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Tapinoma inflatiscapus
| Tapinoma inflatiscapus | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Dolichoderinae |
| Genus: | Tapinoma |
| Species: | T. inflatiscapus |
| Binomial name | |
| Tapinoma inflatiscapus Cover & Rabeling, 2024 | |
Tapinoma inflatiscapus is a host-queen-intolerant inquiline that parasitizes Tapinoma sessile colonies in mid to high elevation habitats in the mountains of Utah and Colorado. So far it has been found in sagebrush meadows (Artemisia tridentata), mixed shrub and sagebrush, and Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa) woodlands.
Tapinoma inflatiscapus has been collected from two localities in Colorado and a single locality in Utah. On all occasions, T. inflatiscapus was found in mixed colonies with its host, T. sessile. In every case these colonies lacked a host queen and any host brood, suggesting that T. inflatiscapus either kills the host queen(s) or can only colonize queenless host colonies. Parasite workers have not been observed, so T. inflatiscapus appears to be a workerless inquiline. We could not observe whether T. inflatiscapus is mono- or polygynous, although collection SPC 7388 contained two dealate queens.
The morphology of T. inflatiscapus queens and males reflects some characteristics of the inquiline syndrome (Fig. 2, Table 2), but the degree of specialization is not nearly as pronounced as in Tapinoma incognitum and Tapinoma pulchellum. Tapinoma inflatiscapus alates are smaller than those of the host and approximately the size of host workers. The number of antennal segments is not reduced, and the palp count is reduced in the queens (palp formula 5,3), but not in males. The mandibles are normal in size and dentation. Both queens and males are winged and mesosomal development is robust, thus the wings appear to be functional and dispersal by flight probable. Mating may take place outside of the nest. If so, there may be less inbreeding and much better dispersal than in inquilines where mating takes place inside the host nest and where flight is problematic or impossible.
| At a Glance | • Workerless Inquiline |
Photo Gallery
Cover & Rabeling (2024), Figure 2. Morphological comparison of the Tapinoma inflatiscapus holotype queen A, E and a paratype male B, F in lateral A, B and full-face E, F view. For the dorsal views of T. inflatiscapus C, D dealate queen C and male D paratypes were photographed. The type series was collected at Cove Mountain in Utah and belongs to a single nest series with the collection code SPC 7816. Scale bar: 0.5 mm (A–F).
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Identification
Morphologically, T. inflatiscapus is most similar to Tapinoma shattucki from Massachusetts from which it can be easily distinguished by the unique shape of the antennal scape, the presence of short, erect hairs on the dorsal body surfaces, and its comparatively robust habitus. In addition, the male palp formula is 6,4. All other Tapinoma inquiline males have reduced palp formulae (Table 2).
A unique, workerless, host-queen-intolerant inquiline social parasite of Tapinoma sessile with relatively few morphological adaptations to its parasitic lifestyle. Inquiline females and males are equal in size, smaller than the host females and males, and approximately the size of host workers (Fig. 2, Table 2). Both females and males are winged and seem capable of flying. Females have a reduced 5,4 palp formula whereas males have the same palp formula (6,4) as host males. Both sexes of T. inflatiscapus are easily distinguished from those of all other North American congeners by the presence of short, erect hairs on the dorsal surface of the head, the mesosomal dorsum, and the first gastric tergite. In addition, the antennal scapes are covered by short, dense, suberect pubescence and may have one or two erect hairs near the distal end. Lastly, in females, the scape reaches its maximum diameter between the mid-point and the antennal insertion, not posterior to the mid-point as in many other Tapinoma species.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 39.0° to 38.4°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: Cover & Rabeling, 2024
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States (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
| Trait | Host | Social parasites | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tapinoma sessile | Tapinoma shattucki | Tapinoma inflatiscapus | Tapinoma incognitum | Tapinoma pulchellum | |
| Worker caste absent | – | + | + | + | ? (+) |
| Multiple egg laying host queens present (host polygyny) | + | ? (–) | – | + | ? |
| Multiple egg laying parasite queens present in host colony (parasite polygyny) | n/a | + | ? | + | ? |
| Parasite queen coexists with host queen (host queen tolerance) | n/a | ? (–) | – | + | ? (+) |
| Adelphogamy (inside nest mating) | – | ? (–) | ? | + | ? |
| Gynaecomorphism (gyne-like male morphology) | – | – | – | + | + |
| Fragmented populations, limited geographic distribution | – (North America) |
+ (2 localities in MA) |
+ (UT, CO) |
+ (type locality, UT) |
+ (type locality, NC) |
| Reduced body size | – | + (size of host worker) |
+ (size of host worker) |
+ (smaller than host worker) |
+ (smaller than host worker) |
| Exoskeleton becomes thinner and less pigmented | – | + | + | + | + |
| Number of antennal segments reduced in females | – (♀: 12) |
– (♀: 12) |
– (♀: 12) |
– (♀: 12) |
– (♀: 12) |
| Number of antennal segments reduced in males | – (♂: 13) |
– (♂: 13) |
– (♂: 13) |
+ (♂: 12) |
+ (♂: 12) |
| Number of maxillary and labial pals (palp formula) reduced in females | – (♀: 6,4) |
+ (♀: 5,4) |
+ (♀: 5,4) |
+ (♀: 4,3) |
+ (♀: 5,4) |
| Number of maxillary and labial pals (palp formula) reduced in males | – (♂: 6,4) |
+ (♂: 5,4) |
– (♂: 6,4) |
+ (♂: 5,3) |
+ (♂: 5,4) |
| Reduced mandibular dentition | – 14 teeth |
– (10–11 denticles) |
– (11 denticles) |
+ (2–4 denticles, plus apical tooth) |
+ (only apical tooth) |
| Reduced wings in females | – (♀ capable of flying) |
– (♀ capable of flying) |
– (♀ capable of flying) |
+ (♀: wings deciduous) |
– (♀: winged) |
| Reduced wings in males | – (♂ capable of flying) |
– (♂ capable of flying) |
– (♂ capable of flying) |
+ (♂: brachypterous) |
+ (♂: brachypterous) |
| Petiole thickened | – | – | – | + | + |
Cited Sources
- Cover, S.P., Rabeling, C. 2024. Four new inquiline social parasite species in the dolichoderine ant genus Tapinoma (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys 1202, 111–134 (doi:10.3897/zookeys.1202.120478).
- Kutter, H. 1968. Die sozialparasitischen Ameisen der Schweiz. Neujahrsblatt der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Zürich 171: 1–62.
- Prebus, M., Georgiev, B.B., van de Kamp, T., Hamann, E., Baker, I., Rabeling, C. 2023. The rediscovery of the putative ant social parasite Manica parasitica syn. nov. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) reveals an unexpected endoparasite syndrome. Biology Letters, 19, 20230399 (doi:10.1098/rsbl.2023.0399).
- Rabeling, C., Messer, S., Lacau, S., do Nascimento, I.C., Bacci, M., Delabie, J.H.C. 2019. Acromyrmex fowleri: a new inquiline social parasite species of leaf‑cutting ants from South America, with a discussion of social parasite biogeography in the Neotropical region. Insectes Sociaux 66: 435–451 (doi:10.1007/s00040-019-00705-z).
- Wilson, E.O. 1971. The insect societies. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. 548 pp.
Castes
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- inflatiscapus. Tapinoma inflatiscapus Cover & Rabeling, 2024: 119, fig. 2 (aq.m.) U.S.A. (Utah).
Type Material
Type locality. U.S.A., Utah, Sevier County, Cove Mountain, 13.4 miles south of Glenwood Fish Hatchery on FSR 068. GPS: 38.649°N, 111.950°W; elevation 9350’ (2850 m). Enormous, grazed sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) meadow around Big Lake. Superficial nest under rock and in adjacent grass clump in open on gentle south facing slope; fine silty sand. Small colony (~ 400 ants). No host queens. Brood, mostly eggs and larvae, plus a few parasite queen pupae. Collected by SPC (SPC 7816), 20 July 2008.
Type material. Holotype queen (SPC 7816, MCZENT 00806458). Paratype male (SPC 7816, MCZENT 00806458), and the following paratypes: 63 queens, 4 males [20-VII-2008, SPC 7816]. Holotype and paratypes deposited in the MCZC. Additional paratypes deposited at CASC, CRC, LACM, and UCDC.