Tetramorium lanuginosum

From the abstract of Wetterer (2010): The wooly ant, Tetramorium lanuginosum MAYR, 1870 (senior synonym of Triglyphothrix striatidens (EMERY, 1889)), has long been recognized as a widespread tramp species dispersed through human commerce. Based on its distribution and those of its closest known relatives, T. lanuginosum appears to be native to tropical and subtropical East Asia and perhaps also northern Australia and western Oceania. Tetramorium lanuginosum appears to be particularly common on small islands, possibly due to reduced competition with dominant ants in these habitats. Recent first records of T. lanuginosum on many islands of Samoa, the Galapagos, Madagascar (and neighboring island groups), and the West Indies suggest that exotic populations of T. lanuginosum are expanding on numerous tropical islands. Nonetheless, it appears unlikely that T. lanuginosum will ever become a significant exotic pest species, except perhaps on small tropical islands.

Identification
Monomorphic robust ants with a slow and steady gait. Workers possess a thick coat of soft erect hairs, some of which are branched into two or three tips.

Distribution
Modified from Wetterer (2010): Tetramorium lanuginosum is widespread in tropical and subtropical parts of Asia, Australia, and Oceania. Outside of this region most records are concentrated in three areas: Madagascar and neighboring islands, the Galapagos, and the Eastern Caribbean. Records for these island groups are largely records from the past ten years (c. 2000-2010). Other more scattered reports including records from tropical Africa, the Mediterranean, Mexico, and the southeastern US, Northern Europe (three sites - Kew Gardens, the Birmingham Botanical Garden, and the Dudley Zoo) and one site in the Netherlands (an indoor record in Amsterdam; DE JONGE 1985).

It is believed Tetramorium lanuginosum is native to tropical Asia. The species occurs over a seemingly continuous range from India, through tropical and subtropical East Asia, to northern Australia, and thus is probably native to much of this region, and perhaps even to parts of western Oceania, e.g., the Solomon Islands, Palau, and the Mariana Islands. (Wetterer 2010)

This taxon was described from Indonesia (Java). It is also found in Philippines, Ecuador, New Guinea, Mexico, United States, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Israel, India, Comoros, Seychelles, Réunion, Mayotte, Mauritius, Madagascar, Japan, Bangladesh, Viet Nam, Thailand, Singapore, Myanmar, Spain, Malta, Fiji, Guam, Samoa, Tonga, Barbados, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Tokelau, Wallis and Futuna Islands, Borneo, Java, Australia.



Distribution records of Tetramorium lanuginosum as provided by James Wetterer, 2010.

Nomenclature

 *  lanuginosum. Tetramorium lanuginosum Mayr, 1870b: 976 (w.) INDONESIA (Java). Viehmeyer, 1916a: 140 (q.); Imai, Baroni Urbani, et al. 1984: 8 (k.). Combination in Triglyphothrix: Emery, 1891b: 4 (footnote); in Tetramorium: Bolton, 1985: 247. Senior synonym of australis, ceramensis, felix, flavescens, laevidens, mauricei, orissana, striatidens, tricolor: Bolton, 1976: 350. See also: Hita Garcia & Fisher, 2011: 27.
 * striatidens. Tetramorium obesum r. striatidens Emery, 1889b: 501 (w.) MYANMAR. Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1973b: 78 (l.). Combination in Triglyphothrix: Emery, 1891b: 4. Raised to species: Forel, 1903a: 704. Junior synonym of lanuginosum: Bolton, 1976: 350.
 * laevidens. Triglyphothrix striatidens var. laevidens Forel, 1900e: 284 (w.) MEXICO. Junior synonym of lanuginosum: Bolton, 1976: 350.
 * australis. Triglyphothrix striatidens var. australis Forel, 1902h: 449 (w.q.) AUSTRALIA. Junior synonym of lanuginosum: Bolton, 1976: 350.
 * orissana. Triglyphothrix striatidens r. orissana Forel, 1902c: 239 (w.) INDIA. Raised to species: Bingham, 1903: 174. Subspecies of striatidens: Emery, 1924d: 274. Junior synonym of lanuginosum: Bolton, 1976: 350.
 * ceramensis. Triglyphothrix ceramensis Stitz, 1912: 506 (w.) INDONESIA (Seram I.). Junior synonym of lanuginosum: Bolton, 1976: 350.
 * felix. Triglyphothrix striatidens var. felix Forel, 1912k: 160 (w.) SEYCHELLES IS. Junior synonym of lanuginosum: Bolton, 1976: 350.
 * flavescens. Triglyphothrix striatidens var. flavescens Wheeler, W.M. 1929g: 55 (w.) SINGAPORE. [Unresolved junior secondary homonym of flavescens Emery, above.] Junior synonym of lanuginosum: Bolton, 1976: 350.
 * mauricei. Triglyphothrix mauricei Donisthorpe, 1946c: 778 (w.) MAURITIUS. Junior synonym of lanuginosum: Bolton, 1976: 350.
 * tricolor. Triglyphothrix tricolor Donisthorpe, 1948g: 136 (w.q.) NEW GUINEA. Junior synonym of lanuginosum: Bolton, 1976: 350.

Additional References
Wetterer, J.K. 2010. Worldwide spread of the wooly ant, Tetramorium lanuginosum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecological News 13: 81-88.