> Dolichoderinae > Tapinoma > Tapinoma melanocephalum

Species: Tapinoma melanocephalum

Author: John T. Longino

Taxonomic Hierarchy:

Subfamily: Dolichoderinae Genus: Tapinoma

Distribution:

Reunion: Anse des Cascades, For�t de l?Etang-Sale, For�t de Mare-Longue, La Possession, Le Port, Saint-Denis, Tampon.; Known from all zoogeographical regions. In the Malagasy Subregion recorded from the Seychelles (Inner Seychelles, Aldabra), Madagascar and Mauritius.

Biology:

A tramp species, dispersed by commerce in tropical plants. Nests in dead wood, and leaf axils of tropical plants.

Notes:

(Dutch vernacular name: spookdraaigatje)

Taxonomic History (provided by Barry Bolton, 2010)

melanocephalum. Formica melanocephala Fabricius, 1793: 353 (w.) FRENCH GUIANA. Emery, 1887a: 249 (m.); Forel, 1891b: 102 (q.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1951: 197 (l.); Crozier, 1970: 119 (k.). Combination in Micromyrma: Roger, 1862b: 258; in Tapinoma: Mayr, 1862: 651; in Tapinoma (Micromyrma): Santschi, 1928e: 475. Senior synonym of pellucida: Mayr, 1886c: 359; of nana: Emery, 1892b: 166; of familiaris: Forel, 1899c: 101; of australis: Wilson & Taylor, 1967: 80; of australe: Bolton, 1995b: 401. Current subspecies: nominal plus coronatum, malesianum. See also: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1421; Shattuck, 1994: 148.

Taxonomic Treatment (provided by Plazi)

Forel, A., 1895:
- Cosmopolite.

Ward, P. S., 2005:
I [introduced species]

Wild, A. L., 2007:
Central, Concepci�n (ALWC, INBP). [* = species not native to Paraguay]

Forel, A., 1908:
[[ worker ]] L. 1,5 a 1,8 mill. Tres semblable au melanocephalum F. et a l� indicum Forel, mais il en differe comme suit: Mandibules a bord terminal court, arme de 6 a 7 dents. Les scapes depassent fortement le bord occipital, au moins autant que chez le melanocephalum (chez l� indicum ils ne le depassent pas). Les palpes sont assez courts et ne sont pas dilates (longs et dilates chez le melanocephalum ). Le thorax n'a aucune echancrure; son dos est continu (un peu echancre chez le melanocephalum ). La face declive est tronquee net, obliquement, comme chez le melanocephalum ; bord anterieur de l'epistome entier, ou peu s'en faut. Tete et thorax subopaques, moins luisants que chez le melanocephalum .
Tete (sauf les antennes et les mandibules), metathorax, parfois le pronotum, cotes du thorax, une tache au bord de chaque segment abdominal et le pygidium bruns (la tete d'un brun fonce). Tout le reste d'un jaune pale.
Puntarenas, cote Pacifique de Costa Bica (Biolley), Jamaique (moi-meme), etc.
La place de cette variete est un peu douteuse. Je la rattache provisoirement au melanocephalum .

Forel, A., 1893:
(No. 16 a). [[ worker ]] et [[ queen ]]. Espece cosmopolite des tropiques.
(16). Common about houses at Kingstown, and at Georgetown. Its white abdomen and quick, jerky walk give it a very peculiar appearance. The formicarium is small, consisting apparently of a single chamber, in a cavity of a wall, or under a stone. There may be fifty or more workers in the colony.
(16 a). Near Kingstown; shady place on a hill-side near sea-level. Small nest in rubbish lodged between two stones.
(Found also at Georgetown, on the windward coast).

Forel, A., 1912:
[[ worker ]] [[ queen ]]. Seychelles: Silhouette, Mare aux Cochons, 1000 pieds.

Espadaler, X., 2007:
(*) (41, w). Running workers were detected in irrigated gardens next to recently built bungalows. This is the first record for El Hierro of this well known tramp species.

Emery, C., 1893:
- Colombo.