Japanese Tetramorium queens: identification key and species diagnoses (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae)

By

Yamane, Seiki
Hosoishi, Shingo
Ito, Fuminori

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2022

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

1084

Pages

43--64

Subjects

ant , caste difference , Japan , key to species , queen , species account , stat. rev , Tetramorium

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1084.69767

 

Abstract

In Japan, nine species have been known in the ant genus Tetramorium, of which five or more are considered tramps. A key to the queens of nine Tetramorium species found in Japan is presented. The tramp species T. tonganum Mayr, 1870 is excluded from the key because no queen was available for us, while T. pacificum Mayr, 1870 is included because it was once intercepted at a port in Japan and exotic queens were available. Diagnosis of the queen of each species is provided together with differences between the two female castes. Tetramorium tanakai Bolton, 1977 is resurrected from synonymy with T. kraepelini Forel, 1905 based mainly on the queen characters.