Tapinoma simrothi

Mainly a west-Mediterranean taxon, mentioned also from Afghanistan and the Arabian Peninsula (Rigato & Toni, 2011). Pashaei Rad et al. (2018) found this species in Iran on the ground and on trees, and on the ground in a moderate to low rainfall area.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen. Palaearctic Region: Afghanistan, Algeria, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, China, Gibraltar, Greece, Iberian Peninsula, Iran, Italy, Kuwait, Malta, Montenegro, Oman, Portugal, Qatar, Spain, Turkey.

Biology
Tapinoma simrothi in Saudi Arabia was observed nesting in a decaying carpet, among roots of graminae plants and attending unidentified mealybugs, and also coexisting with Solenopsis saudiensis (Sharaf and Aldawood 2011).

Karami-jamour et al (2018) studied interactions between this ant and the aphid Aphis gossypii. Tapinoma simrothi tends this aphid and potentially protects it from predators. Laboratory microcosm experiments with plants, ants, aphids and two aphid predators (Chrysoperla carnea Stephens, green lacewing and Coccinellia septempunctata Mulsant, ladybird/ladybug) suggested T. simrothi can decrease predation of the aphid.

Nomenclature

 *  simrothi. Tapinoma erraticum var. simrothi Krausse, 1911: 18 (w.) ITALY (Sardinia). Emery, 1925d: 49 (q.m.). Raised to species: Emery, 1925d: 48; Menozzi, 1933b: 77; Santschi, 1936c: 204. Junior synonym of erraticum: Baroni Urbani, 1964b: 55. Revived from synonymy, status as species: Bernard, 1967: 259; Kutter, 1977c: 182. Current subspecies: nominal plus phoeniceum. See also: Shattuck, 1994: 154.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Abdul-Rassoul M. S., H. A. Dawah, and N. Y. Othman. 1978. Records of insect collection (Part I) in the natural history research centre, Baghdad. Bull. Nat. Hist. Res. Centre 7(2): 1-6.
 * Agosti, D. and C.A. Collingwood. 1987. A provisional list of the Balkan ants (Hym. Formicidae) and a key to the worker caste. I. Synonymic list. Mitteilungen der Schweizerischen Entomologischen Gesellschaft, 60: 51-62
 * Aissat L., and R. Moulai. 2016. Analysis of insect diversity of three islets in the North East Algeria. J. Entomol. Res. Soc. 18(2): 1-21.
 * AntArea. Accessed on February 5th 2014 at http://antarea.fr/fourmi/
 * Antarea (at www.antarea.fr on June 11th 2017)
 * Bakr R. F. A., H. H. Fadl, R. M. Badawy, and M. R. Sharaf. 2007. Myrmecophile insects associated with some ant species (Hymenoptera : Formicidae )in Egypt. The second international conference of economic entomology (Entomological Society of Egypt) ,Cairo, Egypt, 8-11 December, (1): 205-233.
 * Barech G., M. Khaldi, S. Ziane, A. Zedam, S. Doumadji, M. Sharaf, and X. Espadaler. 2016. A first checklist and diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the saline dry lake Chott El Hodna in Algeria, a Ramsar Conservation Wetland. African Entomology 24(1): 143–152.
 * Bernard F. 1955. Morphologie et comportement des fourmis lestobiotiques du genre Epixenus Emery. Insectes Soc. 2: 273-283.
 * Bernard F. 1960. Fourmis récoltées en Corse par J. Bonfils (1957). Compte Rendu Sommaire des Séances de la Société de Biogéographie 36: 108-114.
 * Bernard F. 1967. Faune de l'Europe et du Bassin Méditerranéen. 3. Les fourmis (Hymenoptera Formicidae) d'Europe occidentale et septentrionale. Paris: Masson, 411 pp.
 * Bernard F. 1970. Les fourmis de la forêt de Mâmora (Maroc). Revue d'Écologie et de Biologie du Sol 6:n483-513.
 * Bernard, F. "Les insectes sociaux du Fezzân. Comportement et biogéographie." En: Bernard, F., Peyerimhoff, P. de Mission sc (1948): 87-200.
 * Berville L., A. Hefetz, X. Espadaler, A. Lenoir, M. Renucci, O. Blight, and E. Provost. 2013. Differentiation of the ant genus Tapinoma (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Mediterranean Basin by specis-specific cuticular hydrocarbons profiles. Myrmecological News 18: 77-92.
 * Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
 * Borowiec L., and S. Salata. 2012. Ants of Greece - Checklist, comments and new faunistic data (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus 23(4): 461-563.
 * Borowiec L., and S. Salata. 2017. Ants of the Peloponnese, Greece (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Polish Journal of Entomology 86: 193-236.
 * Borowiec L., and S. Salata. 2017. New records of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from southern Portugal. Acta Entomologica Silesiana 25(3): 1-10.
 * Bracko G., K. Kiran, C. Karaman, S. Salata, and L. Borowiec. 2016. Survey of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Greek Thrace. Biodiversity Data Journal 4: e7945. doi: 10.3897/BDJ.4.e7945
 * Cagniant, H. 1968. Liste preliminaire de fourmis forestieres d'Algerie. Resultats obtenus de 1963 a 1964. Bulletin de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle de Toulouse 104: 138-147
 * Cagniant, H. "Contribution à la connaissance des fourmis marocaines. Description des trois castes d'Aphaenogaster wilsoni n. sp. (Hymenoptera, Myrmicidae)." Nouvelle Revue d'Entomologie (n.s.)5 (1988): 49-55.
 * 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.
 * Cagniant, H. "Étude de fourmis récoltées par le Professeur H. Janetschek dans la Sierra Nevada." Bulletin de la Société d' Histoire naturelle de l' Afrique du Nord 52 (1961): 104-117.
 * Cagniant, H. "Étude de quelques fourmis marocaines. Statistique provisoire des Formicidae du Maroc." Bulletin de la Société d' Histoire naturelle de l' Afrique du Nord 53 (1964): 83-118.
 * Cagniant, H. Les peuplements de fourmis des forêts algériennes: écologie, biocénotique, essai biologique. Universite de Toulouse, 1973.
 * Cammell, M. E., M. J. Way, and M. R. Paiva. "Diversity and structure of ant communities associated with oak, pine, eucalyptus and arable habitats in Portugal." Insectes Sociaux 43 (1996): 37-46.
 * Casevitz-Weulersse J. 1990. Etude Systematique de la Myrmecofaune Corse (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), deuxieme partie. Bull. Mus. Natn. Hist. Nat. Paris. 4eme serie 12, section A(2): 415-442.
 * Casevitz-Weulersse J. 1992. La myrmecofaune de la reserve naturelle de Scandola, inventaire spécifique (1984/85-1991). Trav. Sci. Parc nat. Res. Nat. Corse, Fr, 36: 85-108.
 * Casevitz-Weulersse, J. "Contribution a la connaisance des fourmis de la Corse (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)." These de Doctorat Museum Nat (1989): 379pp.
 * Castracani C., D. A. Grasso, A. Fanfani, and A. Mori. 2010. The ant fauna of Castelporziano Presidential Reserve (Rome, Italy) as a model for the analysis of ant community structure in relation to environmental variation in Mediterranean ecosystems. J Insect Conserv 14: 585594.
 * Chemala A., M. Benhamacha, D. M. Ould el Hadj, F. Marniche, and S. Daoudi. 2017. A preliminary list of the ant fauna in Northeastern Sahara of Algeria (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology 64(2): 146-154.
 * Collingwood C. A. 1961. The third Danish Expedition to Central Asia. Zoological Results 27. Formicidae (Insecta) from Afghanistan. Videnskabelige Meddelelser fra Dansk Naturhistorisk Forening 123: 51-79.
 * Collingwood C. A. 1985. Hymenoptera: Fam. Formicidae of Saudi Arabia. Fauna of Saudi Arabia 7: 230-302.
 * Collingwood C. A., D. Agosti, M. R. Sharaf, A. Van Harten, 2011. Order Hymenoptera, family Formicidae. Arthropod Fauna of the UAE 4: 405-474
 * Collingwood C., and A. Prince. 1998. A guide to ants of continental Portugal (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Boletim da Sociedade Portuguesa de Entomologia. Suplemento 5: 1-49.
 * Collingwood, C. A. 1993. A Comparitive Study of the Ant Fauna of Five Greek Islands. Biologia Gallo-hellenica. 20,1:191-197
 * Collingwood, C. A., and I. H. H. Yarrow. "A survey of Iberian Formicidae." EOS (Revista española de entomología) 44 (1969): 53-101.
 * Collingwood, C. A. "A comparative study of the ant fauna of five Greek islands." Biologia Gallo-Hellenica 20 (1993): 191-197.
 * Collingwood, C. A. "Hymenoptera: Fam. Formicidae of Saudi Arabia." Fauna of Saudi Arabia 7 (1985): 230-302.
 * Collingwood, C. A. "The third Danish Expedition to Central Asia. Zoological Results 27. Formicidae (Insecta) from Afghanistan." Videnskabelige Meddelelser fra Dansk Naturhistorisk Forening 123 (1961): 51-79.
 * Comín del Río, P. Estudio de los formícidos de Baleares: Contribución al estudio taxonómico, geográfìco y biológico. Palma de Mallorca: Universidad de las Islas Baleares, 1988.
 * 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
 * Delye, G., and J. L. Bonaric. "Fourmis du sud Marocain." Etude de certains milieux du Maroc et de leux evolution recente RCP 249 (1973).
 * Diniz, M. A. "Estado actual do conhecimento dos himenópteros de Portugal." Memorias e Estudos do Museu Zoologico da Universidade de Coimbra 259 (1959): 1-42.
 * Dlussky G. M., O. S. Soyunov, and S. I. Zabelin. 1990. Ants of Turkmenistan. Ashkabad: Ylym Press, 273 pp.
 * Emery C. 1925. Revision des espèces paléarctiques du genre Tapinoma. Revue Suisse de Zoologie 32: 45-64.
 * Finzi, B. "Formiche della Libia." Memorie della Società Entomologica Italiana 18 (1940): 155-166.
 * Finzi, B. "Raccolte entomologiche nell'Isola di Capraia fatte da C. Mancini e F. Capra (1927-1931). II. Formicidae." Memorie della Società Entomologica Italiana 11 (1933): 162-165.
 * Gomez K. 2017. Two species of exotic ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) new to Malta. Boletin de la Sociedad Entomologica Aragonesa (S.E.A.) 61: 233-235.
 * Gonçalves, C., I. Patanita, and X. Espadaler. "Substantial, and significant, expansion of ant hosts range for Myrmicinosporidium Hölldobler, 1933 (Fungi)." Insectes Sociaux 59 (2012): 395-399.
 * Grandi G. 1935. Contributi alla conoscenza degli Imenotteri Aculeati. XV. Boll. R. Ist. Entomol. Univ. Studi Bologna 8: 27-121.
 * Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
 * Hauschteck-Jungen E., and H. Jungen. 1983. Ant chromosomes. II. Karyotypes of western palearctic species. Insectes Soc. 30: 149-164.
 * Izhaki I., B. Idelovich, R. Laster, and Y. Ofer. 2009. The impact of macro- vs micro environmental factors on the structure of ant communities inhabiting East-Mediterranean Aleppo pine forests. Israel Journal of Entomology 39: 129-146.
 * Karaman M. G. 2011. A catalogue of the ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Montenegro. Podgorica: Catalogues 3, Volume 2, Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts, 140 pp.
 * Kiran K., and C. Karaman. 2012. First annotated checklist of the ant fauna of Turkey (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 3548: 1-38.
 * Krausse, A. H. "Ueber sardische Ameisen." Archiv für Naturgeschichte, Berlin A 78(7) (1912): 162-166.
 * Kugler J. 1988. The zoogeography of Israel. 9. The zoogeography of social insects of Israel and Sinai. Monographiae biologicae 62: 251-275.
 * Kuznetsov G. T. 1990. Comparative analysis of Hymenoptera (Formicidae) population on altitudinal zones of central Kopetdag. Izvestiya Akademii Nauk Turkmenskoi SSR. Seriya Biologicheskikh Nauk 1990(3): 64-67.
 * Legakis Collection Database
 * Lorite P., M. F. García, and T. Palomeque. 1998. Chromosome numbers in Spanish Formicidae. II. Subfamily Dolichoderinae. Sociobiology 32: 77-89.
 * Mei M. 1995. Arthropoda di Lampedusa, Linosa e Pantelleria (Canale di Sicilia, Mar Mediterraneo). Hymenoptera Formicidae (con diagnosi di due nuove specie). Il Naturalista Siciliano (4)19(suppl.): 753-772.
 * Menozzi C. 1927. Risultati zoologici della Missione inviata dalla R. Società Geografica Italiana per l'esplorazione dell'Oasi di Giarabub (1926-1927). Formicidae (Hymenoptera). Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria. 52: 379-382.
 * Menozzi C. 1934. Reperti mirmecofaunistici raccolti dal Prof. L di Caporiacco nelle oasi di Cufra e in altre localita del deserto Libico. Atti della Societa dei Naturalisti e Matematici di Modena (6)13(65): 153-166
 * Mohamed, S., S. Zalat, H. Fadl, S.Gadalla and M. Sharaf. 2001. Taxonomy of ant species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) collected by pitfall traps from Sinai and Delta region, Egypt. Egyptian Journal of Natural History 3:40-61
 * Omid P., and H. G. Kami. 2007. New and additional records for the formicid fauna (Insecta: Hymenoptera) of Iran. Zoology in the Middle East 40(1): 85-90.
 * Ottonetti L., L. Tucci, and G. Santini. 2006. Recolonization Patterns of Ants in a Rehabilitated Lignite Mine in Central Italy: Potential for the Use of Mediterranean Ants as Indicators of Restoration Processes. Restoration Ecology 14(1): 6066.
 * Oussalah N., F. Marniche, X. Espadaler, and M. Biche. 2019. Exotic ants from the Maghreb (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) with first report of the Hairy Alien Ant Nylanderia jaegerskioeldi (Mayr) in Algeria. Arxius de Miscel·lania Zoologica 17: 45–58.
 * Paiva, M. R., M. J. Way, and M. E. Cammell. "Estudo preliminar sobre a distribuçao das formigas nos sistemas florestais em Portugal." Boletim da Sociedade Portuguesa de Ciências Naturais 119 (1990): 197-205.
 * Pashaei Rad S., B. Taylor, R. Torabi, E. Aram, G. Abolfathi, R. Afshari, F. Borjali, M. Ghatei, F. Hediary, F. Jazini, V. Heidary Kiah, Z. Mahmoudi, F. Safariyan, and M. Seiri. 2018. Further records of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Iran. Zoology in the Middle East 64(2): 145-159.
 * Poldi B., M. Mei, and F. Rigato. 1995. Hymenoptera, Formicidae. Vol 102. Checklist delle specie della fauna Italiana: 1-10.
 * Rafinejad J., A. Zareii, K. Akbarzadeh, M. Azad, F. Biglaryan, S. Doosti, and M. M. Sedaghat. 2009. Faunestic study of ants with emphasis on the health risk of stinging ants in Qeshm Island, Iran. Iranian J. Arthropod-Borne Dis 3(1): 53-59.
 * Rigato S., and I. Toni. 2011. Short notes 21. Hymenoptera, Formicidae. Pp. 873-882 in: Nardi, G.; Whitmore, D.; Bardiani, M.; Birtele, D.; Mason, F.; Spada, L.; Cerretti, P. (eds.) 2011. Biodiversity of Marganai and Montimannu (Sardinia). Research in the framework of the ICP Forests network. Conservazione Habitat Invertebrati, 5. Sommacampagna, Verona: Cierre Edizioni, 896 pp.
 * Salata S., and L. Borowiec. 2018. Taxonomic and faunistic notes on Greek ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Annals of the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom Entomology 27: 1-51.
 * Santschi F. 1930. Trois notes myrmécologiques. Bulletin et Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique. 70: 263-270.
 * Santschi, F. "Fourmis du Portugal." Memórias e Estudos do Museu Zoológico da Universidade de Coimbra 59 (1932): 1-3.
 * Santschi, F. "Inventa entomologica itineris Hispanici et Maroccani, quod a. 1926 fecerunt Harald et Håkan Lindberg. Fourmis du Bassin Méditerranéen occidental et du Maroc récoltées par MM. Lindberg." Societas Scientiarum Fennica (Helsingfors) 3 (14) (1931): 1-13.
 * Santschi, F. "Liste de fourmis d'Espagne recueilliés par Mr. J. M. Dusmet." Boletín de la Sociedad Entomológica de España 15 (1932): 69-74.
 * Santschi, F. "Trois notes sur quelques fourmis du Musée Royal d'Histoire Naturelle de Belgique." Bulletin du Musée Royal d'Histoire Naturelle de Belgique 15 (1939): 1-15.
 * Schembri, Stephen P. and Cedric A. Collingwood. A Revision of the Myrmecofauna of the Maltese Islands. 417-442.
 * Scupola A., and R. Poggi. 2014. Ricerche zoologiche della nave oceanografica "minerva" (C.N.R.) sulle isole circumsarde. XXXIII. Formiche. Estratto dagli Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale “G. Doria” 106: 93-131.
 * Scupola I. 2009. Le formiche delle Isole Egadi (Sicilia) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Bollettino del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Verona Botanica Zoologia 33: 97-103
 * Seifert B. D. D'Eustacchio, B. E. Kaufmann, M. Centorame, and M. Modica. 2017. Four species within the supercolonial ants of the Tapinoma nigerrimum complex revealed by integrative taxonomy (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecological News 24: 123-144.
 * Seifert, B. "A method for differentiation of the female castes of Tapinoma ambiguum Emery and Tapinoma erraticum (Latr.) and remarks on their distribution in Europe north of the Mediterranean region ." Faun. Abh. Staatl. Mus. Tierk. Dresden 11 (1984): 151-155.
 * Shattuck S. O. 1994. Taxonomic catalog of the ant subfamilies Aneuretinae and Dolichoderinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). University of California Publications in Entomology 112: i-xix, 1-241.
 * Shiran E., M. S. Mossadegh, and M. Esfandiari. 2012. Symbiotic ants with aphids in Khuzestan province, Isfahan city and its vicinity, Iran. 20th Iranian Plant Protection Congress, 25-28 August 2012.
 * Tinaut A. 2016. Ants of the Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama Mountains Natural Park (Andalusia, Spain) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Boln. Asoc. esp. Ent., 40 (1-2): 125-159.
 * Xia Yongjuan, and Zheng Zhemin. 1997. A survey of Formicidae form Xinjiang. Journal of Shaanxi Normal University 25(2): 64-66.
 * Zina V., M. Branco, and J. C. Franco. 2017. Ant community associated to citrus canopy in Southern Portugal over a century after the invasion by the Argentine ant. Phytoparasitica 45:183–200.
 * de Haro, Andrés, C. A. Collingwood, and P. Comín del Río. "Prospección mirmecológica por Ibiza y Formentera (Baleares)." Orsis 2 (1986): 115-120.
 * de Haro, Andrés, and C. A. Collingwood. "Prospección mirmecológica por el litoral mediterráneo de Marruecos (Cabo Negro, Martil, Oued Lau) y su comparación con la zona meridional ibérica." Orsis 9 (1994): 97-104.
 * de Haro, Andrés, and C. A. Collingwood. "Prospección mirmecológica por la península Tingitana al norte del Rif (Marruecos)." Orsis (Organismes i Sistemes) 12 (1997): 93-99.