Trichomyrmex glaber

Trichomyrmex glaber
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Crematogastrini
Genus:	Trichomyrmex
Species group:	scabriceps
Species:	T. glaber
Binomial name
Trichomyrmex glaber (André, 1883) Specimen Labels
Synonyms
Holcomyrmex glaber clarus Forel, 1902 Holcomyrmex glaber glabrocriniceps Forel, 1902

Photo Gallery

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  Worker of Trichomyrmex glaber attacking a major from another colony. Photo by Paul Antony.

Identification

Keys including this Species

• Key to Trichomyrmex

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 32.812778° to 8.012814°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: India (type locality), Pakistan, Sri Lanka.

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.

Castes

Images from AntWeb

Syntype of Holcomyrmex glaber clarus. Worker. Specimen code casent0908759. Photographer Will Ericson, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MHNG, Geneva, Switzerland.

Syntype of Holcomyrmex glaber. Worker. Specimen code casent0915415. Photographer Will Ericson, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MNHN, Paris, France.

Nomenclature

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

• glaber. Holcomyrmex glaber André, 1883b: 345 (footnote) (w.) INDIA (Tamil Nadu).
  • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
  • Type-locality: India: Madras (no collector’s name).
  • Type-depository: MNHN.
  • Imai, et al. 1984: 8 (k.).
  • Combination in Monomorium (Holcomyrmex): Emery, 1922e: 181;
  • combination in Trichomyrmex: Ward, et al. 2015: 76.
  • Subspecies of criniceps: Forel, 1901c: 220 (in text).
  • Status as species: Dalla Torre, 1893: 65; Forel, 1903a: 692; Bingham, 1903: 284; Forel, 1909e: 394; Forel, 1913k: 55; Emery, 1922e: 181; Donisthorpe, 1942d: 455; Donisthorpe, 1950e: 1061; Chapman & Capco, 1951: 163; Ettershank, 1966: 89; Bolton, 1995b: 262; Radchenko, 1997f: 221; Tiwari, 1999: 57; Bharti, Guénard, et al. 2016: 47; Rasheed, et al. 2019: 434; Dias, R.K.S. et al. 2020: 99.
  • Senior synonym of clarus: Radchenko, 1997f: 221.
  • Senior synonym of glabrocriniceps: Radchenko, 1997f: 221.
  • Distribution: India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.
• clarus. Holcomyrmex glaber var. clarus Forel, 1902c: 219 (w.) INDIA (Maharashtra), NEPAL.
  • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
  • Type-localities: India: Poona (Wroughton), Sivalliks (Smythies), Wallon (Heim).
  • Type-depository: MHNG.
  • Combination in Monomorium (Holcomyrmex): Emery, 1922e: 181.
  • Subspecies of glaber: Forel, 1903a: 692; Bingham, 1903: 284; Forel, 1913k: 55; Emery, 1922e: 181; Menozzi, 1939a: 335; Chapman & Capco, 1951: 163; Ettershank, 1966: 88; Bolton, 1995b: 260.
  • Junior synonym of glaber: Radchenko, 1997f: 221.
• glabrocriniceps. Holcomyrmex glaber var. glabrocriniceps Forel, 1902c: 220 (w.) INDIA (Karnataka, Maharashtra).
  • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
  • Type-localities: India: Kanara (Wroughton), Kanara (Bell), Bombay (Rothney).
  • Type-depository: MHNG.
  • Subspecies of glaber: Forel, 1903a: 693; Bingham, 1903: 284; Emery, 1922e: 181; Chapman & Capco, 1951: 163; Bolton, 1995b: 262.
  • Status as species: Ettershank, 1966: 89; Tiwari, 1999: 57 (error).
  • Junior synonym of glaber: Radchenko, 1997f: 221.

Description

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description (Bingham, 1903) page 284 as Holcomyrmex glaber.

Worker

Major

Varying from brownish red to brownish black ; the mandibles, flagellum of the antennae and legs, sometimes the metanotum also, yellowish red to chestnut-red ; head, pro- and mesonotum very smooth, polished and shining ; the head anteriorly and the mandibles more or less finely longitudinally striate : the metanotum above finely transversely striate, the sides minutely but densely rugulose, opaque ; pedicel finely rugulose and opaque also ; pilosity more or less abundant (on the other two species almost entirely and in some specimens quite wanting) ; pubescence very sparse, except on the antennae and tarsi. Head, thorax, pedicel and abdomen typical of the genus.

Minor

Smaller, with the head somewhat smaller in proportion, generally lighter in colour, the flagellum of the antennae and the legs being a clear reddish yellow. Sculpture and pilosity as in the major.

Length: 3.5 - 7.5 mm

Karyotype

• Monomorium sp.6: 2n = 38 (India) (Imai et al., 1984) (near Monomorium glabrum current as Trichomyrmex glaber).

References

• André, E. 1883b. Les fourmis. [concl.]. Pp. 345-404 in: André, Edm. 1881-1886. Species des Hyménoptères d'Europe et d'Algérie. Tome Deuxième. Beaune: Edmond André, 919 + 48 pp. (page 345, (footnote) worker described)
• Emery, C. 1922c. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Myrmicinae. [part]. Genera Insectorum 174B: 95-206 (page 181, Combination in Monomorium)
• Imai, H. T.; Baroni Urbani, C.; Kubota, M.; Sharma, G. P.; Narasimhanna, M. H.; Das, B. C.; 1984. Karyological survey of Indian ants. Jpn. J. Genet. 59: 1-32 (page 8, karyotype described)
• Khudadad, S., Rafi, M.A., Zia, A., Khan, M.S., Parveen, G., Sheikh, M.K., Naz, F., Qasim, M., Shah, S.W. 2021. Ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of District Mansehra, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Research 34: 664-671 (doi:10.17582/journal.pjar/2021/34.3.664.671).
• Radchenko, A. G. 1997g. Review of the ants of scabriceps group of the genus Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Ann. Zool. (Warsaw) 46: 211-224 (page 221, Senior synonym of clarus and glabrocriniceps)
• Rasheed, M.T., Bodlah, I., Fareen, A.G., Wachkoo, A.A., Huang, X., Akbar, S.A. 2019. A checklist of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Pakistan. Sociobiology 66(3), 426-439 (doi:10.13102/sociobiology.v66i3.4330).
• Ward, P.S., Brady, S.G., Fisher, B.L., Schultz, T.R. 2015. The evolution of myrmicine ants: phylogeny and biogeography of a hyperdiverse ant clade (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Systematic Entomology 40: 61–81 (doi:10.1111/syen.12090).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Bharti H., Y. P. Sharma, M. Bharti, and M. Pfeiffer. 2013. Ant species richness, endemicity and functional groups, along an elevational gradient in the Himalayas. Asian Myrmecology 5: 79-101.
• Bharti H., Y. P. Sharma, and A. Kaur. 2009. Seasonal patterns of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Punjab Shivalik. Halteres 1(1): 36-47.
• Bhoje P. M., K. Shilpa, and T. V. Sathe. 2014. Diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Kolhapur district of Maharashtra, India. Uttar Pradesh J. Zool. 34(1): 23-25.
• Chapman, J. W., and Capco, S. R. 1951. Check list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Asia. Monogr. Inst. Sci. Technol. Manila 1: 1-327
• Dias R. K. S. 2002. Current knowledge on ants of Sri Lanka. ANeT Newsletter 4: 17- 21.
• Donisthorpe H. 1942. Ants from the Colombo Museum Expedition to Southern India, September-October 1938. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (11)9: 449-461.
• Forel A. 1902. Myrmicinae nouveaux de l'Inde et de Ceylan. Rev. Suisse Zool. 10: 165-249.
• Forel A. 1903. Les Formicides de l'Empire des Indes et de Ceylan. Part X. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 14: 679-715.
• Forel A. 1909. Études myrmécologiques en 1909. Fourmis de Barbarie et de Ceylan. Nidification des Polyrhachis. Bull. Soc. Vaudoise Sci. Nat. 45: 369-407.
• Forel A. 1913k. Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse einer Forschungsreise nach Ostindien ausgeführt im Auftrage der Kgl. Preuss. Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin von H. v. Buttel-Reepen. II. Ameisen aus Sumatra, Java, Malacca und Ceylon. Gesammelt von Herrn Prof. Dr. v. Buttel-Reepen in den Jahren 1911-1912. Zoologische Jahrbücher. Abteilung für Systematik, Geographie und Biologie der Tiere 36:1-148.
• Radchenko A. G. 1997. Review of the ants of scabriceps group of the genus Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Annales Zoologici (Warsaw) 46: 211-224.
• Radchenko, A. G. "Review of the ants of scabriceps group of the genus Monomorium Mayr." Annales Zoologici, Warszawa 46 (1997): 211-224.
• Rajan P. D., M. Zacharias, and T. M. Mustak Ali. 2006. Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae. Fauna of Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary (Karnataka). Conservation Area Series, Zool. Surv. India.i-iv,27: 153-188.
• Rasheed M. T., I. Bodlah, A. G. Fareen, A. A. Wachkoo, X. Huang, and S. A. Akbar. 2019. A checklist of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Pakistan. Sociobiology 66(3): 426-439.
• Tak N. 1995. Studies on ants (Formicidae) of Rajasthan - 1 Jodhpur. Hexapoda 7(1): 17-28.
• Tak N. 2008. Ants of Rajasthan. Conserving Biodiversity of Rajasthan Zool. Surv. India. 149-155.
• Tak N. 2009. Ants Formicidae of Rajasthan. Records of the Zoological Survey of India, Occasional Paper No. 288, iv, 46 p
• Tak N., and N. S. Rathore. 1996. Ant (Formicidae) fauna of the Thar Desert. Pp. 271-276 in: Ghosh, A. K.; Baqri, Q. H.; Prakash, I. (eds.) 1996. Faunal diversity in the Thar Desert: gaps in research. Jodhpur: Scientific Publishers, xi + 410 pp.
• Tak N., and N. S. Rathore. 2004. Insecta: Hymenoptera. Rathore, N.S. Fauna of Desert National Park Rajasthan (proposed biosphere reserve). Conservation Area Series 19,Zool. Surv. India. 1-135. Chapter pagination: 81-84.
• Tak N., and N. S. Rathore. 2004. Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae. State Fauna Series 8: Fauna of Gujarat. Zool. Surv. India. Pp. 161-183.
• Tak, N. 2009. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Thar Desert of Rajasthan and Gujarat. in C. Sivaperuman et al. (eds.), Faunal Ecology and Conservation of the Great Indian Desert
• Tiwari R. N. 1999. Taxonomic studies on ants of southern India (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Memoirs of the Zoological Survey of India 18(4): 1-96.
• Tiwari, R.N. 1999. Taxonomic studies on ants of southern India (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Memoirs of the Zoological Survey of India 18(4):1-96
• Umair M., A. Zia, M. Naeem, and M. T. Chaudhry. 2012. Species composition of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Potohar Plateau of Punjab Province, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Zoology 44(3): 669-705.
• Varghese T. 2004. Taxonomic studies on ant genera of the Indian Institute of Science campus with notes on their nesting habits. Pp. 485-502 in : Rajmohana, K.; Sudheer, K.; Girish Kumar, P.; Santhosh, S. (eds.) 2004. Perspectives on biosystematics and biodiversity. Prof. T.C. Narendran commemoration volume. Kerala: Systematic Entomology Research Scholars Association, xxii + 666 pp.