Myrmica transsibirica

Myrmica transsibirica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Myrmicini
Genus:	Myrmica
Species:	M. transsibirica
Binomial name
Myrmica transsibirica Radchenko, 1994
Synonyms
Myrmica carinata Kupyanskaya, 1990 Myrmica taediosa Bolton, 1995

As its name implies, this species is widespread species in Siberia, living at a wide range of altitudes from sea level to 2000 m. Usually it lives in various kinds of forests, but prefers light, sparse and warm ones; it also can be found among shrubs and in steppe-like habitats. Nests are usually built in the soil, often under stones. Nuptial flights occur August-September. (Radchenko and Elmes 2010)

Identification

Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - A member of the excelsa complex of the lobicornis species group. It has a feature characteristic for genus Tetramorium but very rare in genus Myrmica: the lateral portion of clypeus is raised into a sharp ridge in front of the antennal insertions, so that antennal sockets are distinctly separated from the clypeal surface. Only two other Myrmica species have this feature, Myrmica excelsa and Myrmica tamarae. The shape of scape of M. transsibirica is quite different from that of M. excels a being distinctly narrower at the bend than on its midlength (seen in profile), and the vertical (shorter) part has no longitudinal groove and lateral ridges (seen in front). It is most similar to M. tamarae by the shape of its head, frontal lobes and antennal scape, but differs from it by less coarser rugosity on the frons, having > 13 rugae level with the eyes vs. not more 10 sinuous rugae in M. tamarae.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Myrmica of China
• Key to Myrmica of East Europe, West Siberia, northern Kazakhstan, Caucasus, Asia Minor, Turkmenistan and Iran
• Key to Myrmica of species of East Siberia, Russian Far East, Mongolia, Korean Peninsula, northern China, and Japan

Distribution

South Siberia (to the west until Kuznetsky Alatau), Russian Far East, north-east of China, Korean Peninsula, Japan (Hokkaido).

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 57.8556° to 35.14305556°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, Mongolia, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.

Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

• carinata. Myrmica carinata Kupyanskaya, 1990: 114, figs. 16, 19, 20 (w.q.m.) RUSSIA. [Junior primary homonym of carinata Smith, F. 1859a: 148, above.] Replacement name: taediosa Bolton, 1995b: 284.
• transsibirica. Myrmica transsibirica Radchenko, 1994h: 212, figs. 23-32 (w.q.m.) RUSSIA. Senior synonym of taediosa: Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 308.
• taediosa. Myrmica taediosa Bolton, 1995b: 284. Replacement name for carinata Kupyanskaya, 1990: 114. [Junior primary homonym of carinata Smith, F. 1859a: 148.] Junior synonym of transsibirica: Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 308.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Figs 23-32. Myrmica transsibirica: 23-26- worker (holotype), 27-28- female (paratype), 29-32-male (paratype); 23- body in profile, 27, 29- alitrunk and pedicel in profile, 24, 28, 30- head from above, 25, 31- antennal scapes, 26, 32- hind tibiae.

Worker

Holotype, worker: AL 1.53; HL 1.04; HW 0.90; SL 0.84; FW 0.38; FLW 0.42 mm.

Paratypes, workers: AL 1.48-1.54; HL 1.01-1.13; HW 0.85-1.02; SL 0.80-0.90; FW 0.35-0.45; FLW 0.38-0.50 mm (Figs 23-26).

Head slightly elongate (CI 1.10-1.18), with nearly parallel sides, rounded occipital comers and straight occipital border. Clypeus with straight or feebly convex anterior margin. Frontal carinae feebly curved, frons broad (FI 1.07-1.15, FLI 2.28-2.59). Antennal scapes relatively short (SI 1.21-1.36), abruptly curved basally, not possessing lobes, sometimes with a faint angle only. Antennal sockets surrounded by arched rugae. Dorsum of head mostly densely longitudinally rugulose, lateral parts of head with wavy rugae.

Alitrunk with distinct mesopropodeal impression. Propodeal spines moderately long, straight or slightly curved downwards, acute, extended at base. Petiole with cylindrical part, anterior face of petiolar node concave, dorsum of node in side view not angulate, widely rounded or with indistinct area. Sides of alitrunk with numerous straight or somewhat wavy rugae. Petiolar node with short wavy rugae and puncture; postpetiolar node with more coarse straight rugulosity.

Body with numerous standing hairs; hairs on antennal scapes rather long, their lenght equal or slightly longer than maximum thickness of scapes; hind tibia with suberect hairs. Colour fuscous, sides of alitrunk, petiolar and postpetiolar nodes and appendages ochraceous-brown.

Queen

Paratypes, females: Al1.69-1.93; H1 1.04-1.18; HW 0.91-1.04; S1 0.84-{).91 mm (Figs 27, 28).

Shape of head and form of frontal carinae and frontal lobes as in workers. Antennal scapes abruptly curved at base, not angulate and without lobes. Frons and vertex with divergent fine numerous rugae, lateral parts of head with wavy rugulosity and dense granular sculpture.

Mesopleurae finely densely rugulose, propleurae, propodeum, scutum and scutellum coarsely rugulose. Shape of propodeal spines, shape and sculpture of petiolar and postpetiolar nodes and colour as in workers.

Male

Paratypes, males: AL 1.65-1.93; H1 0.83-0.97; HW 0. 78-0.85; 81 0.66-0.77 mm (Figs 29-32).

Head slightly elongate (CI 1.00-1.08), widely rounded behind eyes, occipital border feebly convex. Antennal scapes rather long (SI 1.16-1.44), finely curved basally, not angulate. Dorsum of head densely punctate, very fine touch-like rugulosity on central part of frons only. Head with sparse, straight, coarse, standing hairs, their length obviously shorter than maximum thickness of antennal scapes. Propodeum without teeth, with triangular tubercles. Propleurae and upper parts of mesopleurae finely punctate; lower parts of mesopleurae, sides of propodeum and scutum longitudinally rugulose; scutellum coarsely rugulose.

Alitrunk, nodes of petiole and postpetiole and gaster with numerous short straight standing hairs; hind tibia with suberect hairs. Colour dark-brown, appendages reddish-brown.

Type Material

Holotype worker: Russia, vicinity ofKrasnoyarsk, Pogorelsky bor, No. 29, 1964 (V. Dmitrenko) (Zoological Museum of the Moscow State University). Paratypes: 11 workers from the same nest; 65 workers, 1 female, Altai, Nos. 4, 14, 119, 125, 130, 131, 237, 415, 506, 1988 (L. Omelchenko); 13 workers, Altai, 1968 (Z. Zhigulskaya); 2 females, 2 males, Altai, Kuraiskaya kotlovina, No. 441, 10 VIII 1963 (Z. Zhigulskaya); 6 workers, Altai, Chuiskaya kotlovina, Nos. 537, 549, 18 and 27 VI 1964 (Z. Zhigulskaya); 1 worker, Altai, Unzezia on river Katun', 15 VIII 1909 (Gorchakovsky); 1 worker, Chakassia, V 1974; 2 workers, Minusinsk, No. 1286, V 1974; 6 workers, E. Siberia, river Bogdashka, near river Angara, 21 VI 1873 (Gortung); 4 workers, 1 female, 1 male, Ulan-Ude, Nos. 1118, 1124, 1 VIII 1972; 3 workers, Irkutskij distr., village of Zun-Murino, No. 295, 10 VIII 1965 (A. Pleshanov); 10 workers, Chitinskaya obl., Stretenskij distr., Ust'-Dunaevo, Pad' Kulinda, 10 IX 1957 (G. Dlussky); 195 workers, Evreiskaya AO, Mt. Obluchje, 40 km S of village of Pashkovo, 2-16 VI 1978 (ToMs); 20 workers, 1 female, Amurskaya obl., river M. Para- river B. Ergel, 5 IX 1958 (Zinoviev); Primorsky Kraj: 9 workers, Khankaiskij distr., Sintuche, 1 V 1972 (A. Kupianskaya); 9 workers, Barabach-1evada, 9 V 1972 (A. Kupianskaya); 23 workers, 4 males, Kedrovaya Pad', 5 V 1971, 18 IX 1973, 16 VI 1975 (A. Kupianskaya); 2 workers, 1 male, same locality, 6 IX 1964 (G. Dlussky); 8 workers, Tetuchinskij distr., rivers Iman and Krasnaya, 4 IX 1971 (A. Kupianskaya); 13 workers, Dalnegorskij distr., Tetuche-Pristan', lake Vas'kovka, 26 VI 1972 (A. Kupianskaya); 7 workers, Pejshula, Zmeinaya Gorka, 21 VII 1969 (A. Kupianskaya); 11 workers, Sudzuche, bukhta Kut, 5 VIII 1946 (Sharov); Suvorovo, 24 VI 1972 (Zherychin); 4 workers, vicinity of Vladivostok, 5 V 1989 (L. Rybalov); 1 female, lake Hanka, 2 IX 1986 (A. Kotenko); 4 workers, Sakhalin, vicinity of Juzhno-Sakhalinsk, 25 VII 1975 (A. Kupianskaya); 2 workers, Sakhalin, village of Matrosovka, 9 VIII 1986 (S. Basarukin); Kunashir: 3 workers, Alechino, 23 VIII 1875 (Tikhomirova); 3 workers, Tretiakovo, 21 VIII 1975 (Tikhomirova); 11 females, 2 males, lake GQriachee, volcano Golovina, 9 VIII 1970 (Tikhomirova) (ZM, Institute of Zoology of the Ukranian National Academy of Sciences).

The following notes on F. Smith type specimens have been provided by Barry Bolton (details):

Myrmica carinata

One worker syntype in Oxford University Museum of Natural History, one worker syntype in The Natural History Museum. Oxford University Museum of Natural History specimen labelled “Aru,” The Natural History Museum specimen without data.

The card on which the Oxford University Museum of Natural History specimen is mounted has been cut in half at some time in the past and originally had a second worker. The apices of the legs of this worker are still visible on the card, to the left of the entire specimen; the The Natural History Museum specimen is this maimed worker.

Etymology

Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - a combination of the Latin word trans = across or over, with the name Siberia, to indicate it is widespread throughout Siberia.

References

• Lyu, D.-P. 2006. Review of the genus Myrmica in Korea (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology 9: 189-202.
• Radchenko, A. G. 1994j. New Palaearctic species of the genus Myrmica Latr. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Memorabilia Zool. 48: 207-217 (page 212, figs. 23-32 worker, queen, male described)
• Radchenko, A.G. & Elmes, G.W. 2010. Myrmica ants of the Old World. Fauna Mundi 3: 1-789.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Antonov I. A. 2013. Ant Assemblages (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Cities of the Temperate Zone of Eurasia. Russian Journal of Ecology 44(6): 523–526.
• Chen Z. L., S. Y. Zhou, and J. H. Huang. 2016. Seven species new to science and one newly recorded species of the ant genus Myrmica Latreille, 1804 from China, with proposal of a new synonym (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). ZooKeys 551: 85–128.
• Dubovikoff D. A., and Z. M. Yusupov. 2018. Family Formicidae - Ants. In Belokobylskij S. A. and A. S. Lelej: Annotated catalogue of the Hymenoptera of Russia. Proceedingss of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences 6: 197-210.
• Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
• Jansen G., R. Savolainen, K. Vespalainen. 2010. Phylogeny, divergence-time estimation, biogeography and social parasite–host relationships of the Holarctic ant genusMyrmica(Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 56: 294-304.
• Kholin S. K. and A. N. Kupianskaya. 2003. The international biodiversity observation year (IBOY): the ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of forest ecosystems of the Primorye region. Chteniya Pamyati Alekseya Ivanovicha Kurentsova 14: 50-55.
• Kupianskaia A.N. 1990. Murav'I (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) Dal'nego Vostoka SSSR (1989). Vladivostok. 258 pages.
• Kupianskaya A. N., Lelej, A.S., and Urbain, B. K. 2000. The Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Kuril Islands. Far Eastern Entomologist. 92:1-21.
• Kupianskaya, A. N., Lelej, A.S., and Urbain, B. K. 2000. The Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Kuril Islands. Far Eastern Entomologist. 92:1-21.
• Kwon T. S. 2012. Korean ant atlas. Korea Forest Research Institute 162 pages.
• Kwon T. S. 2015. Ant assemblages along the Baekdudaegan Mountain Range in South Korea: Human roads and temperature niche. Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity 8: 152-157.
• Lelej A. S. 2012. Annotated catalogue of the Insects of Russian Far East. Volume 1. Hymenoptera. Dalnauka: Vladivostok. 635 p.
• Lyu D.-P. 2006. Review of the genus Myrmica in Korea (Hymenptera: Formicidae). Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology 9: 189-202
• Pfeiffer M., R. Schultz, A. Radchenko, S. Yamane, M. Woyciechowski, U. Aibek, and B. Seifert. 2007. A critical checklist of the ants of Mongolia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bonner Zoologische Beiträge 55: 1-8.
• Radchenko A. G., and G. W. Elmes. 2010. Myrmica ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Old World. Fauna Mundi 3. Warsaw: Natura Optima Dux Foundation, 790 pp.
• Radchenko, A. 2005. Monographic revision of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of North Korea. Annales Zoologici (Warsaw) 55: 127-221.
• Radchenko, A. G. "New Palaearctic species of the genus Myrmica Latr. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) ." Memorabilia Zoologica 48 (1994): 207-217.
• Radchenko, A. 2005. Monographic revision of the ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of North Korea. Annales Zoologici 55(2): 127-221.
• Terayama. M. 2004. Geological and ecological distribution of Japanese ants communities. (translated from Japanese) Reports of the Saitama Prefecture Animal Research Association. 48:23
• Yamane S. 2007. Ants of Mongolia. The Nature and Insects. 42: 20-25
• Yamane S. 2008. On Myrmica excelsa from Japan. Ari 31: 29-31.
• Zhigulskaya Z. A. 2009. The ants of the Chuya Depression and the Yustyd river basin in Southeastern Altai. Contemporary Problems of Ecology 2009 2(3): 210-215.