Tapinoma litorale

This species, which is sufficiently distinct from all the species of Tapinoma of which I have seen descriptions, was very common at Card 's Point, Florida, along the Southern Bight, Andros Island, at West Bay, and about Nassau, N. P. (Fort Charlotte, Blue Hills, Hog Key, etc.). In all of these localities it was found nesting along the, ‘swashes' and beaches between the leaves of Tillandsias, in the hollow culms of Uniola and Cladium, or in the twigs of trees and bushes. It thus resembles in habits Tapinoma ramulorum Emery from Costa Rica. The nest entrance in the culms consisted of a little perforated papilla of gray vegetable paste made by the ants. This papilla projected slightly from the outer surface of the culm, and was often continued a short distance into the cavity inhabited by the insects. Males were found in all the nests opened during May and June. At Card's Point the species seemed to have a predilection for forming double nests with other ants; at any rate I found several colonies living in the same Tillandsias with colonies of, , or. These double nests were in all respects similar to those which I have described from Mexico as cases of parabiosis. (Wheeler 1905).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States. Neotropical Region: Bahamas, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Venezuela.

It has also been found in the United States.

Biology
Jack Longino: This species occurs in lowland rainforest. It is arboreal, nesting in thin dead sticks or other small plant cavities in highly insolated microhabitats, such as forest edges or high in the canopy. For example, I observed one nest in the core of a thin, soft rotten stick. There was a small tubular chamber in the center, about 5cm long, that housed a total of 20 adult workers and one dealate queen. Most colonies I have seen have been polygynous, with multiple dealate queens in nests.

Castes
Queen described as brachypterous (J. Heinze, pers. comm.)

Nomenclature

 *  litorale. Tapinoma litorale Wheeler, W.M. 1905b: 109 (w.q.m.) BAHAMAS. Current subspecies: nominal plus cubaense.

Taxonomic Notes
Jack Longino: I take a broad view of litorale, to include Tapinoma panamense Wheeler 1934 (and its synonym canalis Wheeler 1942). There is considerable variation and there could well be multiple cryptic species.

Worker
Length 1.25-1.5 mm.

Head, excluding the mandibles, a little longer than broad, as broad behind as in front, with convex cheeks and straight posterior border. Eyes small, with about 6-7 ommatidia in the longitudinal diameter, flattened, in front of the middle of the head. Mandibles multidenticulate along their entire inner edges, the teeth on the basal portion of the blade being very minute, but gradually increasing in length to the apex. Clypeus broadly rounded in front, slightly sinuate in the middle of the anterior border. Antennal scapes not reaching the posterior angles of the head; first funicular joint as long as the two succeeding joints, second joint broader than long; joints 3-10 subequal, hardly longer than broad, terminal as long as the three preceding joints, constricted at its base, so that it seems to form a one-jointed club. Thorax of the usual shape. Petiole with flattened upper surface, without a node. Basal segment of gaster concealing the petiole. Anus large and terminal.

Subopaque throughout, the surface of the body microscopically reticulate; mandibles feebly punctate.

Body, antennae, and legs uniformly covered with very fine white pubescence. There are a few inconspicuous white hairs on the gaster, clypeus, and mandibles but none on the thorax.

Pale yellow; upper surface of body brownish in some specimens, which have also the posterior edges of the gastric segments broadly yellow. Eyes and mandibular teeth black.

Queen
(dealated). — Length 3-3.5 mm.

Head distinctly narrowed in front. Antennal scape reaching to the posterior corner of the head; terminal joint less distinctly separated from the rest of the funiculus than in the worker. Gaster long and narrow.

Sculpture, pilosity, and pubescence as in the worker, except that the hairs at the tip of the gaster are more numerous.

Head and thorax yellow, with their dorsal surfaces dark brown. Gaster dark brown, posterior edges of segments broadly yellow. Antennre, mouthparts, legs, and petiole yellow. Mandibular teeth and eyes black.

Male
Length 1.3-1.5 mm.

Head large, excluding the mandibles and including the very large prominent eyes, as broad as long. Cheeks very short; postocular borders straight, converging behind, posterior border straight. Ocelli large and protruding. Mandibles hardly as long as the eyes, acute, with finely and obscurely denticulate blades. Clypeus short, with straight anterior border. Antennal scape long, reaching to the posterior corner of the head, funicular joints subequal, distinctly longer than broad, terminal joint about 1 1/2 times as long as the preceding. Thorax rather small, thickset; mesonotum not arched above, hardly as broad as the head. Epinotum sloping, faintly angular in profile. Gaster with large, exserted genitalia, the outer appendages of which are broadly rounded. Wings with one cubital and no discal cell.

Surface of body much more shining than in the worker, microscopically reticulate.

Hairs almost completely absent; pubescence much more dilute than in the worker.

Pale yellow; upper surface of head, thorax, and gaster brownish ; antennae slightly infuscated, inner borders of mandibles black.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Adams B. J., S. A. Schnitzer, and S. P. Yanoviak. 2016. Trees as islands: canopy ant species richness increases with the size of liana-free trees in a Neotropical forest. Ecography doi: 10.1111/ecog.02608
 * Adams B. J., S. A. Schnitzer, and S. P. Yanoviak. 2019. Connectivity explains local ant community structure in a Neotropical forest canopy: a large-scale experimental approach. Ecology 100(6): e02673.
 * Castano-Meneses, G., M. Vasquez-Bolanos, J. L. Navarrete-Heredia, G. A. Quiroz-Rocha, and I. Alcala-Martinez. 2015. Avances de Formicidae de Mexico. Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico.
 * Dattilo W. et al. 2019. MEXICO ANTS: incidence and abundance along the Nearctic-Neotropical interface. Ecology https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2944
 * Deyrup M. 2016. Ants of Florida: identification and natural history. CRC Press, 423 pages.
 * Deyrup M., C. Johnson, G. C. Wheeler, J. Wheeler. 1989. A preliminary list of the ants of Florida. Florida Entomologist 72: 91-101
 * Deyrup M., L. Davis, and S. Buckner. 1998. Composition of the ant fauna of three Bahamian islands. Proceedings of the seventh symposium on the natural history of the Bahamas. 23-32. Bahamian Field Station, San Salvador, Bahamas
 * Deyrup, M. 2003. An updated list of Florida ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Florida Entomologist 86(1):43-48.
 * Deyrup, M. and J. Trager. 1986. Ants of the Archbold Biological Station, Highlands County, Florida (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Florida Entomologist 69(1):206-228
 * Deyrup, Mark A., Carlin, Norman, Trager, James and Umphrey, Gary. 1988. A Review of the Ants of the Florida Keys. The Florida Entomologist. 71(2):163-176.
 * Emery C. 1913. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Dolichoderinae. Genera Insectorum 137: 1-50.
 * Fontanla Rizo J.L. 1997. Lista preliminar de las hormigas de Cuba. Cocuyo 6: 18-21.
 * Fontenla J. L., and J. Alfonso-Simonetti. 2018. Classification of Cuban ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) into functional groups. Poeyana Revista Cubana de Zoologia 506: 21-30.
 * Fontenla Rizo J. L. 1993. Composición y estructura de comunidades de hormigas en un sistema de formaciones vegetales costeras. Poeyana. Instituto de Ecología y Sistemática, Academia de Ciencias de Cuba 441: 1-19.
 * Fontenla Rizo J. L. 1993. Mirmecofauna de Isla de la Juventud y de algunos cayos del archipielago cubano. Poeyana. Instituto de Ecologia y Sistematica, Academia de Ciencias de Cuba 444:1-7.
 * Fontenla Rizo J. L. 1997. Lista preliminar de las hormigas de Cuba (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Cocuyo 6: 18-21.
 * Galkowski C. 2016. New data on the ants from the Guadeloupe (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Bull. Soc. Linn. Bordeaux 151, 44(1): 25-36.
 * Jaffe, K., Mauleon, H. and Kermarrec A. 1990. Predatory Ants of Diaprepes Abbreviatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) In Citrus Groves In Martinique and Guadeloupe, F.W.I. Florida Entomologist. 73(4):684-687.
 * Jaffe, Klaus and Lattke, John. 1994. Ant Fauna of the French and Venezuelan Islands in the Caribbean in Exotic Ants, editor D.F. Williams. 182-190.
 * Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
 * Kusnezov N. 1963. Zoogeografia de las hormigas en sudamerica. Acta Zoologica Lilloana 19: 25-186
 * Mann W. M. 1920. Additions to the ant fauna of the West Indies and Central America. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 42: 403-439.
 * Menozzi C, Russo G. 1930. Contributo alla conoscenza della mirmecofauna della Repubblica Dominicana (Antille). Bollettino del Laboratorio di Zoologia Generale e Agraria della Reale Scuola Superiore d'Agricoltura. Portici. 24: 148-173.
 * Moreau C. S., M. A. Deyrup, and L. R. David Jr. 2014. Ants of the Florida Keys: Species Accounts, Biogeography, and Conservation (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J. Insect Sci. 14(295): DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieu157
 * Morrison L. W. 1998. A review of Bahamian ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) biogeography. Journal of Biogeography 25: 561-571.
 * Perez-Gelabert D. E. 2008. Arthropods of Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti): A checklist and bibliography. Zootaxa 1831:1-530.
 * Piechnik, D. E., Martinez, N. D. and Lawler, S. P. 2008. Food-web assembly during a classic biogeographic study: species' "trophic breadth" corresponds to colonization order. - Oikos 117:665-674
 * Portuondo E. F., and J. L. Reyes. 2002. Mirmecofauna de los macizos montañosos de Sierra Maestra y Nipe-Sagua-Baracoa. Cocuyo 12: 10-13
 * Portuondo E. F., and J. L. Reyes. 2006. Species of hymenopterans recorded in Siboney-Juticí Ecological Reserve, Santiago de Cuba Province, compiled from collections during the rapid inventory of 27-28 September 2002. Fong G., A., D. Maceira F., W. S. Alverson, y / and J. M. Shopland, eds. 2005. Cuba: Siboney-Juticí. Rapid Biological Inventories Report 10. The Field Museum, Chicago.
 * Portuondo Ferrer E., and J. L. Fernández Triana. 2005. Species of hymenopterans (bees, wasps, and ants) recorded in Alejandro de Humboldt National Park, from literature records, revision of the collection at BIOECO, and collections before and during the rapid inventory, 12-22 February 2004. In Fong G., A., D. Maceira F., W. S. Alverson, y/and T. Wachter, eds. 2005. Cuba: Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt. Rapid Biological Inventories Report 14. The Field Museum, Chicago.
 * Portuondo Ferrer, E. and J. Fernandez Triana. Biodiversidad del orden Hymenoptera en Los Macizos Montanosos de Cuba Oriental. Boletin S.E.A. 35:121-136.
 * Reynoso-Campos J. J., J. A. Rodriguez-Garza, and M. Vasquez-Bolanos. 2015. Hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) de la Isla Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico (pp. 27-39). En: Castaño Meneses G., M. Vásquez-Bolaños, J. L. Navarrete-Heredia, G. A. Quiroz-Rocha e I. Alcalá-Martínez (Coords.). Avances de Formicidae de  México.  UNAM,  Universiad  de  Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco.
 * 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.
 * Smith M. R. 1937. The ants of Puerto Rico. Journal of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico 20: 819-875.
 * Smith, Marion R. 1954. American Museum Novitates. Ants of the Bimini Island Group, Bahamas, British West Indies (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). 1671:1-16
 * Smith, Marion R. 1954. Ants of the Bimini Island Group, Bahamas, British West Indies. American Museum of Natural History. 1671. 1-16.
 * Torres J.A. 1984. Niches and Coexistence of Ant Communities in Puerto Rico: Repeated Patterns. Biotropica 16(4): 284-295.
 * Torres, Juan A. and Roy R. Snelling. 1997. Biogeography of Puerto Rican ants: a non-equilibrium case?. Biodiversity and Conservation 6:1103-1121.
 * Vásquez-Bolaños M. 2011. Lista de especies de hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) para México. Dugesiana 18: 95-133
 * Wetterer J. K. 2018. Native and exotic ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) nesting in red mangroves (Malpighiales: Rhizophora mangle) of eastern Florida. Transactions of the American Entomological Society, 144(2): 347-357.
 * Wetterer J. K., and R. J. Guerrero. 2017. Geographic distribution of Tapinoma litorale (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Florida Entomologist 100(1): 145-148.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1905. The ants of the Bahamas, with a list of the known West Indian species. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 21: 79-135.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1908. The ants of Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 24: 117-158.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1932. A list of the ants of Florida with descriptions of new forms. J. N. Y. Entomol. Soc. 40: 1-17.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1942. Studies of Neotropical ant-plants and their ants. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 90: 1-262.
 * Wilson E. O. 1964. The ants of the Florida Keys. Breviora 210: 1-14.
 * Wilson E. O., and D. S. Simberloff. 1969. Experimental zoogeography of islands. Defaunation and monitoring techniques. Ecology 50: 267-278.