Myrmica bibikoffi

Bibikoff found all castes of this species living independently, but the two other colony samples were collected in the nests of where only workers of the host species were found. This suggests that M. bibikoffi might be a temporary social parasite, which in some ecological situations can only survive as a permanent social parasite. (Radchenko & Elmes, 2003)

Identification
A member of the sabuleti complex of the scabrinodis species group. M. bibikoffi is characterized by strongly reduced spurs on the hid and mid tibiae, a coarse reticulated sculpture on head and alitrunk, wide postpetiole of workers and queens, and hairy body. It is similar to Myrmica hirsuta and shares the same host, Myrmica sabuleti. Queens are larger than those of M. hirsuta and also differ by their body sculpture and narrower frons. (Radchenko and Elmes 2003)

Key to Parasitic Myrmica of West Europe and North Africa Queens / Males

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Germany, Spain, Switzerland.

Nomenclature

 *  bibikoffi. Myrmica bibikoffi Kutter, 1963: 130, figs. 1-11 (w.q.m.) SWITZERLAND. See also: Kutter, 1973c: 255; Kutter, 1977c: 65; Radchenko & Elmes, 2003a: 227; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 104.

Description
Radchenko and Elmes (2003) - Workers (n=5): HL 1.10-1.28; HW 0.94-1.16; SL 0.82-1.04; AL 1.50-1.78 mm; FI 0.34-0.35; FLI 1.40-1.47; SIl 0.75-0.86; SI2 0.85-0.91; PPI 0.51-0.59; ESLI 0.36-0.43; queens (n=2): HL 1.24-1.40; HW 1.22-1.34; SL 0.96-1.00; AL 2.14 mm; FI 0.35-0.39; FLI 1.26-1.37; SI1 0.71-0.77; SI2 0.79-0.80; PPI 0.60-0.61; ESLI 0.30-0.35; males (n=5): HL 0.84-0.94; HW 0.80-0.87; SL 0.56-0.69; AL 1.78-1.86 mm; SI1 0.64-0.74; SI2 0.68-0.78; PPI 0.55-0.57; ESLI 0.07-0.20.

Etymology
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - named for the collector Mr. Michel Bibikoff, a Russian émigré who studied entomology in Paris and was later famous for his work on training guide dogs.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * AntArea. Accessed on February 5th 2014 at http://antarea.fr/fourmi/
 * Antarea (at www.antarea.fr on June 11th 2017)
 * Blatrix R., C. Lebas, C. Galkowski, P. Wegnez, P. Pimenta, and D. Morichon. 2016. Vegetation cover and elevation drive diversity and composition of ant communities (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in a Mediterranean ecosystem. – Myrmecological News 22: 119-127.
 * Boer P. 2019. Species list of the Netherlands. Accessed on January 22 2019 at http://www.nlmieren.nl/websitepages/specieslist.html
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 * Casevitz-Weulersse J., and C. Galkowski. 2009. Liste actualisee des Fourmis de France (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Bull. Soc. Entomol. Fr. 114: 475-510.
 * 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
 * Espadaler, X. "Contribución al conocimiento de los formícidos (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) del Pirineo catalán." Tesis Universida (1979): 285 pp.
 * Lebas C., C. Galkowski, P. Wegnez, X. Espadaler, and R. Blatrix. 2015. The exceptional diversity of ants on mount Coronat (Pyrénées-Orientales), and Temnothorax gredosi(Hymenoptera, Formicidae) new to France. R.A.R.E., T. XXIV (1): 24  33
 * Lebas C., and C. Galkowski. 2016. Myrmica hirsuta Elmes, 1978, a new species from France (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Bull. Soc. Linn. Bordeaux 151, 44(2/3): 239-244.
 * Radchenko A. G., and G. W. Elmes. 2003. A taxonomic revision of the socially parasitic Myrmica ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Palaearctic region. Annales Zoologici (Warsaw) 53: 217-243.
 * Radchenko A. G., and G. W. Elmes. 2010. Myrmica ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Old World. Fauna Mundi 3. Warsaw: Natura Optima Dux Foundation, 790 pp.
 * Seifert B. 1988. A taxonomic revision of the Myrmica species of Europe, Asia Minor, and Caucasia (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Abhandlungen und Berichte des Naturkundemuseums Görlitz 62(3): 1-75.
 * Wegnez P. 2018. Premières decouvertes de Myrmica bibikoffi Kutter, 1963 et de Ponera testacea Emery, 1895, au Luxembourg (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)Bulletin de la Société royale belge d’Entomologie 154: 263–272.