Myrmica bibikoffi

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Myrmica bibikoffi
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Myrmicini
Genus: Myrmica
Species: M. bibikoffi
Binomial name
Myrmica bibikoffi
Kutter, 1963

Myrmica bibikoffi P casent0900283.jpg

Myrmica bibikoffi D casent0900283.jpg

Specimen Label

Bibikoff found all castes of this species living independently, but the two other colony samples were collected in the nests of Myrmica sabuleti where only workers of the host species were found. It has also been reported with Myrmica spinosior (de la Mora et al., 2021; Garcia et al., 2008; Jansen et al., 2010). While M. bibikoffi is primarily a temporary social parasite, in some ecological situations it can only survive as a permanent social parasite. (Radchenko & Elmes, 2003). Males were captured in a swarm in Galicia, Spain (García et al., 2008).

At a Glance • Temporary parasite  

Identification

A member of the sabuleti complex of the scabrinodis species group. M. bibikoffi is characterized by strongly reduced spurs on the hid and mid tibiae, a coarse reticulated sculpture on head and alitrunk, wide postpetiole of workers and queens, and hairy body. It is similar to Myrmica hirsuta and shares the same host, Myrmica sabuleti. Queens are larger than those of M. hirsuta and also differ by their body sculpture and narrower frons. (Radchenko and Elmes 2003)

Key to Parasitic Myrmica of West Europe and North Africa Queens / Males

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 42.7° to 42.143056°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: Germany, Spain, Switzerland (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

Flight Period

X
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Source: antkeeping.info.

Castes

Nomenclature

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

  • bibikoffi. Myrmica bibikoffi Kutter, 1963: 130, figs. 1-11 (w.q.m.) SWITZERLAND. See also: Kutter, 1973c: 255; Kutter, 1977c: 65; Radchenko & Elmes, 2003a: 227; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 104.

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

Description

Radchenko and Elmes (2003) - Workers (n=5): HL 1.10-1.28; HW 0.94-1.16; SL 0.82-1.04; AL 1.50-1.78 mm; FI 0.34-0.35; FLI 1.40-1.47; SIl 0.75-0.86; SI2 0.85-0.91; PPI 0.51-0.59; ESLI 0.36-0.43; queens (n=2): HL 1.24-1.40; HW 1.22-1.34; SL 0.96-1.00; AL 2.14 mm; FI 0.35-0.39; FLI 1.26-1.37; SI1 0.71-0.77; SI2 0.79-0.80; PPI 0.60-0.61; ESLI 0.30-0.35; males (n=5): HL 0.84-0.94; HW 0.80-0.87; SL 0.56-0.69; AL 1.78-1.86 mm; SI1 0.64-0.74; SI2 0.68-0.78; PPI 0.55-0.57; ESLI 0.07-0.20.

Etymology

Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - named for the collector Mr. Michel Bibikoff, a Russian émigré who studied entomology in Paris and was later famous for his work on training guide dogs.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • AntArea. Accessed on February 5th 2014 at http://antarea.fr/fourmi/
  • Antarea (at www.antarea.fr on June 11th 2017)
  • Blatrix R., C. Lebas, C. Galkowski, P. Wegnez, P. Pimenta, and D. Morichon. 2016. Vegetation cover and elevation drive diversity and composition of ant communities (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in a Mediterranean ecosystem. – Myrmecological News 22: 119-127.
  • Boer P. 2019. Species list of the Netherlands. Accessed on January 22 2019 at http://www.nlmieren.nl/websitepages/specieslist.html
  • Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
  • Casevitz-Weulersse J., and C. Galkowski. 2009. Liste actualisee des Fourmis de France (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Bull. Soc. Entomol. Fr. 114: 475-510.
  • Czechowski W., A. Radchenko, W. Czechowska and K. Vepsäläinen. 2012. The ants of Poland with reference to the myrmecofauna of Europe. Fauna Poloniae 4. Warsaw: Natura Optima Dux Foundation, 1-496 pp
  • Espadaler, X. "Contribución al conocimiento de los formícidos (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) del Pirineo catalán." Tesis Universida (1979): 285 pp.
  • Lebas C., C. Galkowski, P. Wegnez, X. Espadaler, and R. Blatrix. 2015. The exceptional diversity of ants on mount Coronat (Pyrénées-Orientales), and Temnothorax gredosi(Hymenoptera, Formicidae) new to France. R.A.R.E., T. XXIV (1): 24 – 33
  • Lebas C., and C. Galkowski. 2016. Myrmica hirsuta Elmes, 1978, a new species from France (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Bull. Soc. Linn. Bordeaux 151, 44(2/3): 239-244.
  • 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.
  • Seifert B. 1988. A taxonomic revision of the Myrmica species of Europe, Asia Minor, and Caucasia (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Abhandlungen und Berichte des Naturkundemuseums Görlitz 62(3): 1-75. 
  • Wegnez P. 2018. Premières decouvertes de Myrmica bibikoffi Kutter, 1963 et de Ponera testacea Emery, 1895, au Luxembourg (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)Bulletin de la Société royale belge d’Entomologie 154: 263–272.