Tapinoma simrothi

Mainly a west-Mediterranean taxon, mentioned also from Afghanistan and the Arabian Peninsula (Rigato & Toni, 2011). Pashaei Rad et al. (2018) found this species in Iran on the ground and on trees, and on the ground in a moderate to low rainfall area.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen. Palaearctic Region: Afghanistan, Algeria, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, China, Gibraltar, Greece, Iberian Peninsula, Iran, Italy, Kuwait, Malta, Montenegro, Oman, Portugal, Qatar, Spain, Turkey.

Biology
Tapinoma simrothi in Saudi Arabia was observed nesting in a decaying carpet, among roots of graminae plants and attending unidentified mealybugs, and also coexisting with Solenopsis abdita (as Solenopsis saudiensis) (Sharaf and Aldawood 2011).

Karami-jamour et al (2018) studied interactions between this ant and the aphid Aphis gossypii. Tapinoma simrothi tends this aphid and potentially protects it from predators. Laboratory microcosm experiments with plants, ants, aphids and two aphid predators (Chrysoperla carnea Stephens, green lacewing and Coccinellia septempunctata Mulsant, ladybird/ladybug) suggested T. simrothi can decrease predation of the aphid.

Nomenclature

 *  simrothi. Tapinoma erraticum var. simrothi Krausse, 1911: 18 (w.) ITALY (Sardinia). Emery, 1925d: 49 (q.m.). Raised to species: Emery, 1925d: 48; Menozzi, 1933b: 77; Santschi, 1936c: 204. Junior synonym of erraticum: Baroni Urbani, 1964b: 55. Revived from synonymy, status as species: Bernard, 1967: 259; Kutter, 1977c: 182. Current subspecies: nominal plus phoeniceum. See also: Shattuck, 1994: 154.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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