Formica tianshanica

Formica tianshanica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Formicini
Genus:	Formica
Species:	F. tianshanica
Binomial name
	Formica tianshanica; Seifert & Schultz, 2009 Specimen Labels

Apparently rare in regions with competing montane and subalpine Serviformica species as observed in the Tian Shan, Tarbagatay and Quin Ling Shan. In contrast, very abundant in the Bogda Shan where these competitors are missing, occupying here a wide altitudinal range from 1380 to 3010 metres. This correlates with variable habitat selection in Bogda Shan: it was found here in pastures of any kind above and below the tree line, in open rural areas, in clear-cuttings of former Picea forest, in habitat mosaics of grassland, Picea and Juniperus and in light Picea forests. (Seifert and Schultz 2009)

Identification

Seifert and Schultz (2009) - A member of the Formica rufibarbis group. The character combination and overall phenotypic impression of F. tianshanica is similar to that of Formica cunicularia and Formica persica, and we assume that these species are closely related allopatric and parapatric species. The discrimination, however, seems to be no problem, using a three class discriminant analysis. F. tianshanica is in no contact with F. persica but is sympatric with F. cunicularia in the Tarbagatay-Saur Mountains in East Kazakhstan. There seems to exist no reduction of interspecific phenotypic contrast in this sympatric region but the small sample size available does not allow to really discuss possible interspecific hybridisation.

Considerable morphological variation within the F. tianshanica population is apparently existing in the gynes: Two gynes from the Tian Shan and Tarbagatay differ from five gynes from the Bogda Shan by larger CS, smaller OceD / CS and EYE / CS, more voluminous mesosomas and lighter colour. The sparse information currently available does not allow to decide if these differences represent a gyne dimorphism (as for instance found in European Formica fusca) or indicate different allopatric species. Since there are no significant differences between the worker populations of Tian Shan and Bogda Shan, we provisionally assume a gyne polymorphism.

Keys including this Species

Key to Formica rufibarbis group

Distribution

Seifert and Schultz (2009) - Only known from mountain areas of the Turkestanian floristic subregion (Tian Shan, Tarbagatay-Saur, Bogda Shan). Range between 71° and 89° E and 42° and 47°N.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 47.357° to 42.25°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: China, Kyrgyzstan (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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.

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.

Biology

This species is a host for the ant Polyergus rufescens (a dulotic parasite) (Seifert, 2018; de la Mora et al., 2021).

Castes

Worker

Images from AntWeb


Holotype of Formica tianshanica. Worker. Specimen code antweb1008424. Photographer Roland Schultz, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by SMNG, Görlitz, Germany.

Nomenclature

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

tianshanica. Formica tianshanica Seifert & Schultz, 2009: 267, figs. 9, 16 (w.) KYRGIZSTAN.

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

Description

Worker

Small Serviformica species (CS 1.220 mm). Compared to Formica cunicularia, head more elongated (CL / CW1.4 1.143), scape slightly shorter (SL / CL1.4 1.057) and petiole narrower (PEW / CS1.4 0.434). Distance between lateral ocelli moderate (OceD / CS1.4 0.165), eyes rather large (EYE / CS1.4 0.299). Frontal triangle finely transversely rippled and with 25 - 40 short pubescence hairs. Eyes with microsetae of 7 - 12 μm maximum length. Total mean of unilateral setae numbers on different body parts predicted for a specimen with CS = 1.4 mm: pronotum 1.7, mesonotum 0.5, flexor profile of hind tibia 0.6. Petiole, posterior margin of head, propodeum, and dorsolateral metapleuron normally without setae. Ventral coxae and gaster tergites with long setae. Dorsal mesonotum in lateral aspect broadly convex. Metanotal depression of moderate depth. Propodeal dome in profile convex, the basal profile sometimes slightly concave, in smaller specimens more or less linear and horizontal. Dorsal crest of petiole in frontal view bluntly angled in smaller specimens to broadly convex in larger specimens in which the median portion is occasionally linear or weakly excavate. Petiole scale in lateral aspect slender, with convex anterior and more straight posterior profile. Gaster tergites with transverse microripples of a significantly larger distance than in F. cunicularia (RipD 6.2 μm, Fig. 16), increasing from West (W-Tianshan, E-Kazakhstan: 5.7 μm) to East (Bogda Shan: 6.5 μm). Dorsum of gaster covered by dense silvery pubescence (sqPDG 3.3). Pubescence on head, mesosoma and petiole less dense, ants appear mildly shining. Posterior vertex, sometimes dorsal promesonotum, coxae, and all appendages normally brown, gaster always dark brown. Other body parts more or less reddish, in the Bogda Shan population more yellowish-brown.

Type Material

Holotype worker plus 4 worker paratypes labelled “KIR: 42.4079°N, 73.7893°E Kap Tshigai valley, R.Schultz 1998.07.16-004” and “Holotype Formica tianshanica Seifert & Schultz” / “Paratype Formica tianshanica Seifert & Schultz”, SMN Görlitz; 3 mounted paratype workers and 10 paratype workers in ethanol, coll. RS.

Etymology

From Tian Shan, the region of the first finding.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
Seifert B., and R. Schultz. 2009. A taxonomic revision of the Formica rufibarbis Fabricius, 1793 group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecological News 12:255-272.