Myrmica luteola

Radchenko and Elmes (2003) - There are very few published accounts of the biology of this unusual Myrmica species. Kupyanskaya (1990) described how, in Far Eastern Russia, M. luteola usually lives in open places in spruce and southern-type mixed forest, generally preferring forest glades and the meadows bordering rivers and lakes; she noted that it usually builds its nests in decaying wood and that sexuals are present in the nest from June-September. In Japan, M. luteola inhabits sparsely forested rocky sites and builds nests under stones or around tree roots; nuptial flight take place from September to mid-October (Masuko and Terayama 2002).

Identification
Queens of this species are not very obvious being hardly larger, or even somewhat smaller, than their workers. The queen differs from her workers by an absence of propodeal spines (or at most with short denticles), while the workers have long propodeal spines. Although some reduction of the propodeal spines in relation to those of workers is not unusual for queens, the reduction shown by M. luteola is unique for all other known Myrmica species. M. luteola also possess several "socially-parasitic" features, such as reduced spurs on mid- and hind tibiae, slightly developed ventral petiolar and postpetiolar processes and a very hairy body. In addition, the first gastral tergite of workers and queens is distinctly longitudinally-striated basally; this unusual feature for Palaearctic Myrmica is known only from the Nearctic Myrmica striolagaster. (Radchenko and Elmes 2003)

Distribution
Primorsky province of Russia, Isl. Kunashir, Korea, Japan.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Taiwan. Palaearctic Region: Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, Russian Federation.

Biology
Based entirely on morphological characteristics, Elmes and Radchenko (1998) speculated that M. luteola might be a microgyne form, derived from a species such as Myrmica mirabilis, or might be a temporary social parasite. Very recently Masuko and Terayama (2002) showed that M. luteola could be temporary social parasite of Manica yessensis. While their evidence is open to several other interpretations, if they are correct then M. luteola would provide the first example of intergeneric parasitism by a Myrmica species. On the other hand, there are no Manica species in the Russian Far East, therefore M. luteola either parasitises several different hosts or is a facultative social parasite.

Nomenclature

 *  luteola. Myrmica luteola Kupyanskaya, 1990: 103, Figs. 16, 17 (w.q.) RUSSIA. Radchenko, 1994f: 75 (m.). See also: Masuko & Terayama, 2002: 228; Radchenko & Elmes, 2003a: 239; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 197.