21 replies to this topic

[MrILoveTheAnts]

https://myrmecologic....pdf&format=raw

 

Long story short: Tetramorium caespitum aka species E in North America is now called Tetramorium immigrans. The brief description of this species is on page 120 - 121 of the study linked to above.

Edited by MrILoveTheAnts, October 31 2017 - 2:11 PM.

[gcsnelling]

About flippin time.

[VoidElecent]

That's awesome. Does this make every pavement ant in the U.S. Tetramorium immigrans?

Edited by VoidElecent, October 31 2017 - 4:04 PM.

[FeedTheAnts]

I love that name. Rolls off the tongue real well, that is how those Myrmecologists come up with a name... right?

The name of his post hurts my brain.... read this Should the forum rules be changed to require thread titles to precisely and adequately describe the question or topic being discussed? - Forum Support, Feedback & Suggestions - Ants & Myrmecology Forum

Edited by TennesseeAnts, October 31 2017 - 5:09 PM.

[MrILoveTheAnts]

That's awesome. Does this make every pavement ant in the U.S. Tetramorium immigrans?

 

Not every one no. There's still Tetramorium tsushimae to confuse things. And then the native ones but they're mostly in the south west.

 

Non-native species

Tetramorium immigrans (formerly caespitum, species E.) 

Tetramorium tsushimae

Tetramorium atratulus (formerly Anergates) an inquilin parasite of T. immigrans now.

 

Native Species (I think)

Tetramorium bicarinatum                                                        

Tetramorium caldarium                                                           

Tetramorium hispidum                                                            

Tetramorium insolens                                                           

Tetramorium lanuginosum                                                       

Tetramorium pacificum                                                          

Tetramorium simillimum                                                         

Tetramorium spinosum                                                           

Tetramorium tonganum                                                           

[VoidElecent]

Ah, I see. My question was poorly phrased.

 

I'm aware of native speies such as BMM's T. tsushimae and Aaron's T. bicarinatum. Are there any non-native T. caespitum populations in the U.S., or are they all differentiated enough to be consider T. immigrans?

[Aaron567]

I am pretty sure the only native Tetramorium in North America are T. hispidum and T. spinosum. The rest are all invasives from Africa and Asia with the exception of Sp. E/immigrans.

[Chicken_eater100]

i feel like ants and avics are getting hate by taxonomist.  

[MrILoveTheAnts]

I am pretty sure the only native Tetramorium in North America are T. hispidum and T. spinosum. The rest are all invasives from Africa and Asia with the exception of Sp. E/immigrans.

I'll look into it tomorrow. To be honest I've never been certain of the native status to a lot of the ants I find. Outside Tetramorium I'm sure most (all?) Nylanderia are nonnative tramp species.

 

Ah, I see. My question was poorly phrased.

 

I'm aware of native speies such as BMM's T. tsushimae and Aaron's T. bicarinatum. Are there any non-native T. caespitum populations in the U.S., or are they all differentiated enough to be consider T. immigrans?

Within the T. caespitum complex, T. immigrans is the only one listed to occur within the US and Canada. (I don't know if T. tsushimae is within this complex.)

[Martialis]

Pretty cool if you ask me!

 

T. tsushimae is actually invasive, just as T. caesptium used to be considered here, until this document.

[BMM]

Neat. With as long as they've been around without an official species name, it felt like it would never happen.

[Martialis]

Here's a graphic from the article:

 

 

It's no surprise that T. immigrans invaded, they've got a pretty wide distribution!

[FeedTheAnts]

I had no idea there were so many species of Tetramorium

[gcsnelling]

It is a huge genus.

[Aaron567]

Yeah, 5th largest genus in the ant world I think

[Nathant2131]

I've waited for this for a looooooooong time.

 

So, are they non-native or not?

Edited by Nathant2131, November 1 2017 - 3:58 PM.

[MrILoveTheAnts]

Native to:

Tetramorium immigrans - Europe, south Asia

Tetramorium atratulus inquilin parasite of T. immigrans so likely the same distribution.

Tetramorium tsushimae - Japan, south Asia

Tetramorium bicarinatum - Australia                                                     

Tetramorium caldarium - Africa                                                         

Tetramorium hispidum - Native to US and likely northern Mexico.                                                           

Tetramorium insolens - Australia                                                         

Tetramorium lanuginosum - Africa, south Asia, Australia                                                     

Tetramorium pacificum - Australia                                                        

Tetramorium simillimum - Africa, south Asia, Australia                                                       

Tetramorium spinosum - Native to US and northern Mexico.             

Tetramorium tonganum - Asia, Australia       

 

I haven't checked the species in the study yet. Presumably they're all native to Europe and various Asian countries. Their distributions are listed in the study but I don't think it says where they originated.           

Edited by MrILoveTheAnts, November 1 2017 - 5:26 PM.

[Reevak]

I like it. I don't know why this news made me so happy.

Edited by Reevak, November 1 2017 - 8:09 PM.

[Martialis]

I've waited for this for a looooooooong time.

 

So, are they non-native or not?

I think they're invasive.  

 

It looks like most of these have been recorded in Croatia...

 

good luck identifying them there.

Edited by Martialis, November 2 2017 - 7:19 AM.

[Mettcollsuss]

Wait, does this mean that both T. caespitum and Tetramorium sp.E are being renamed, or just sp. E?