  • Sonobe, R.; Dlussky, G. M. 1977. On two ant species of the genus Formica (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from Japan. Kontyû 45:25
  • Tamura H., Y. Nakamura, K. Yamauchi, and T. Fujikawa. 1969. An ecological survey of soil fauna in Hidaka-Mombetsu, Southern Hokkaido. Journal of the Faculty of Science Hokkaido University, Zoology 17(1): 17-57.
  • Terayama M. 1992. Structure of ant communities in East Asia. A. Regional differences and species richness. Bulletin of the Bio-geographical Society of Japan 47: 1-31.
  • Terayama M., K. Ogata, and B.M. Choi. 1994. Distribution records of ants in 47 prefectures of Japan. Ari (report of the Myrmecologists Society of Japan) 18: 5-17.
  • Teruyama. M. 1988. Ant fauna of Saitama Prefecture, Japan. ARI Reports of the Myrmecologists Society (Japan) 16: 4-13
  • Wu J. and Wang C.. 1995. The ants of China. China Forestry Publishing House, Beijing. 214 pp.
  • Yamauchi K. 1968. Additional Notes on the Ecological Distribution of Ants in Sapporo and the Vicinity . Journal of the Faculty of Science Hokaido University, series VI, Zoology 16(3): 382-395.
  • Yoshimura M. 2000. Ants in the island of Hokkaido (Part 3, Part ???) Ants from Islands in Hokkaido, Northern Japan (No. 3, Teuri Island). Rishiri Studies 19: 27-35.
  • 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
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