Temnothorax algerianus

Temnothorax algerianus
Conservation status
	; Vulnerable (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Crematogastrini
Genus:	Temnothorax
Species:	T. algerianus
Binomial name
	Temnothorax algerianus; (Cagniant, 1968) Specimen Labels

Temnothorax algerianus, a parasitic ant species widely distributed in northern Algeria and Morocco, is an active dulotic parasite which is able to form colonies with numerous Epimyrma workers. In most populations colonies are polygynous but monogynous and functionally monogynous colonies occur as well. Young sexuals mate inside the mother nests. Young queens may remain there, or leave the nests for founding their own colonies, in fall, winter, or in spring, thus over an unusually protracted period and at comparatively low temperatures. Agonistic behavior between the parasite queens in polygynous colonies has been observed. It may be responsible for the decision of young queens either to leave or to remain in the mother nest. (Buschinger et al., 1990)

At a Glance

• Dulotic • Polygynous

Identification

Báthori et al. (2024) - Both workers and gynes of this species are very similar to Temnothorax kraussei and Temnothorax ravouxi in shape, sculpture and morphometric characteristics. Dorsal setae on the petiole help to distinguish T. algerianus (and T. ravouxi) from T. kraussei in both castes; the latter has much longer hairs. In gynes, the hair length narrowly overlapping between T. kraussei and T. algerianus (Fig 11); the former has longer hairs (140μm to 175μm), T. algerianus gynes bear shorter pilosity (125μm to 145μm). The longest hair on the pedicel of T. kraussei workers exceeds 130μm [125μm, 147μm], while the range of the longest hair length in T. algerianus is between 85 to 130μm (Fig 12). Note, the hairs in T. ravouxi workers are similarly short, ranging from 88 to 124μm.

Separating individual gynes and workers of T. algerianus from T. ravouxi in case of questionable cases require a combination of multiple traits. For gynes a combination of three morphometric traits (D3 = +0.117*ELmax -0.046*SL +0.038*SPH -9.973) is necessary. This function yields a 97.3% classification success rate in gynes. The range of discriminant D3 scores for individual gynes are as follows:

T. algerianus gynes D3 (n = 34) = -1.882 [-3.857, +1.046]
T. ravouxi gynes D3 (n = 113) = +1.882 [-1.082, +5.154]

Separating individual workers requires a combination of five traits (D5b = +0.029*SL + -0.080*SPBA -0.070*PPW -0.045*SPH -0.056*ELmax +5.703). This combination provides a 96.3% classification success rate in individual workers. The range of discriminant D5b scores for workers are as follows:

T. algerianus workers D5b (n = 45) = +1.673 [-0.747, +3.250]
T. ravouxi workers D5b (n = 173) = -1.673 [-4.500, +0.595]

Keys including this Species

Key to Temnothorax corsicus species group

Distribution

This species was previously known only from North Africa in Morocco and Algeria, where it is quite common. Based on two samples we examined, the species also occurs in southern Spain near the village of Hornos (Báthori et al., 2024).

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 38.2° to 32.249974°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps; Báthori et al., 2024

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: Algeria (type locality), Morocco.

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

Temnothorax algerianus is a slave-making ant belonging to the former genus Myrmoxenus. For colony foundation a mated young queen penetrates a colony of the host species (most frequently Temnothorax spinosus) and throttles its queen to death. She then is accepted as replacement queen by the adult host workers.

The following species are known slaves of Temnothorax algerianus (Buschinger et al., 1990):

Temnothorax curtulus
Temnothorax gentilis
Temnothorax monjauzei
Temnothorax racovitzai
Temnothorax spinosus (the most common host)
Temnothorax tebessae
Temnothorax unifasciatus

Different from relatives (cf. Temnothorax ravouxi) several reproductive queens may be present in the slavemaker colony (polygyny). Workers of T. algerianus conduct slave raids on neighboring nests of the host species.

Life History Traits

Queen number: polygynous (Buschinger, 1989; Frumhoff & Ward, 1992)

Castes

Nomenclature

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

algerianus. Epimyrma algeriana Cagniant, 1968c: 157, figs. 1-4 (w.q.m.) ALGERIA. Combination in Temnothorax: Ward et al., 2014: 15. See also: Kutter, 1973e: 281; Buschinger, Jessen & Cagniant, 1990: 23.

Description

Karyotype

See additional details at the Ant Chromosome Database.

Explore: Show all Karyotype data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.

n = 10 (Douwes et al., 1988) (as Epimyrma algeriana).

Worker Morphology

Explore: Show all Worker Morphology data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.

Caste: monomorphic

References

Báthori, F., Seifert, B., Heinze, J., Kiran, K., Karaman, C., Csősz, S. 2024. Taxonomy of the Palearctic socially parasitic Temnothorax (Myrmoxenus) ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). PLOS ONE, 19(10), e0308712 (doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0308712).
Buschinger, A. 1989a. Evolution, speciation, and inbreeding in the parasitic ant genus Epimyrma (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Journal of Evolutionary Biology 2: 265-283.
Buschinger, A.; Jessen, K.; Cagniant, H. 1990. The life history of Epimyrma algeriana, a slave-making ant with facultative polygyny (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Zool. Beitr. (N.F.) 33: 23-49.
Cagniant, H. 1968c. Description d'Epimyrma algeriana (nov. sp.) (Hyménoptères Formicidae, Myrmicinae), fourmi parasite. Représentation des trois castes. Quelques observations biologiques, écologiques et éthologiques. Insectes Soc. 15: 157-170.
Cagniant, H. 1969b ("1968"). Du nouveau sur la répartition des Epimyrma d'Algérie (Hyménoptères - Formicidae - Myrmicinae). Bulletin de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle de Toulouse 104:427-429.
Kutter, H. 1973f. Beitrag zur Lösung taxonomischer Probleme in der Gattung Epimyrma (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Mitt. Schweiz. Entomol. Ges. 46: 281-289 (page 281, see also)
Schifani, E., Csősz, S., Viviano, R., Alicata, A. 2021. Ant diversity on the largest Mediterranean islands: on the presence or absence of 28 species in Sicily (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Natural History Sciences 8, 55–70 (doi:10.4081/nhs.2021.532).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Buschinger, A., K. Jessen, and H. Cagniant. "The life history of Epimyrma algeriana, a slave-making ant with facultative polygyny (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)." Zoologische Beiträge (N.F.)33 (1990): 23-49.
Cagniant, H. "Liste préliminaire de fourmis forestières d'Algérie. Résultats obtenus de 1963 à 1966." Bulletin de la Societe d'Histoire Naturelle de Toulouse 104 (1968): 138-147.