Tapinolepis

Tapinolepis
Tapinolepis tumidula
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Plagiolepidini
Genus:	Tapinolepis Emery, 1925
Type species
Plagiolepis tumidula, now Tapinolepis tumidula
Diversity
18 species (Species Checklist, Species by Country) Tapinolepis tumidula Specimen Label
Synonyms
Mesanoplolepis Santschi, 1926

Evolutionary Relationships

Formicinae Myrmelachistini   (2 genera) Lasiini   (10 genera) Melophorini   (9 genera) Formicini   (8 genera) Gesomyrmex, Oecophylla Plagiolepidini Anoplolepis   (14 species) Tapinolepis   (18 species) Aphomomyrmex   (1 species) Petalomyrmex   (1 species) Lepisiota   (137 species) Acropyga   (41 species) Agraulomyrmex   (2 species) Gigantiops, Myrmoteras, Santschiella Camponotini   (8 genera)

Based on Ward et al. 2016.

Hita Garcia, Wiesel and Fischer (2013) - A small, species-poor genus with just 14 species restricted to the Afrotropical and Malagasy regions (Bolton, 2012). Until the last decade Tapinolepis was regarded as a synonym of Anoplolepis, but was reinstated as a good genus by Bolton (2003). Revisions or keys treating Tapinolepis as a genus have not been published yet. The biology of most species is unknown.

 

Morphology

Worker Morphology

• Antennal segment count: 11
• Antennal club: absent
• Palp formula: 6,4
• Spur formula: 0, 0
• Eyes: present
• Scrobes: absent
• Caste: size-variable to weakly polymorphic
• Sting: absent

Nomenclature

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

• TAPINOLEPIS [Formicinae: Plagiolepidini]
  • Tapinolepis Emery, 1925b: 18 [as subgenus of Anoplolepis]. Type-species: Plagiolepis tumidula, by monotypy.
  • Tapinolepis raised to genus and senior synonym of Mesanoplolepis: Bolton, 2003: 107, 267.
• MESANOPLOLEPIS [junior synonym of Tapinolepis]
  • Mesanoplolepis Santschi, 1926a: 14 [as subgenus of Anoplolepis]. Type-species: Plagiolepis simulans, by original designation.
  • Mesanoplolepis junior synonym of Tapinolepis: Bolton, 2003: 107, 267.

References

• Bolton, B. 2003. Synopsis and Classification of Formicidae. Mem. Am. Entomol. Inst. 71: 370pp (page 107, Tapinolepis as genus)
• Brown, W. L., Jr. 1973b. A comparison of the Hylean and Congo-West African rain forest ant faunas. Pp. 161-185 in: Meggers, B. J., Ayensu, E. S., Duckworth, W. D. (eds.) Tropical forest ecosystems in Africa and South America: a comparative review. Wash (page 185, Tapinolepis as junior synonym of Anoplolepis (provisional))
• Emery, C. 1925d. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Formicinae. Genera Insectorum 183: 1-302 (page 18, Tapinolepis as subgenus of Anoplolepis)