Myrmica lampra

Myrmica lampra
Conservation status
	; Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Myrmicini
Genus:	Myrmica
Species:	M. lampra
Binomial name
	Myrmica lampra; Francoeur, 1968

This parasite was discovered as part of a September 1965 ant biodiversity study in the southeastern portion of the Parc des Laurentides (now Grands-Jardins National Park) in Quebec. A queen and male were found in a Myrmica alaskensis nest.

At a Glance

• Workerless Inquiline

Identification

One of two known parasites of Myrmica alaskensis. Both parasites are only known from queens and males. Francoeur (1984) provided a couplet for distinguishing M. lampra from the other parasite, Myrmica quebecensis

Key to species of the lampra group

1. Ocular index < 26 (eye diameter x 100/head width). Propodeal spines well developed, as long as or longer than one-half the distance which separates their bases. Body bicolored, reddish or yellowish brown. Female habitus . . . . . 2

Ocular index >30. Propodeal spines reduced, as long as or shorter than one-third the distance which separates their bases. Concolorous body, dark to blackish brown. Male habitus . . . . . 3

2. Petiolar sternum with a median keel protruded anteriorly into an angular lobe. Anterior margin of clypeus angulo-convex. Eyes with long reclinate hairs. Fine striae on dorsum of head . . . . . lampra

Petiolar sternum with a strong vertical lamella. Anterior margin of clypeus weakly convex. Eyes only with short straight hairs. Coarse striae on dorsum of head . . . . . quebecensis

3. Petiolar sternum with a median keel feebly protruding anteriorly like a spine. Scape equal to the first 7.5 meres of the funiculum, scape index = 84 (scape length x 100/head width) . . . . . lampra

Petiolar sternum with an elongated lamella, directed downward and forward. Scape equal to the first 5 meres of the funiculum. scape index < 62 . . . . . . quebecensis

Keys including this Species

Key to New England Myrmica

Distribution

Sainte-Anne-du-Nord River, Parc des Laurentides, County of Charlevoix-West (types) and HavreSaint-Pierre, county of Saguenay (no 08566), Quebec Province.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 49.9° to 47.675°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

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

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

The type material was found in the nest of Myrmica alaskensis. The nest was located in a rotten, moist tree trunk on the ground of a slope facing south, between the Sainte-Anne-du-Nord river (Quebec) and a sand road, at an altitude of 2400 feet (47°40′30″N 70°46′30″W / 47.675°N 70.775°W / 47.675; -70.775). This area is subartic, dominated by black spruce and a ground cover of caribou lichen.

Castes

Nomenclature

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

lampra. Myrmica lampra Francoeur, 1968: 729, figs. 1-5 (q.m.) CANADA. See also: Kutter, 1973c: 256; Francoeur, 1981: 756; Bolton, 1988a: 4.

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

Description

Francoeur 1968. Page 729.

Francoeur 1968. Page 730.

Type Material

The nest of the host-species was hollowed in a rotten and very humid tree trunk. The trunk rested on the ground of a slope facing south, between the Sainte-Anne-du-Nord river and a sand road, at an altitude of 2400 feet. The geographical coordinates of the place are 47°40'30"N latitude and 70°46'30"W longitude. Both specimens are deposited as types in the Provancher Collection of the Musee du Quebec, Laval University.

Etymology

lampra Greek = brilliant

References

Bolton, B. 1988a. A new socially parasitic Myrmica, with a reassessment of the genus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Syst. Entomol. 13: 1-11 (page 4, see also)
Francoeur, A. 1968. Une nouvelle espèce du genre Myrmica au Québec (Formicidae, Hymenoptera). La Naturaliste Canadien. 95:727-730. (page 729, figs. 1-5; queen, male described)
Francoeur, A. 1981c. Le groupe néarctique Myrmica lampra (Formicidae, Hymenoptera). The Canadian Entomologist. 113:755-759. (page 756, see also)
Francoeur, A. 2002b. Deuxieme mention de Myrmica lampra Francoeur au Québec (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Fabreries. 27(2): 156. (page 156, record in Quebec)
Kutter, H. 1973d. Über die morphologischen Beziehungen der Gattung Myrmica zu ihren Satellitengenera Sifolinia Em., Symbiomyrma Arnoldi und Sommimyrma Menozzi (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Mitt. Schweiz. Entomol. Ges. 46: 253-268 (page 256, see also)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Francoeur A., and M. Bouchard. 2018. Extension du territoire connu de la fourmi Myrmica lampra au Québec (Formicides, Hyménoptères). Le Naturaliste canadien 142(1): 64–65.
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.