Taxonomic revision of the ant genus Linepithema (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
| Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication: | 2007 |
| Authors: | A. L. Wild |
| Journal: | University of California Publications in Entomology |
| Volume: | 126 |
| Pagination: | vii, 1-151 |
| Abstract: | *[The primarily Neotropical dolichoderine ant genus Linepithema is revised at the species level for the first time. Morphological and biogeographic data support the recognition of 19 species. The following taxonomic scheme is proposed: L. angulatum (Emery) stat.nov. [= pordescens (Wheeler) syn.nov.], L. dispertitum (Forel), L. flavescens (Wheeler & Mann) stat.nov., L. fuscum Mayr, L. gallardoi (Brèthes) [=breviscapa (Santschi) syn.nov. = impotens (Santschi) syn.nov.], L. humile (Mayr) [=arrogans (Chopard) = riograndense (Borgmeier)], L. iniquum (Mayr) [= bicolor (Forel) syn.nov. = dominicense (Wheeler) syn.nov. = fuscescens (Wheeler) syn.nov. = melleum (Wheeler) syn.nov. = nigellum (Emery) syn.nov. = succineum (Forel) syn.nov.], L. keiteli (Forel) [= subfaciatum (Wheeler & Mann) syn.nov.], L. leucomelas (Emery) [= aspidocoptum (Kempf) syn.nov.], L. micans (Forel) stat.nov. [= platense (Forel) syn.nov. = scotti (Santschi) syn.nov.], L. oblongum (Santschi), L. piliferum (Mayr). Seven species are described as new: L. anathema sp.nov., L. aztecoides sp.nov., L. cerradense sp.nov., L. cryptobioticum sp.nov., L. neotropicum sp.nov., L. pulex sp.nov., & L. tsachila sp.nov. Seventeen species are sorted into one of 4 groups associated with the species L. fuscum, L. humile, L. iniquum, or L. neotropicum, & 2 species are left unassigned. New generic diagnoses are provided for worker, male, & queen castes. Shattuck's (1992a) generic descriptions of the worker, male, & queen castes are modified slightly to take into account expanded knowledge of character state variation. Worker &, where known, male & queen castes are described. Diagnoses, illustrations, & keys are supplied for worker & male castes. Discussions of variation, comparisons to similar species, & nomenclatural issues are given for each species. Also included are synopses of life history traits such as queen number, colony structure, geographic distribution, nest site, habitat records, & associations with parasitoid Pseudacteon flies (Diptera: Phoridae). Iridomyrmex humilioides = Linepithema humilioides= Gracilidris humilioides is excluded from Linepithema. Linepithema inacatum is incertae sedis in Linepithema.] |
| Alternate Journal: | Univ. Calif. Publ. Entomol. |