Temnothorax algerianus

Temnothorax algerianus
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Crematogastrini
Genus:	Temnothorax
Species:	T. algerianus
Binomial name
Temnothorax algerianus (Cagniant, 1968) Specimen Labels

Temnothorax algerianus, a parasitic ant species widely distributed in northern Algeria and Morocco, is an active slavemaker which is able to form colonies with numerous Epimyrma workers. In most populations colonies are polygynous but monogynous and functionally monogynous colonies occur as well. Young sexuals mate inside the mother nests. Young queens may remain there, or leave the nests for founding their own colonies, in fall, winter, or in spring, thus over an unusually protracted period and at comparatively low temperatures. Agonistic behavior between the parasite queens in polygynous colonies has been observed. It may be responsible for the decision of young queens either to leave or to remain in the mother nest. (Buschinger et al., 1990)

At a Glance

• Dulotic  • Polygynous

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 37.088611° to 32.249974°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: Algeria (type locality), Morocco.

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.

Biology

Temnothorax algerianus is a slave-making ant belonging to the former genus Myrmoxenus. For colony foundation a mated young queen penetrates a colony of the host species (most frequently Temnothorax spinosus) and throttles its queen to death. She then is accepted as replacement queen by the adult host workers.

The following species are known slaves of Temnothorax algerianus (Buschinger et al., 1990):

• Temnothorax curtulus
• Temnothorax gentilis
• Temnothorax monjauzei
• Temnothorax spinosus (the most common host)

Different from relatives (cf. Temnothorax ravouxi) several reproductive queens may be present in the slavemaker colony (polygyny). Workers of T. algerianus conduct slave raids on neighboring nests of the host species.

Life History Traits

• Queen number: polygynous (Buschinger, 1989; Frumhoff & Ward, 1992)

Nomenclature

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

• algerianus. Epimyrma algeriana Cagniant, 1968c: 157, figs. 1-4 (w.q.m.) ALGERIA. Combination in Temnothorax: Ward et al., 2014: 15. See also: Kutter, 1973e: 281; Buschinger, Jessen & Cagniant, 1990: 23.

Description

Karyotype

• n = 10 (Douwes et al., 1988) (as Epimyrma algeriana).

Worker Morphology

 Explore: Show all Worker Morphology data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.

• Caste: monomorphic

References

• Buschinger, A. 1989a. Evolution, speciation, and inbreeding in the parasitic ant genus Epimyrma (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Journal of Evolutionary Biology 2: 265-283.
• Buschinger, A.; Jessen, K.; Cagniant, H. 1990. The life history of Epimyrma algeriana, a slave-making ant with facultative polygyny (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Zool. Beitr. (N.F.) 33: 23-49.
• Cagniant, H. 1968c. Description d'Epimyrma algeriana (nov. sp.) (Hyménoptères Formicidae, Myrmicinae), fourmi parasite. Représentation des trois castes. Quelques observations biologiques, écologiques et éthologiques. Insectes Soc. 15: 157-170.
• Kutter, H. 1973f. Beitrag zur Lösung taxonomischer Probleme in der Gattung Epimyrma (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Mitt. Schweiz. Entomol. Ges. 46: 281-289 (page 281, see also)
• Schifani, E., Csősz, S., Viviano, R., Alicata, A. 2021. Ant diversity on the largest Mediterranean islands: on the presence or absence of 28 species in Sicily (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Natural History Sciences 8, 55–70 (doi:10.4081/nhs.2021.532).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Buschinger, A., K. Jessen, and H. Cagniant. "The life history of Epimyrma algeriana, a slave-making ant with facultative polygyny (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)." Zoologische Beiträge (N.F.)33 (1990): 23-49.
• Cagniant, H. "Liste préliminaire de fourmis forestières d'Algérie. Résultats obtenus de 1963 à 1966." Bulletin de la Societe d'Histoire Naturelle de Toulouse 104 (1968): 138-147.