Tapinoma darioi

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Tapinoma darioi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Dolichoderinae
Genus: Tapinoma
Species group: nigerrimum
Species: T. darioi
Binomial name
Tapinoma darioi
Seifert, D'Eustacchio, Kaufmann, Centorame & Modica, 2017

Tapinoma darioi F9.jpg

Typical habitats are open unstable or degraded areas with very strong anthropogenic influence and a weakly developed tree layer but, in difference to Tapinoma magnum more frequently occurring in natural or semi-natural sand dunes. Niche separation is evident in Castelporziano Presidential Estate / Italy where T. darioi solely occurs on dunal systems while T. magnum is mainly linked to the Mediterranean scrub in much structured environments (D’Eustaccio et al. 2019). The nest construction is subterranean and often very extended, frequently reaching to a depth of 1 m. Nest entrances typically develop to big crater-like domes of ejected soil particles. Density data are missing. In the Mediterranean it is locally a eudominant species accounting for 95% of ants in some sites. Extremely polygynous and polydomous resulting in large supercolonies. The lower frequency of anthropogenous introduction in the Benelux countries and Germany is probably no question of specific biology but a result of the geographic spacing of the shipping of goods. It was observed in S France to limit the spread of the invasive Linepithema humile (Blight et al. 2010).

Alates were observed in the nests 22 May ± 20 d [23 Apr, 23 Jun] n = 12. The age and role of sexuals occasionally observed in September is unknown. Mating is probably intranidal or within the area of the supercolony. Foraging and nutrition was studied by (Xerda et al. 1989) in lowland Spain. Foraging is diurnal from February to May and crepuscular and nocturnal from June to November. very extensive trophobiosis with aphids occurs both on high trees, in the herb layer and the rhizophere; a permanent, 24-hour presence at aphid colonies was observed in less sun exposed habitat spots. Honeydew accounts for probably >80% of total food mass. Nectarivory, though frequently observed with different plants, provides a very low contribution to energetic input. Plant parts are not consumed with the exception of elaiosomes of diverse myrmecochorous plants (e.g., Centaurea aspera, Euphorbia characias) and of fallen sweet fruits. Carnivory of insects, snails and spiders is significant (perhaps 15% of total food mass) and probably more a collecting of carcasses than active hunting. Predation of sexuals of ants alighting after nuptial flight may be intensive. The mean and maximum size of solid food items retrieved by single workers are 2.6 and 6 mm. After discovery of very large food items mass recruitment starts, the item is disintegrated and the cut-off pieces are retrieved by single workers. Cooperative transport of items is so far unknown. Tool use: occasionally small twigs or pebbles are dropped into liquid food and retrieved after impregnation. In northern areas of introduction, it is not only an outdoor species but also occurring as nuisance in buildings. (Seifert et al., 2024)

At a Glance • Supercolonies  • Invasive  

Identification

A member of the Tapinoma nigerrimum complex.

Seifert et al. (2024) - Worker (Tab. 3): All shape ratios given below are, in contrast to those in Tab. 3, primary ratios without RAv and all data are given as arithmetic mean ± standard deviation. Smallest species of the T. nigerrimum group, CS 897 ± 135 µm. Head broad CL/CW 1.052 ± 0.052. Postocular distance rather small and excavation of hind margin of vertex large, PoOc/CL 0.380 ± 0.010, ExOcc 2.07 ± 0.85%. Anteromedian clypeal excision large and rather wide, ExCly/CS 9.71 ± 0.93%, ExClyW 6.14 ± 0.74%. The posterior, semicircular end of clypeal excision forms a concave plane delimited by a sharp ventral and a blunt dorsal edge. Sum of pubescence hairs and smaller setae protruding across the margin of clypeal excision including its dorsal edge large, nExCly 14.43 ± 5.7. Scape moderately long, SL/CS 0.965 ± 0.037. Minimum distance of the inner margins of antennal socket rings medium sized, dAN/CS 0.300 ± 0.007. Eye moderately large, EL/CS 0.253 ± 0.014. Metanotal groove moderately deep, MGr/CS 2.80 ± 0.83 %. Mesosoma rather long and wide, ML/CS 1.274 ± 0.031, MW/CS 0.632 ± 0.021. Second funiculus segment longer than in the supercolonial related species, Fu2L/CS 14.50 ± 0.44%, IFu2 1.961 ± 0.106. Pubescence, seta and pigmentation conditions as in Tapinoma magnum.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Seifert et al. (2024) - According to the present state of information, Tapinoma darioi is continuously distributed along coastal areas (or near-coastal areas) of the Mediterranean Sea from Castellon (40.0°N, 0.0°E) northeast over Catalonia, the whole French coast east to Toulon, the Tyrrhenian coast of Italy from about 44.5°N south to 41°N, the Balearic Islands and Corsica. Three findings in Spain south of 37.5°N are far outside the main distribution range and certainly introductions. The only known introduction sites with established populations north of the Mediterranean zone are Limonest (45.82°N, 4.77°E), Chalon Sur Saone (46.78°N, 4.86°E), Illzach (47.77°N, 7.39°E) and Wageningen (51.98°N, 5.67°E). It is the T. nigerrimum group species occurring in the lowest altitudes: 61 findings range 80 ± 169 [0, 722] m, with 92% of all findings below 400 m. As a rule, occurrence more than 15 km away from the coast is rather rare in France (Centanni et al. 2022) but is more often observed in Catalonia.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 51.98° to 36.72°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate
  • Source: AntMaps, Seifert et al. (2024)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: Balearic Islands, France, Italy, Netherlands, Spain (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

AntMapLegend.png

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.
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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.
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Biology

Seifert et al. (2017) - In contrast to T. magnum, there is a clear preference for coastal areas: 32 samples were taken along the shore line within a maximum distance of 4 km from beach and seven samples more than 4 km behind shore. This is significantly different from a homogenous distribution over shoreline and inland (Fisher's exact test p = 0.0054). With 16 sequences belonging to 10 haplotypes, T. darioi is more diverse in southern France than in Italy where 11 investigated sequences belonged to only two haplotypes. This suggests a radiation center of this species in southern France. A disjunct, northern population at Chalon-sur-Saone (46.78° N, 4.86° E) and the introduction to Wageningen (51.98° N, 5.67° E) indicate a tramp species potential.

Nest construction and the build-up of an impressive network of deeply excavated trails in coastal dune habitats is the same as in Tapinoma magnum. The information on biology given by Xerda & al. (1989) could be referred to T. darioi by geographic indication. Foraging in northeast Spain is diurnal from February to May and crepuscular and nocturnal from June to November. Very extensive trophobiosis with aphids occurs both on high trees and in the herb layer – honey dew accounts for probably > 80% of total food mass. Consumption of nectar, elaiosomes of diverse myrmecochorous plants and of fallen sweet fruits is less important. Carnivory of insects, snails and spiders is significant but probably more a collecting of carcasses than active hunting. Predation of sexuals of ants alighting after nuptial flight may be intensive. After discovery of very large food items, a mass recruitment starts. The item is disintegrated and the cut-off pieces are retrieved by single workers. Cooperative transport of items is so far unknown. Xerda & al. (1989) also observed a tool use: Small twigs or pebbles are dropped into liquid food and retrieved after impregnation. The phenology of sexual production is poorly studied but apparently comparable to the situation in T. magnum: 22 May ± 20 d [23 April - 23 June] n = 12. There is one observation of alates from France 16 September 2014. One flight observed in Wageningen / Netherlands took place 9:23 h ST on 31 May 2014 (11:00 h Cest according to Noordijk (2016), adjusted to solar time ST). Foraging time and temperatures of the Wageningen population are comparable to observations in German T. magnum: last activity was in late December at air temperatures of 3 °C (cloudy day) or -2 °C (sunny day) and activity was resumed by the end of February at 6 °C (Noordijk 2016).

Supercolonies have the same extension as in Tapinoma magnum and probably also the same demography and competitive power: a very large supercolony at La Grande Motte, being more than 200 m long, had occupied in 2012 just the area covered by a huge colony of Linepithema humile ten years ago.

Tapinoma darioi has never been recorded as invasive, except in the Canary Islands (Hernandez-Teixidor et al., 2020) and a possible case in the Netherlands (Seifert et al., 2017). Other species within the complex, such as T. magnum, have a considerable invasive potential (Seifert et al., 2017).

Flight Period

X X
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Source: Seifert et al. (2024).

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Castes

Worker

Tapinoma darioi F10.jpg
.

Male

Tapinoma darioi F11.jpg
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Nomenclature

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

  • darioi. Tapinoma darioi Seifert, D'Eustacchio, Kaufmann, Centorame & Modica, 2017: 141, figs. 8-11 (w.m.) ITALY.

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

Description

Worker

Significantly smaller than the other three species of the Tapinoma nigerrimum complex; CW 859 ± 158 [559, 1189] μm. Depth-to-width ratio of clypeal excision and length-to-width ratio of second funiculus segment on average larger than in the other species: ExCly / ExClyW 1.609 ± 0.265 [1.115, 2.289] and IFu2 1.948 ± 0.114 [1.679, 2.289]. Mandibles with a large apical, a less large subapical, and 9 - 11 smaller teeth homogenously distributed over the whole masticatory margin. Whole head (except for clypeus) and dorsum of mesosoma always without standing setae. Long standing setae are present on the fourth gaster tergite (rarely beginning at the 2nd), on all gaster sternites, the ventral surfaces of hind and middle coxae and the frontal and caudal face of fore coxae. Anterior margin of clypeus with several setae; the two longest and strongest are inserted at anterior corners of clypeal excision. All body surfaces with the exception of mandibles covered by an appressed, rather dense pubescence; mean distance of insertion points of pubescence hairs on central vertex of a major worker 8.5 μm. Pubescence on frontomedian vertex and clypeus more subdecumbent with 6 to 19 pubescence hairs protruding at a few micron across margin of clypeal excision. Whole body dark to blackish brown except for reddish brown or yellowish mandibles, anterior clypeus, and distal and proximal ends of tibiae in many major workers.

Male

On average smaller than in the other three species of the Tapinoma nigerrimum complex. Data of 29 individuals: CW 1.028 ± 31 [972, 1121] μm, CL / CW 0.908 ± 0.021 [0.871, 0.961], SL / CS 0.957 ± 0.026 [0.901, 1.023], ExClyW / CS 6.83 ± 1.06 [4.15, 9.39] %, ExClyW / CS 6.96 ± 0.89 [4.27, 8.83] %, dAN / CS 0.286 ± 0.008 [0.265, 0.302], EL / CS 0.322 ± 0.009 [0.300, 0.338], ML / CS 1.847 ± 0.059 [1.727, 1.976], Fu2 / CS 25.44 ± 0.72 [23.86, 27.35] %, IFu2 2.692 ± 0.129 [2.387, 2.910], ExBasi / CS 6.62 ± 0.93 [4.68, 8.93] %, WSPL / CS 23.65 ± 3.14 [16.5, 29.9] %, ALPH 60.0 ± 6.7 [44, 71] °. The genital shows in ventral aspect a very broad basimere and a broad blade-like harpago which separates very well from members of other species complexes. However, genital morphology does not offer eye-catching differences to the other species of the T. nigerrimum complex. A sufficiently clear species delimitation is only possible by multivariate analyses which consider both genital and extragenital characters.

Type Material

Holotype, a major worker on the same pin with three paratype workers, labelled "ITA: 41.69858°N, 12.34985°E, Roma, Castelporziano, 1 m, Grotta di Piastra, dune, D’Eustacchio 20140423-TLa45", "Holotype (top specimen) and paratypes Tapinoma darioi SEIFERT & al."; two paratype gynes and two paratype males on other pins with the same collecting data. Another two pins with 8 paratype workers from a nest situated 240 m east, labelled "ITA: 41.69823°N, 12.35240°E, Roma, Castelporziano, 13 m, Tor Paterno parcel, dune, under shrub, D'Eustacchio 20130614-TLa27". All material stored in SMN Görlitz.

Etymology

The new species is dedicated to Dario D'Eustaccio who has been a major protagonist in this project but did not experience its completion due to his tragic death.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Seifert B. D. D'Eustacchio, B. E. Kaufmann, M. Centorame, and M. Modica. 2017. Four species within the supercolonial ants of the Tapinoma nigerrimum complex revealed by integrative taxonomy (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecological News 24: 123-144.