Tetramorium tsushimae

Identification Keys including this Taxon
Key to US Tetramorium species

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States. Palaearctic Region: China, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation.

Biology


This is Tetramorium tsushimae, Japanese pavement ant, feeding on mooshy cracker fragment, in a play area, in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Light colored individuals among the dark ones are typical of this species, which is a bit smaller than Tetramorium caespitum (sp. E), (2.5-2.8 mm vs. 2.9-3.2 mm). Colonies are polygyne, polycalic. The species is native to Japan, the Korean Peninsula, and temperate China. USA population originated in Tokyo area, so says its DNA (James Trager).

Nomenclature

 *  tsushimae. Tetramorium caespitum subsp. tsushimae Emery, 1925c: 187, fig. C (w.q.) JAPAN. Synonym of jacoti: Wheeler, W.M. 1927d: 7. [Wheeler gives jacoti as senior synonym, but tsushimae has priority and is the first available name for this taxon: Bolton, 1995b: 415.] Raised to species: Bolton, 1995b: 415. [For current synonymy of tsushimae see under its junior synonym jacoti.]
 * jacoti. Tetramorium caespitum subsp. jacoti Wheeler, W.M. 1927d: 7 (w.) CHINA. [First available use of Tetramorium caespitum subsp. semilaeve var. jacoti Wheeler, W.M. 1923b: 3; unavailable name.] Synonym of tsushimae: Wheeler, W.M. 1927d: 7. [Wheeler gives jacoti as senior synonym but tsushimae has priority and is first available name for this taxon: Bolton, 1995b: 415.] Raised to species: Pisarski, 1969b: 303; Radchenko, 1992b: 51. Senior synonym of tsushimae and material of the unavailable names chinensis, geei referred here: Radchenko, 1992b: 51.