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Tapinoma melanocephalum

December 20, 2023

Tapinoma melanocephalum is a species of ant that goes by the common name ghost ant. They are recognised by their dark head and pale or translucent legs and gaster (abdomen). This colouring makes this tiny ant seem even smaller.[1]

Ghost ant
Workers feeding on apple
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Dolichoderinae
Genus: Tapinoma
Species:
T. melanocephalum
Binomial name
Tapinoma melanocephalum
(Fabricius, 1793)
Subspecies
  • Tapinoma melanocephalum coronatum Forel, 1908
  • Tapinoma melanocephalum malesianum Forel, 1913
Synonyms
  • Formica familiaris Smith, F., 1860
  • Formica nana Jerdon, 1851
  • Myrmica pellucida Smith, F., 1857
  • Tapinoma melanocephalum australe Santschi, 1928
  • Tapinoma melanocephalum australis Santschi, 1928

Description edit

 
Zoomed up photo of a ghost ant worker, taken from a site in East London

The ghost ant is small, with average lengths ranging between 1.3 to 2.0 millimetres (0.051 to 0.079 in) in workers.[1] The antennae composes of 12 segments that thickens towards the tip.[2] The antennal scapes exceeds the occipital border. The head and thorax is a dark brown colour while the gaster, legs and antennae are a milky white colour.[2][1] Due to its small size and light colour, the ghost ant is difficult to see.[3] Ghost ants are monomorphic and the thorax is spineless.[2] The gaster is hairless, and has a back opening that is similar to a slit-like opening.[3] The abdominal pedicel is formed from a single segment that is usually unable to be seen due to the gaster, and the species do not contain a stinger.[2] During development, this species undergoes three larval instars, which are all naked and fusiform, with reduced mouthparts.[4]

The queens are similar in appearance to a worker, but the alitrunk (mesosoma) is enlarged. The queen measures 2.5 millimetres (0.098 in) in length, making them the largest member of the colony. The male's head and dorsum is dark in colour, while the gaster is light. It may contain several dark marks. They are usually 2.0 millimetres (0.079 in) in length.[1]

Distribution and habitat edit

Due to how widespread the ghost ant is, the exact native range is not exactly known.[5] However, the species is assumed to originate from the African or Oriental regions, seeing it is a tropical species.[6] This has been proven considering the ghost ant cannot adapt to colder climates and are only confined to greenhouses and buildings that provide considerable conditions that allows the species to thrive, although a colony of ghost ants was discovered in an apartment block in Canada.[7] One report has even stated the presence of ghost ants in isolated regions, with a colony being found in the Galapagos Islands.[8] The ant is found in 154 geographical areas.[9]

The species is a common pest in the United States, particularly in the states of Hawaii and Florida, although the species is expanding further north, even reaching Texas by the mid 1990s.[10] They are commonly found in the southern parts of Florida, and is considered a key pest, along with several other invasive ant species.[11] The earliest record of the ghost ant in the United States was in 1887, where the species was found in Hawaii.[12] It was then recorded in Washington, D.C. in 1894.[13] After these two records, the ghost ant would later be found in Maine, New York, Connecticut, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Louisiana, Texas, Kansas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Oregon and Washington.[9][14] Ghost ants can be found in the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.[15]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Collingwood, C.A. (1979). "The Formicidae (Hymenoptera) of Fennoscandia and Denmark". Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica. 8: 1–174. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d Creighton, W.S. (1950). "The ants of North America". Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. 104: 1–585. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  3. ^ a b Smith, Eric H.; Whitman, Richard C. (1992). NPCA Field Guide to Structural Pests. Dunn Loring, Virginia: National Pest Control Association.
  4. ^ Jesus, Carlos Massuretti De; Fox, Eduardo Gonçalves Paterson; Solis, Daniel Russ; Yabuki, Antonio Teruyoshi; Rossi, Monica Lanzoni; Bueno, Odair Correa (June 2010). "Description of the Larvae of Tapinoma melanocephalum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)". Florida Entomologist. 93 (2): 243–247. doi:10.1653/024.093.0214. ISSN 0015-4040.
  5. ^ Smith, Marion R. (1965). "House-infesting ants of the eastern United States : their recognition, biology, and economic importance". Technical Bulletin No. 1326. Washington, D.C.: United States Department of Agriculture: 72. OCLC 6078460. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  6. ^ Wheeler, William M. (1910). "Ants; their structure, development and behavior". Columbia Biological Series. New York, Columbia University Press. 9: 578–648. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.1937. OCLC 560205. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  7. ^ Ayre, G.L. (1977). "Exotic ants in Winnipeg, Manitoba". Entomologist. 11: 4111–4144.
  8. ^ Clark, David B.; Guayasamin, Concepcion; Pazmino, Olga; Donoso, Cecilia; de Villacis, Yolanda Paez (September 1982). "The Tramp Ant Wasmannia auropunctata: Autecology and Effects on Ant Diversity and Distribution on Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos" (PDF). Biotropica. 14 (3): 196. doi:10.2307/2388026. JSTOR 2388026. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  9. ^ a b Wetterer, James K. (2012). "Worldwide spread of the ghost ant, Tapinoma melanocephalum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)". Myrmecological News. 12: 23–33. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  10. ^ Chenault, E.A. (1997). "Ghost ants now in Texas". Texas AgriLife Research News. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  11. ^ Klotz, J.H.; Mangold, J.R.; Vail, K.M.; Davis Jr, L.R.; Patterson, R.S. (1995). "A survey of the urban pest ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of peninsular Florida". Florida Entomologist. 78 (1): 109–118. doi:10.2307/3495674. JSTOR 3495674.
  12. ^ Blackburn, T; Cameron, P. (1887). "On the Hymenoptera of the Hawaiian Islands". Memoirs of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society. 10: 194–244.
  13. ^ Pergande, Theo (1896). "Mexican Formicidae". Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences. 5 (2): 858–896.
  14. ^ King, R.L. (1948). "A tropical ant temporarily established in Iowa". Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science. 55: 395.
  15. ^ Forel, Auguste H. (1881). "Die Ameisen der Antille St. Thomas". Mitteilungen der Münchener Entomologischen Verein. 5: 1–16.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tapinoma melanocephalum.
  • Tapinoma melanocephalum on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site

December 20, 2023
tapinoma, melanocephalum, species, that, goes, common, name, ghost, they, recognised, their, dark, head, pale, translucent, legs, gaster, abdomen, this, colouring, makes, this, tiny, seem, even, smaller, ghost, antworkers, feeding, applescientific, classificat. Tapinoma melanocephalum is a species of ant that goes by the common name ghost ant They are recognised by their dark head and pale or translucent legs and gaster abdomen This colouring makes this tiny ant seem even smaller 1 Ghost antWorkers feeding on appleScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ArthropodaClass InsectaOrder HymenopteraFamily FormicidaeSubfamily DolichoderinaeGenus TapinomaSpecies T melanocephalumBinomial nameTapinoma melanocephalum Fabricius 1793 SubspeciesTapinoma melanocephalum coronatum Forel 1908 Tapinoma melanocephalum malesianum Forel 1913SynonymsFormica familiaris Smith F 1860 Formica nana Jerdon 1851 Myrmica pellucida Smith F 1857 Tapinoma melanocephalum australe Santschi 1928 Tapinoma melanocephalum australis Santschi 1928 Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution and habitat 3 References 4 External linksDescription edit nbsp Zoomed up photo of a ghost ant worker taken from a site in East LondonThe ghost ant is small with average lengths ranging between 1 3 to 2 0 millimetres 0 051 to 0 079 in in workers 1 The antennae composes of 12 segments that thickens towards the tip 2 The antennal scapes exceeds the occipital border The head and thorax is a dark brown colour while the gaster legs and antennae are a milky white colour 2 1 Due to its small size and light colour the ghost ant is difficult to see 3 Ghost ants are monomorphic and the thorax is spineless 2 The gaster is hairless and has a back opening that is similar to a slit like opening 3 The abdominal pedicel is formed from a single segment that is usually unable to be seen due to the gaster and the species do not contain a stinger 2 During development this species undergoes three larval instars which are all naked and fusiform with reduced mouthparts 4 The queens are similar in appearance to a worker but the alitrunk mesosoma is enlarged The queen measures 2 5 millimetres 0 098 in in length making them the largest member of the colony The male s head and dorsum is dark in colour while the gaster is light It may contain several dark marks They are usually 2 0 millimetres 0 079 in in length 1 Distribution and habitat editDue to how widespread the ghost ant is the exact native range is not exactly known 5 However the species is assumed to originate from the African or Oriental regions seeing it is a tropical species 6 This has been proven considering the ghost ant cannot adapt to colder climates and are only confined to greenhouses and buildings that provide considerable conditions that allows the species to thrive although a colony of ghost ants was discovered in an apartment block in Canada 7 One report has even stated the presence of ghost ants in isolated regions with a colony being found in the Galapagos Islands 8 The ant is found in 154 geographical areas 9 The species is a common pest in the United States particularly in the states of Hawaii and Florida although the species is expanding further north even reaching Texas by the mid 1990s 10 They are commonly found in the southern parts of Florida and is considered a key pest along with several other invasive ant species 11 The earliest record of the ghost ant in the United States was in 1887 where the species was found in Hawaii 12 It was then recorded in Washington D C in 1894 13 After these two records the ghost ant would later be found in Maine New York Connecticut Virginia North Carolina Georgia Florida Illinois Michigan Wisconsin Minnesota Iowa Missouri Louisiana Texas Kansas New Mexico Arizona California Oregon and Washington 9 14 Ghost ants can be found in the U S territories of Puerto Rico and the U S Virgin Islands 15 References edit a b c Collingwood C A 1979 The Formicidae Hymenoptera of Fennoscandia and Denmark Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica 8 1 174 Retrieved 5 February 2015 a b c d Creighton W S 1950 The ants of North America Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 104 1 585 Retrieved 5 February 2015 a b Smith Eric H Whitman Richard C 1992 NPCA Field Guide to Structural Pests Dunn Loring Virginia National Pest Control Association Jesus Carlos Massuretti De Fox Eduardo Goncalves Paterson Solis Daniel Russ Yabuki Antonio Teruyoshi Rossi Monica Lanzoni Bueno Odair Correa June 2010 Description of the Larvae of Tapinoma melanocephalum Hymenoptera Formicidae Florida Entomologist 93 2 243 247 doi 10 1653 024 093 0214 ISSN 0015 4040 Smith Marion R 1965 House infesting ants of the eastern United States their recognition biology and economic importance Technical Bulletin No 1326 Washington D C United States Department of Agriculture 72 OCLC 6078460 Retrieved 31 December 2014 Wheeler William M 1910 Ants their structure development and behavior Columbia Biological Series New York Columbia University Press 9 578 648 doi 10 5962 bhl title 1937 OCLC 560205 Retrieved 6 February 2015 Ayre G L 1977 Exotic ants in Winnipeg Manitoba Entomologist 11 4111 4144 Clark David B Guayasamin Concepcion Pazmino Olga Donoso Cecilia de Villacis Yolanda Paez September 1982 The Tramp Ant Wasmannia auropunctata Autecology and Effects on Ant Diversity and Distribution on Santa Cruz Island Galapagos PDF Biotropica 14 3 196 doi 10 2307 2388026 JSTOR 2388026 Retrieved 6 February 2015 a b Wetterer James K 2012 Worldwide spread of the ghost ant Tapinoma melanocephalum Hymenoptera Formicidae Myrmecological News 12 23 33 Retrieved 6 February 2015 Chenault E A 1997 Ghost ants now in Texas Texas AgriLife Research News Retrieved 6 February 2015 Klotz J H Mangold J R Vail K M Davis Jr L R Patterson R S 1995 A survey of the urban pest ants Hymenoptera Formicidae of peninsular Florida Florida Entomologist 78 1 109 118 doi 10 2307 3495674 JSTOR 3495674 Blackburn T Cameron P 1887 On the Hymenoptera of the Hawaiian Islands Memoirs of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society 10 194 244 Pergande Theo 1896 Mexican Formicidae Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 5 2 858 896 King R L 1948 A tropical ant temporarily established in Iowa Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science 55 395 Forel Auguste H 1881 Die Ameisen der Antille St Thomas Mitteilungen der Munchener Entomologischen Verein 5 1 16 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tapinoma melanocephalum Tapinoma melanocephalum on the UF IFAS Featured Creatures Web site Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tapinoma melanocephalum amp oldid 1186487459, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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