Nylanderia, LaPolla, J. S., Brady, S. G. & Shattuck, S. O., 2010

LaPolla, J. S., Brady, S. G. & Shattuck, S. O., 2010, Phylogeny and taxonomy of the Prenolepis genus-group of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)., Systematic Entomology 35, pp. 118-131 : 126-127

Nylanderia , gen. rev.

Figures of worker. Head: Fig. 5C; mesosoma: Fig. 6C; mandible: Fig. 7B.

Synopsis of taxonomic history (for full description see Bolton et al., 2006): Nylanderia Emery, 1906: 133 . As subgenus of Prenolepis . As subgenus of Paratrechina, Emery, 1925: 217 . Nylanderia raised to genus, Wheeler, 1936: 210; as subgenus of Paratrechina, Creighton, 1950: 405 ; Nylanderia revived as genus, Chapman & Capco, 1951: 214; provisional junior synonym of Paratrechina, Brown, 1973: 183 ; as subgenus of Paratrechina, Smith, D.R., 1979: 1443 ; Nylanderia as junior synonym of Paratrechina, Trager, 1984: 51 . Type species: Formica vividula , by original description.

= Andragnathus Emery, 1922: 111 . Andraganthus as junior synonym of Paratrechina, Agosti & Bolton, 1990 ; this study in synonymy with Nylanderia , syn. nov. Type species: Andragnathus hubrechti , by monotypy.

Diagnosis. Mandible with 6 to 7 teeth; maxillary palps 6- segmented; labial palps 4-segmented; erect setae on dorsum of head randomly placed; typically with abundant erect setae on head, scapes, legs and dorsum of mesosoma, although a few species lack erect setae on head, scapes and legs. Eyes typically well developed and placed midlength and laterally on head. Dorsal mesosomal setae arranged loosely in pairs; propodeum lacking erect setae (with one exception); propodeum with a low- to high-domed dorsal face; generally overall mesosoma shape compact.

Distribution. (Fig. 8B). This genus is essentially worldwide in distribution, but its exact northern limits are uncertain, and it is curious that apparently no native species are found in Europe. The genus reaches its highest diversity in the tropics, but in many temperate areas Nylanderia form important components of the fauna ( Ward, 2000). Humans have dispersed a few species around the globe, and there are several economically important invasive species in this genus.

Notes. This is by far the most diverse of the Prenolepis genus-group genera. This genus is currently under revision by the authors and is certain to increase tremendously in recognized species as studies are completed.

Although most species of this genus are easily recognizable, there are several Nylanderia species ( N. darlingtoni , N. otome and N. yamburu ) that superficially resemble Paraparatrechina in that they lack erect setae on the legs and/or scapes and have paired erect setae on the pronotum and mesonotum. Scapes without erect setae or with very few setae appear more commonly in New World Nylanderia (particularly among the North American species), with the condition only spottily observed for species outside this region. However, essentially all species can be placed into Nylanderia based on the lack of erect setae on the propodeum and the presence of six mandibular teeth. The single known exception is an undescribed species from Papua New Guinea, which has numerous elongate setae on the propodeum. However, in this case the setae differ in number and structure from those found in other genera considered here. Undoubtedly, as taxonomic revision of Nylanderia progresses there will be some adjustments regarding to which genus a few species are ascribed, so the generic species list reported below will probably change in the future.

Combinations in Nylanderia . The following names are comb. rev. from Paratrechina : consuta , darlingtoni , pearsei . The following names are all comb. nov. in Nylanderia . They are listed under their previous combinations as catalogued in Bolton et al. (2006). From Paratrechina : amblyops , amblyops rubescens , amia, anthracina , arenivaga , arlesi , aseta , assimilis , austroccidua , birmana , birmana hodgsoni , bourbonica , bourbonica farquharensis , bourbonica ngasiyana , brasiliensis , braueri , braueri donisthorpei , braueri glabrior , bruesii , burgesi , caeciliae , caeciliae elevata , cisipa , clandestina , colchica , comorensis , concinna , dispar , dugasi , faisonensis , flavipes , formosae , fulva , fulva biolleyi , fulva cubana , fulva fumata , fulva fumatipennis , fulva incisa , fulva longiscapa , fulva nesiotis , goeldii , gracilis , grisoni , grisoni fuscula , guatemalensis , guatemalensis cocoensis , guatemalensis itinerans , gulinensis , helleri , hubrechti , humbloti , hystrix , incallida , indica , integera , jaegerskioeldi , johannae , johannae dibullana , kraepelini , laevigata , lepida , lietzi , madagascarensis , madagascarensis ellisii , madagascarensis rufescens , madagascarensis sechellensis , manni , mendica , mexicana , microps , mixta , myops , nodifera , nubatama , nuggeti , obscura , obscura bismarckensis , obscura celebensis , obscura minor , obscura papuana , ogasawarensis , opisopthalmia , otome , parvula , phantasma , picta , pieli , pubens , rosae , ryukyuensis , sakurae , sharpii , sikorae , silvestrii , silvestrii kuenzleria , simpliciuscula , sindbadi , smythiesii , staudingeri , steeli , steinheili , steinheili minuta , stigmatica , tasmaniensis , taylori , taylori levis , teranishii , terricola , tjibodana , tococae , traegaordhi , traegaordhi natalensis , vaga , vagabunda , vitiensis , vividula , vividula antillana , vividula australis , vividula docilis , vividula kuenzleri , vividula mjobergi , waelbroecki , weissi , weissi nimba , wojciki , yaeyamensis , yambaru , yerburyi , zelotypa . From Pseudolasius : dodo .