Genus Tapinoma (Dolichoderinae)

• Tapinoma Foerster, 1850a: 43. Type species: Tapinoma collina Foerster, by monotypy. The type speices, Tapinoma collina Foerster, is a junior synonym of Tapinoma erraticum (Latreille).
• Micromyrma Dufour, 1857: 60. Type species: Micromyrma pygmaea Dufour, by monotypy. Junior synonym of Tapinoma: Mayr, 1863a: 455; Forel, 1878c: 385; Emery, 1913a: 38. Revived from synonymy as subgenus of Tapinoma: Santschi, 1928e: 475. The correct year of the synonymy reference is 'Emery, 1913' not 'Emery, 1912' as in Bolton, 1995b: 35. Synonymy: Smith, M.R. 1951c: 837; Shattuck, 1992c: 146.
• Semonius Forel, 1910e: 21. Type species: Semonius schultzei Forel, by monotypy. Synonymy: Shattuck, 1992c: 146.
• Tapinoptera Santschi, 1925g: 348 (as subgenus of Tapinoma) . Type species: Tapinoma vexatum Santschi, by monotypy. Synonymy: Shattuck, 1992c: 146.
• Zatapinoma Wheeler, W.M. 1928a: 20. Type species: Zatapinoma annandalei Wheeler, by original designation. Synonymy: Shattuck, 1992c: 146.
• Neoclystopsenella Kurian, 1955: 133 (in family Bethylidae) . Type species: Neoclystopsenella luffae Kurian, by monotypy. Originally placed in Bethylidae. Synonymy: Brown, W.L. 1988a: 337.

• OVERVIEW.   At least one of the three North American species is introduced. Nests are found in a variety of situations and workers commonly attend honeydew excreting insects. All of the species emit a substance with an odor similar to that of butyric acid (Smith, D.R. 1979: 1421). There are 60 species in this genus, and they are found worldwide in the tropics and temperate regions (Brown, 2000: 67 in Agosti, Majer, et. al. Ants, standard methods for measuring and monitoring biodiversity).
• ZOOGEOGRAPHICAL REGIONS.  Worldwide.
• RECOGNITION.   Mandible with 12 to 14 teeth decreasing in size from apex to base; basal angle absent. Anterior border of clypeus with a weak to distinct emargination. Pronotum without erect hairs. Petiolar scale absent (rarely present but minute). In dorsal view, 4 gastral tergites visible; the fifth (terminal) tergite if reflexed forward ventrally so the anus is not located at the terminus of the gaster when viewed laterally.



Figure of Tapinoma from Smith, M.R. 1965.


• SIMILAR GENERA.   This genus is most similar to Technomyrmex which differs by having 5 gastral tergites visible in dorsal view and erect hairs on pronotum.
• TRIBE.  Dolichoderini.
• REVISIONS.   Emery, 1925b: 45–64 (Palearctic, out of date) .
• TAXONOMY.   Smith, M.R. 1943e: 313 (diagnosis of m.) .— Smith, M.R. 1947f: 598–599, pl. 17, fig. 65 (diagnosis of w., figure (lateral view) of w.) .— Creighton, 1950a: 350–353, pl. 48, figs. 1–4 .— Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1951: 172 (larva) .— Shattuck, 1992c: 146–153, figs. 142–149, table 4 (description of w.q.m., diagnosis of l., distribution map, figures (full face and lateral views) w.q.m.) .— Bolton, 1994: figs. 52, 53 (SEMs (full face and lateral view) of w.) .— Shattuck, 1994: 140–156 (catalog) .—Shattuck, 1999: 81–82, figs. 369–371.

• litorale. Tapinoma litorale Wheeler, W.M. 1905c: 109 (w.q.m.) . [Bahamas; AMNH, MCZ] Current subspecies nominal plus cubaense.
• littorale. Tapinoma littorale Creighton, 1950a: 352 . Incorrect subsequent spelling of Tapinoma litorale Wheeler, W.M. 1905

• DISTRIBUTION. Southern FL; West Indies.
• TAXONOMY. Smith, M.R. 1937: 861–862 .— Creighton, 1950a: 352 .
• MISCELLANEOUS. Wheeler, W.M. 1908a: 150.— Wheeler, W.M. 1932a: 13 .

• melanocephalum. Formica melanocephala Fabricius, 1793: 353 (w.) . [French Guiana, Cayenne; No types in USA.] Emery, 1887b: 249 (m.) . Combination in Micromyrma: Roger, 1862b: 258; in Tapinoma: Mayr, 1862: 651; in Tapinoma (Micromyrma): Santschi, 1928e: 475. Current subspecies: nominal plus coronatum, malesianum.
• nana. Formica nana Jerdon, 1851: 125 (w.) . [Singapore] Unresolved junior primary homonym of Formica nana Latreille, 1802. Synonymy: Emery, 1892c: 166.
• pellucida. Myrmica pellucida Smith, F. 1857a: 71 (w.) . Synonymy: Mayr, G. 1886c: 359 .
• familiaris. Formica familiaris Smith, F. 1860b: 96 (w.) . Unresolved junior primary homonym of Formica familiaris Smith, F. 1860a: 68 (now in Pseudolasius). Synonymy: Forel, 1899f: 101.
• australis. Tapinoma (Micromyrma) melanocephalum var. australis Santschi, 1928a: 53 (w.) . [Samoa.] Synonymy: Wilson & Taylor, 1967b: 80.
• australe. Tapinoma (Micromyrma) melanocephalum var. australe Santschi, 1928e: 475 (w.) . [Samoa.] Synonymy: Bolton, 1995b: 401 (Shattuck, 1994: 148 treats australe and australis as variant spellings, but the type localities of the two are different and the names must be treated as separate) .

• DISTRIBUTION. FL where it is established; occasionally found in greenhouses or heated buildings in other parts of the continent such as ON, IA, NM, CA; tropicopolitan.
• TAXONOMY. Smith, M.R. 1928a: 311 .— Smith, M.R. 1937: 861–862 .— Creighton, 1950a: 352–353 .— Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1951: 197 (larva) .— Smith, M.R. 1965: 59–60, fig. 32 (diagnosis of w., natural history, figure (lateral view) w.) .— Wilson & Taylor, 1967b: 79–82 (Polynesia) .— Collingwood, 1979: 36 (diagnosis of w.q.m.) .— Shattuck, 1994: 148.
• MISCELLANEOUS. Wheeler, W.M. 1910b: 154, 156.— King, R.L. 1948: 395.— Kempf, 1961b: 520.— Weber, 1961: 218 (employment of venom) .— Brown, W.L. 1964a: 14–15.— Smith, M.R. 1965: 59–60 (economic importance) .— Tamsitt & Fox, 1966: 268 (attacking lab. flea colony) .— Gomez-Nunez, 1971: 735–737 (an inhibitor of Rhodinus prolixus populations) .

• sessile. Formica sessilis Say, 1836: 287 (w.q) . [USA, IN; No types known to exist.] Emery, 1895d: 333 (q.m.) . Combination in Tapinoma: Smith, F. 1858a: 57.
• boreale. Tapinoma boreale Roger, 1863a: 165 (w.q.) . [North America] Subspecies of sessile: Dalla Torre, 1893: 164; Ruzsky, 1925b: 45; Ruzsky, 1936: 95. Note that many publications refer to Tapinoma boreale Mayr (such as Creighton, 1950a: 353). This reference is to T. boreale Roger as redescribed by Mayr; there is no T. boreale Mayr (Bolton, 1995b: 399). Synonymy: Mayr, G. 1886d: 434 ; Creighton, 1950a: 353 .
• gracilis. Formica gracilis Buckley, S.B. 1866: 158 (w.q.) . [USA, NY, Ontario Co.] Unresolved junior homonym of Formica tracilis Fabricius, 1804 (now in Pseudomyrmex). Synonymy: Emery, 1895d: 337 (F. gracilis a questionable synonym of T. sessiile) ; Creighton, 1950a: 353 (F. gracilis junior synonym of T. sessile) .
• parva. Formica parva Buckley, S.B. 1866: 159 (w.) . [USA, DC] Synonymy: Mayr, G. 1886d: 434 ; Creighton, 1950a: 353 .
• boreale. Tapinoma boreale Provancher, 1887b: 238 (w.q.) . Unresolved junior primary homonym of T. boreale Roger. Synonymy: Mayr, G. 1886d: 434 (T. boreale Roger junior synonym of T. sessile) ; Dalla Torre, 1893: 164 (T. boreale Provancher junior synonym of T. boreale Roger) .
• dimmocki. Bothriomyrmex dimmocki Wheeler, W.M. 1915b: 417 (w.q.) . [USA, MA, Hampden Co.] Combination in Tapinoma: Emery, 1925c: 19. Synonymy: Shattuck, 1992c: 153.

• DISTRIBUTION. Southern Canada, the entire USA with the exception of the desert areas of the southwest. Its abundance decreases sharply in the Gulf Coast region although it has been taken in FL, AL, MS, and TX (Creighton, 1950a: 353).
• TAXONOMY. Wheeler, W.M. 1917a: 522–523 (distribution) .— Smith, M.R. 1947f: pl. 17, fig. 65 (figure (lateral view) of w.) .— Creighton, 1950a: 353, pl. 48., figs. 1–4 (figure ( lateral view) w.q.m., q. - wing) .— Smith, M.R. 1965: 57–59, fig. 31 (diagnosis of w., natural history, figure (lateral view) w.) .— Francoeur & Béique, 1966a: 143 (Provancher types) .— Kupyanskaya, 1990a: 156.— Shattuck, 1994: 153.
• MISCELLANEOUS. Smith, M.R. 1928a: 307–329 .— Weber, 1941: 140–141.— Kannowski, 1959b: 126–129.— Carter, 1962b: 192 (distribution in NC, natural history) .— Gregg, R.E. 1963: 443–447 (natural history) .— Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1963: 157–160.— Bobb, 1965: 925 (as predator of Neodiprion pratti pratti (Dyar) ) .— Smith, M.R. 1965: 57–59 (economic importance) .— Crozier, 1970b: 541–546 (pericentric rearrangement polymorphism) .— Wang & Brook, 1970: 1971–1973 (toxicological and biological studies) .— Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1973e: 106–107.— Bernstein, R.A. 1979: table 2 (temperature range for foraging) .— Allred, 1982: 506 (distribution in UT) .— Carroll, J.F. 1988: 495–500 (comparative foraging competition) .— MacKay, Lowrie, et. al. 1988: 103 (occurrence in NM) .— Cokendolpher & Francke, 1990: 26 (distribution in TX) .— Klotz & Reid, 1992: 71–82 (orientation, odor trail of secondary importance to visual cues) .
• PHOTOS.