Myrmica luteola

Myrmica luteola
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Myrmicini
Genus:	Myrmica
Species:	M. luteola
Binomial name
Myrmica luteola Kupyanskaya, 1990 \

Radchenko and Elmes (2003) - There are very few published accounts of the biology of this unusual Myrmica species. Kupyanskaya (1990) described how, in Far Eastern Russia, M. luteola usually lives in open places in spruce and southern-type mixed forest, generally preferring forest glades and the meadows bordering rivers and lakes; she noted that it usually builds its nests in decaying wood and that sexuals are present in the nest from June-September. In Japan, M. luteola inhabits sparsely forested rocky sites and builds nests under stones or around tree roots; nuptial flight take place from September to mid-October (Masuko and Terayama 2002). It is known to be a temporary Parasite of Manica yessensis in Japan (de la Mora et al., 2021; Jansen et al., 2010).

At a Glance

• Temporary parasite

Identification

Radchenko and Elmes (2003) - A member of the luteola group. Queens of this species are not very obvious being hardly larger, or even somewhat smaller, than their workers. The queen differs from her workers by an absence of propodeal spines (or at most with short denticles), while the workers have long propodeal spines. Although some reduction of the propodeal spines in relation to those of workers is not unusual for queens, the reduction shown by M. luteola is unique for all other known Myrmica species. M. luteola also possess several "socially-parasitic" features, such as reduced spurs on mid- and hind tibiae, slightly developed ventral petiolar and postpetiolar processes and a very hairy body. In addition, the first gastral tergite of workers and queens is distinctly longitudinally-striated basally; this unusual feature for Palaearctic Myrmica is known only from the Nearctic Myrmica striolagaster.

Ma and Xu (2011) provide the following description of the junior synonym M. zhengi - The new specie belongs to pachei-group of the genus Myrmica, the species of this group are characterized by antennal scapes slightly curved at bases, not angulate and without trace of a lobe; males with short antennal scapes; generally with much less coarse sculpture on the body , and with dense fine transverse striations on the promesonotum, etc. It can be distinguished from other related species mainly by its very light coloration, head nearly square in front view, the striations on the promesonotum transverse but very irregular, propodeal spine strong and widen at base, the first gastral tergite with obviously longitudinal fine striate-punctatures.

Chen et al. (2016) - As Radchenko and Elmes (2010) noted, this species is very easy to distinguish from all other Myrmica species due to its unique features, i.e. strongly reduced and simple non-pectinate spurs on the middle and hind tibiae, and somewhat developed ventral petiolar and postpetiolar processes. Moreover, the workers show another feature that very rarely occurs in Myrmica species: the base of the first gastral tergite is distinctly longitudinally striated.

Zhong et al. (2024) - Myrmica zhengi was established by Ma and Xu (2011) based on worker and male castes. In their justification for the synonymization with Myrmica luteola, however, Chen et al. (2016) mentioned that Myrmica luteola is characterized by the strongly reduced and simple non-pectinate spurs on the middle and hind tibiae, and somewhat developed ventral petiolar and postpetiolar processes. They examined five worker paratypes and one queen paratype of M. zhengi, but found no differences with M. luteola and therefore suggested that the species be synonymised. Although it is unclear whether the queen paratype is the queen caste described by Zhang et al. (2012), only four worker paratypes, three workers and one identified worker were seen in the material examined by Chen et al. (2016), but not their mentioned queen paratype. While we did not verify the type specimens of the two species, the color photographs and detailed descriptions of the three castes of M. zhengi by Ma and Xu (2011) and Zhang et al. (2012), along with the finely hand-drawn illustrations of M. luteola by Radchenko and Elmes (2003, 2010), are sufficient to demonstrate their distinct morphological differences:

Workers. The head in full-face view of M. zhengi elongated (Fig. 6), the posterior margin behind the eyes lacks hairs (Fig. 7A), whereas M. luteola, on the contrary, with dense hairs (Fig. 7B); the propodeal spines of M. zhengi slightly longer than M. luteola (Fig. 7C, D), and in dorsal view M. zhengi tends to be more rectilinear and pointing toward the posterior; the petiolar peduncle of M. zhengi longer than M. luteola.

Queens. Verification of the geographic information (same address and collector, with only three days difference in collection time) and morphological characteristics of the type specimen and the queen of M. zhengi suggests that the authenticity of the queen is extremely high. Therefore, if the description of the queen is correct, the most significant distinction between the two species is in the propodeal spines of the queen, specifically, M. zhengi is long and thick (Fig. 7E), whereas M. luteola is a shortened, angulated “spineless” species (Fig. 7F); and the subpetiolar process of M. zhengi is dentate, whereas M. luteola is large and broad; the other differences are identical to those of the workers.

Males. Differences within this caste are minimal, and the current variations may include the more protruding angulated propodeum of M. zhengi.

Considering these highly conspicuous and readily identifiable differences, we believe that M. zhengi and M. luteola should be recognized as two distinct species. Therefore, we propose to reinstate M. zhengi as a valid species and remove M. luteola from its distribution in China.

• 

  Zhong et al. (2024), Fig. 6. Morphometric differences in three characters of Myrmica zhengi and M. luteola, points indicate mean values, lines indicate maximum and minimum values. Data available from Ma and Xu (2011) and Radchenko (1994).
• 

  Zhong et al. (2024), Fig. 7. Morphological differences. A, C, E, Myrmica zhengi; B, D, F, M. luteola; A, B, head in full-face view; C–F, mesosoma in lateral view; A–D, workers; E, F, queens.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Japanese Myrmica workers
• Key to Myrmica of species of East Siberia, Russian Far East, Mongolia, Korean Peninsula, northern China, and Japan

Distribution

Southern part of the Russian Far East, NE China, Korean Peninsula and Japan.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 33.7° to 33.7°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: Taiwan.
Palaearctic Region: China (type locality), Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation (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

Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - M. luteola is widespread throughout temperate East Asia but seems to be rare throughout its distribution. It inhabits spruce and southern-type, warm mixed forest, where it prefers glades and the meadows bordering rivers and lakes; the highest altitude recorded for the habitats of this species is 1820 m a.s.l. in North Korea (Radchenko 2005). In the Russian Far East, nests were found in tree logs and stumps, but in Korea and Japan, they also were built in soil, often under stones or around tree roots. Sexuals are present in the nest from June to September, in Japan the nuptial flight take place from September to mid-October (see also Kupyanskaya 1990; Imai et al. 2003; Radchenko 2005).

Based entirely on morphological characteristics, we speculated that M. luteola might be at least a temporary social parasitic microgyne form, derived from a species such as Myrmica mirabilis (Elmes and Radchenko 1998, 2003a). Recently Masuko and Terayama (2002) showed that M. luteola might be temporary social parasite on Manica yessensis Azuma; if they are correct then M. luteola would be the first example, of intergeneric parasitism by a Myrmica species. This is not implausible as there seems to be a tendency for social parasites to use less related hosts the older the species is in geological time (see Jansen et al. 2010). On the other hand, it seems unlikely because the Japanese evidence is open to several other interpretations and there are no Manica species in the Russian Far East, Korea and China. Thus over most of its range M. luteola must either parasitize a different host or it establishes its nests independently. This interesting “old” species deserves more study.

M. luteola is quite unusual compared to most other Myrmica species and well differs from any other known member of the genus; this led Radchenko (1994a) to define the separate, luteola species group. This idea was recently supported by the moleculargenetic phylogeny produced by Jansen et al. (2010): M. luteola formed a separate clade that probably had a common ancestor with the ritae-group of species > 25 Ma, which indicates that it is indeed a relic of an ancient Myrmica fauna.

M. luteola has many features of the so-called “inquiline syndrome” (see Wilson 1971, 1984), i.e. strongly reduced and simple non-pedtinate spurs on the middle and hind tibiae, somewhat developed ventral petiolar and postpetiolar processes, a hairy body and especially very small queens, which are even smaller than the workers. Moreover, uniquely for the genus, the queens have no propodeal spines, the propodeum being only angled with at most very short blunt denticles. Additionally, the workers and queens show another feature that very rarely occurs in Myrmica species: the first gastral tergite is distinctly longitudinally striated basally.

Castes

.

Nomenclature

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

• luteola. Myrmica luteola Kupyanskaya, 1990: 103, Figs. 16, 17 (w.q.) RUSSIA. Radchenko, 1994f: 75 (m.). Senior synonym of zhengi: Chen et al., 2016: 94. See also: Masuko & Terayama, 2002: 228; Radchenko & Elmes, 2003a: 239; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 197.

Type Material

• Myrmica zhengi: Holotype, worker, Foping, Shaanxi, China, 33°42′0″N 107°48′0″E, 23 July 2006, MA Li-Bin, Institute of Zoology, Shaanxi Normal University.
• Myrmica zhengi: Paratype, 20 workers, 3 males, Foping, Shaanxi, China, 33°42′0″N 107°48′0″E, 23 July 2006, MA Li-Bin, Institute of Zoology, Shaanxi Normal University; Life Sciences, Guangxi Normal University; Entomological Museum, Northwest A & F University; College of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University; Insect Collections of Southwest Forestry University.

Etymology

Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - named from the Latin diminutive adjective luteola = yellowish; for the colour of the workers.

Ma & Xu (2011) - This species is named in honor of Professor Zheng Zhe-Min for his outstanding contribution to the systematic entomology.

References

• Chen, Z.L., Zhou, S.Y., Huang, J.H. 2016. Seven species new to science and one newly recorded species of the ant genus Myrmica Latreille, 1804 from China, with proposal of a new synonym (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). ZooKeys 551, 85–128 (doi:10.3897/zookeys.551.6005).
• Jansen, G., Savolainen, R., Vepsäläinen, K. 2010. Phylogeny, divergence-time estimation, biogeography and social parasite–host relationships of the Holarctic ant genus Myrmica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 561, 294–304 (doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2010.01.029).
• Kupyanskaya, A. N. 1990b. Ants of the subgenus Dendrolasius Ruzsky, 1912 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, genus Lasius Fabricius, 1804) from the Soviet Far East. Entomol. Rev. (Wash.) 69(4 4: 99-111 (page 103, figs. 16, 17 worker, queen described)
• Masuko, K.; Terayama, M. 2002. Behavioral notes and redescription of the socially parasitic ant Myrmica luteola (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J. N. Y. Entomol. Soc. 110: 224-233.(page 228, redescription)
• Radchenko, A. G. 1994f. Survey of the species of the scabrinodis group of the genus Myrmica (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from central and eastern Palearctic. Zool. Zh. 73(9 9: 75-82 (page 75, male described)
• Radchenko, A. G.; Elmes, G. W. 2003a. A taxonomic revision of the socially parasitic Myrmica ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Palaearctic region. Ann. Zool. (Warsaw) 53: 217-243 (page 239, see also)
• Radchenko, A.G. & Elmes, G.W. 2010. Myrmica ants of the Old World. Fauna Mundi 3: 1-789.
• Shin, D.O., Yoon, S.W., Lyu, D.P. 2020. Two species of the genus Myrmica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) new to Korea. Korean Journal of Applied Entomology 59(3): 165-168 (doi:10.5656/KSAE.2020.05.0.021).
• Zhong, Y., Huang, Y., Wu, T., Liu, Z. 2024. A new spineless Myrmica species from China, with the reinstatement of M. zhengi Ma & Xu (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology 27, 102261 (doi:10.1016/j.aspen.2024.102261).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Chen Z. L., S. Y. Zhou, and J. H. Huang. 2016. Seven species new to science and one newly recorded species of the ant genus Myrmica Latreille, 1804 from China, with proposal of a new synonym (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). ZooKeys 551: 85–128.
• Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
• Kupianskaya A. N., Lelej, A.S., and Urbain, B. K. 2000. The Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Kuril Islands. Far Eastern Entomologist. 92:1-21.
• Kupianskaya, A. N., Lelej, A.S., and Urbain, B. K. 2000. The Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Kuril Islands. Far Eastern Entomologist. 92:1-21.
• Lelej A. S. 2012. Annotated catalogue of the Insects of Russian Far East. Volume 1. Hymenoptera. Dalnauka: Vladivostok. 635 p.
• Radchenko A. G., and G. W. Elmes. 2003. A taxonomic revision of the socially parasitic Myrmica ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Palaearctic region. Annales Zoologici (Warsaw) 53: 217-243.
• Radchenko A. G., and G. W. Elmes. 2010. Myrmica ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Old World. Fauna Mundi 3. Warsaw: Natura Optima Dux Foundation, 790 pp.
• Radchenko, A. 2005. Monographic revision of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of North Korea. Annales Zoologici (Warsaw) 55: 127-221.
• Terayama. M. 2004. Geological and ecological distribution of Japanese ants communities. (translated from Japanese) Reports of the Saitama Prefecture Animal Research Association. 48:23