Tapinoma hispanicum, Seifert & Kaufmann & Fraysse, 2024

Seifert, Bernhard, Kaufmann, Bernard & Fraysse, Lorenzo, 2024, A taxonomic revision of the Palaearctic species of the ant genus Tapinoma Mayr 1861 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Zootaxa 5435 (1), pp. 1-74 : 44-45

Tapinoma hispanicum n.sp.

Etymology: meaning “Spanish”, because the species is known so far from only Spain.

Type material: Holotype plus three paratype worker on the same pin labelled “SPA: 37.37503°N, 2.85169°W, Prado del Rey , 2010 m, Sierra de Baza, Ruano & Tinaut 2021.10.20 -1” and “ Holotype (top) and paratypes of Tapinoma hispanicum Seifert ”; 12 paratype workers on three pins with same locality and date but with sample numbers 3, 4 and 7; depository SMN Görlitz.

A wild-card run in a 5-class LDA considering the five morphologically separable entities of the T. nigerrimum species complex allocates the holotype sample with p=0.982 to the T. hispanicum cluster.

Material examined. Numeric phenotypical data were taken in 27 nest samples with 88 workers. They all originated from Spain. For details see supplementary information SI1, SI2 .

Geographic range. So far known from twelve sites in southern Spain delimited by 36.90°N, 38.35°N, 4.04°W, 1.49°W and with altitudes ranging from 391 to 2600 m .

Diagnosis:—Worker ( Tab. 3, Figs. 27–29 ): All shape ratios given below are, in contrast to those in Tab. 3, primary ratios without RAV and all data are given as arithmetic mean ± standard deviation. Large, CS 920 ± 143 µm. Head broad CL/CW 1.033 ± 0.054. Postocular distance rather small and excavation of hind margin of vertex large, PoOc/CL 0.386 ± 0.011, ExOcc 2.28 ± 0.85%. Anteromedian clypeal excision very deep and wide, ExCly/CS 10.47 ± 0.94%, ExClyW 6.91 ± 0.67%. The posterior, semicircular end of clypeal excision forms a concave plane delimited by a sharp ventral and a less sharp dorsal edge. Sum of pubescence hairs and smaller setae protruding across the margin of clypeal excision including its dorsal edge very large, nExCly 18.0 ± 6.3. Scape shorter than in related species, SL/CS 0.925 ± 0.040. Minimum distance of the inner margins of antennal socket rings moderately large, dAN/CS 0.300 ± 0.007. Eye smaller than in the supercolonial related species, EL/CS 0.229 ± 0.013. Metanotal groove shallower than in T. nigerrimum , MGr/CS 2.81 ± 0.76 %. Mesosoma shorter and narrower than in the supercolonial related species, ML/CS 1.219 ± 0.032, MW/CS 0.613 ± 0.014. Second funiculus segment shorter than in the supercolonial related species, Fu2L/CS 13.67 ± 0.45 %, IFu2 1.828 ± 0.081. All body parts including appendages covered by a rather dense pubescence. Setae on dorsal and lateral surfaces of head and mesosoma absent. Long setae are found on hind margin of 3rd and 4th gaster segment, ventral parts of coxae and anterior clypeus. All body parts blackish brown. Mandibles, edge of clypeus and sometimes antennal funiculus and tarsi with an orange or reddish color component.

Taxonomic comments. The clear NUMOBAT separation of workers from the morphologically and ecologically similar Tapinoma nigerrimum has been shown above. T. hispanicum n. sp. differs from that species in particular by lower SL/CS 900, larger ExCly/CS 900, and lower MGr/CS 900. The genetic data provided in Fig. 46 do also support a separate species status. Furthermore, Lenoir et al. (2023) investigated the cuticular hydrocarbon pattern of populations in the Sierra Nevada above 2000 m altitude and found it to differ strongly from the four other species of the T. nigerrimum group.

Biology. No supercolonies have been observed so far in this species. Colonies are apparently monodomous. With exception of a roadside in an olive plantation and an urban park, all nests were found in natural or semi-natural open habitats showing a high percentage of bare ground. These habitats were usually covered by lacunar dwarf shrubs or dilute xerothermous grassland. No European Tapinoma species showed such a clear preference of high-altitude habitats: only 36 % of the sites were situated within 391–1206 m but 64% within 2005–2600 m. The latter habitats were as a rule extremely rocky and wind exposed.

Figures

FIGURE 27. Tapinoma hispanicum n. sp., holotype, head in full face view, Prado del Rey / Spain, 2021.10.20.

FIGURE 28. Tapinoma hispanicum n. sp., holotype, lateral view, Prado del Rey / Spain, 2021.10.20.

FIGURE 29. Tapinoma hispanicum n. sp., holotype, anterior head in dorsofronal view, Prado del Rey / Spain, 2021.10.20.

FIGURE 46. Comparison of the NUMOBAT-based classification of Tapinoma ibericum (white triangles), T. hispanicum n. sp. (black squares), T. darioi (white dots) and of a problematic sample (cross, see main text) with the genetic classification based on 15 microsatellite loci. Method: the first three principal components extracted from microsatellite data of only the shown 69 samples were used as characters in a linear discriminant function with the NUMOBAT-based classification imposed as species hypothesis.