Nylanderia jaegerskioeldi

Nylanderia jaegerskioeldi has the widest range of any Afrotropical Nylanderia, found across equatorial Africa, northward through North Africa, to as far west as the Canary Islands.

Identification
LaPolla et al. (2011) - Overall brown, with abundant pubescence on head, anterior portions of pronotum, mesonotum, and gaster.

Compare with: Nylanderia natalensis

See the nomenclature section below for additional information.

Distribution
Gomez (2017) - This species has an African origin (Lapolla et al., 2011) and it’s distributed from Southern Africa to the Arabian Peninsula to the East and the Canary Islands to the West. It seems to be expanding its range throughout the Mediterranean, with citations from Madeira (Wetterer et al., 2007), Canary Islands (Espadaler & Bernal, 2003), Morocco (Taheri et al., 2017), Iberian Peninsula (Espadaler & Collingwood 2001, among others), Balearic Islands (Gómez & Espadaler, 2006), Ionian Islands (Borowiec & Salata, 2014), Turkey (Kiran & Karaman, 2012) and Malta (Gomez, 2017).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Benin, Central African Republic, Guinea, Kenya, Sudan, Uganda, United Arab Emirates. Palaearctic Region: Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Egypt, Greece, Iberian Peninsula, Israel, Spain, Turkey.

Biology
Gomez (2017) - Malta samples were collected at a city garden adjacent to the beach of Birzebuggia, (35.84252, 14.54623 06/09/2017, sea level, Gómez, K. leg.). The workers were foraging in an irrigated lawn with palm trees. [Voucher specimens KG03729D01, KG03729D02 at author’s collection]

This is the typical habitat for this species out of its natural distribution: irrigated gardens or lawns, plenty of humidity and high temperatures. It hasn’t been found in the wild by now in the Mediterranean and does not seem to be an invasive species.

Nomenclature

 *  jaegerskioeldi. Prenolepis jaegerskioeldi Mayr, 1904b: 8 (w.) EGYPT. Emery, 1910a: 130 (q.m.). Combination in Pr. (Nylanderia): Santschi, 1914b: 128; in Paratrechina (Nylanderia): Emery, 1925b: 218; in Nylanderia: LaPolla, Brady & Shattuck, 2010a: 127. Senior synonym of borcardi: Emery, 1910a: 130; of nimba, traegaordhi, weissi, zelotypa: LaPolla, Hawkes & Fisher, 2011: 17.
 * borcardi. Prenolepis (Nylanderia) jaegerskioeldi var. borcardi Santschi, 1908: 533, fig, 12 (w.q.m.) NORTH AFRICA. Junior synonym of jaegerskioeldi: Emery, 1910a: 130.
 * nimba. Paratrechina weissi subsp. nimba Bernard, 1953b: 258, fig. 15 (w.q.) GUINEA. Combination in Nylanderia: LaPolla, Brady & Shattuck, 2010a: 127. Junior synonym of jaegerskioeldi: LaPolla, Hawkes & Fisher, 2011: 17.
 * traegaordhi. Prenolepis traegaordhi Forel, 1904h: 14 (w.m.) SUDAN. Combination in Pr. (Nylanderia): Forel, 1915c: 348; in Paratrechina (Nylanderia): Emery, 1925b: 218; in Nylanderia: LaPolla, Brady & Shattuck, 2010a: 127. Junior synonym of jaegerskioeldi: LaPolla, Hawkes & Fisher, 2011: 17.
 * weissi. Prenolepis (Nylanderia) weissi Santschi, 1911g: 210 (w.) CONGO. Combination in Paratrechina (Nylanderia): Emery, 1925b: 218; in Nylanderia: LaPolla, Brady & Shattuck, 2010a: 127. Junior synonym of jaegerskioeldi: LaPolla, Hawkes & Fisher, 2011: 17.
 * zelotypa. Prenolepis (Nylanderia) jaegerskioeldi var. zelotypa Santschi, 1915c: 264 (w.) KENYA. Combination in Paratrechina (Nylanderia): Emery, 1925b: 218; in Nylanderia: LaPolla, Brady & Shattuck, 2010a: 127. Raised to species: Santschi, 1919b: 238. Junior synonym of jaegerskioeldi: LaPolla, Hawkes & Fisher, 2011: 17.

LaPolla et al. (2011) - Despite the similarity of workers with N. natalensis, males of this species are very distinct and different, and seem to indicate the species is not particularly closely related to N. natalensis. The parameres have unique dorsal, finger-like extensions that display some variation in length. The digiti are reduced and blade-like, with large, paddle-like cuspi that are unlike any other species in the region. See notes for N. natalensis for further discussion on distinguishing these two species.

As conceived here this is a broadly defined species with a range of color, size and setation observed. Despite this, we could find no means morphologically to reliably segregate this variation into distinct species, thus the hetereogenous species defined in this study. This is a good candidate species for containing cryptic species. This species would benefit from further study especially once more specimens are made available for morphological and molecular study. Males are unknown from West African populations and it would certainly be instructive to examine males from this area to help clarify whether or not these are conspecific with eastern and northern populations. We have examined males from both North and East Africa and morphologically they are the same.

Worker
LaPolla et al. (2011) - Measurements (n = 6): TL: 1.9–2.6; HW: 0.48–0.7; HL: 0.57–0.76; EL: 0.13–0.18; SL: 0.59–0.82; PW: 0.34–0.47; WL: 0.65–0.88; GL: 0.76–1.04

Indices: CI: 84–94; REL: 23–26; SI: 115–126

Overall yellowish brown, with lighter brown to yellow mandibles, antennae, pronotum, metanotum, and legs; cuticle smooth; coxae usually all the same color, but in some specimens procoxae slightly darker. Body covered in abundant pubescence, especially head, anterior portions of pronotum, mesonotum, and gaster. Head with a dense layer of pubescence; posterolateral corners slightly angular in full-face view, giving the head a subquadrate appearance. Scapes surpass posterior margin by about the length of the first 2–3 funicular segments; scapes with scattered erect macrosetae and a layer of pubescence (SMC = 17–31). Mesosoma with erect macrosetae (PMC = 3–10; MMC = 2–5) and an abundant layer of pubescence, particularly on notum and propodeum; metanotal area compact; propodeum low (lower than mesonotum), with short, angular dorsal face and longer declivitous face; propodeal dorsum with pubescence; declivitous face smooth and shining, without pubescence. Gaster with abundant erect macrosetae and pubescence.

Queen
LaPolla et al. (2011) - Measurements (n = 2): TL: 4.8–4.9; HW: 0.92–0.94; HL: 0.94–0.96; EL: 0.32–0.36; SL: 0.9–1.0; PW: 1.2–1.3; WL: 1.4–1.6; GL: 2.3–2.4

Indices: CI: 97–98; REL: 35–37; SI: 98–104

As in worker, with modifications expected for caste. Entire body covered in a dense pubescence; eyes large, but not strongly convex, slightly less than half the length of the head lateral margin (SMC = 10–15; PMC = 0–2; MMC = 20–24).

Male
LaPolla et al. (2011) - Measurements (n = 2): TL: 2.5–2.6; HW: 0.63–0.64; HL: 0.64–0.65; EL: 0.25–0.29; SL: 0.78–0.8; PW: 0.61–0.62; WL: 0.71–0.89; GL: 0.96–1.2

Indices: CI: 97–99; REL: 39–45; SI: 120–123

Overall the male of N. jaegerskioeldi is very similar to the male of Nylanderia natalensis. N. jaegerskioeldi is overall more pubescent than N. natalensis, but the major distinguishing differences between the males of these two species are found in the genitalia. Genitalia: parameres with steeply rounded ventral margin; toward paramere apices, finger-like projections directed dorsally; cuspi large and rectangular with many with peg-like teeth on ental surface where they meet digiti; digiti distinctly smaller than cuspi, blade-like; digiti with peg-like teeth on thin margin that meets cuspi.

Type Material
LaPolla et al. (2011):

EGYPT [not examined, depository unknown].

Prenolepis (Nylanderia) jaegerskioeldi var. borcardi NORTH AFRICA [not examined, depository unknown].

Prenolepis traegaordhi syntype worker and 2 syntype males, SUDAN [examined].

Prenolepis (Nylanderia) weissi 19 syntype workers, CONGO: Brazzaville [examined].

Prenolepis (Nylanderia) jaegerskioeldi var. zelotypa Holotype worker, EAST AFRICA (NHMB) [examined].

Paratrechina weissi nimba 3 syntype workers, GUINEA: Keoulenta [examined].