Formica paralugubris

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Formica paralugubris
Formica paralugubris Queen - specimen type (FoCol0762) 1.tif
Queen - specimen type (FoCol0762) 1
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Genus: Formica
Species:
F. paralugubris
Binomial name
Formica paralugubris
Seifert, 1996

Formica paralugubris is a species of ant. It is a member of the Formica rufa species group native to the Alps in the Palearctic realm. It is a cryptic species, often miscategorized as Formica lugubris due to morphological similarities. The two species are capable of differentiating one another, however; F. paralugubris ants react aggressively towards F. lugubris ants. [1] Formica paralugubris differs in its organization as a supercolony. It has been introduced into North America with the import of pine trees. It does not exhibit characteristics found in other invasive species due to its limited native range. [2]

Ecology

Nestmates within a F. paralugubris colony can recognize each other. [1] F. paralugubris worker ants are known to collect conifer resin and place near their brood; this resin has antimicrobial properties [3] that the ants often modify by releasing formic acid onto the resin. Formic acid in combination with conifer resin has antifungal properties. [4]

References

  1. 1 2 Chapuisat, Michel; Bernasconi, Christian; Hoehn, Sophie; Reuter, Max (1 January 2005). "Nestmate recognition in the unicolonial ant Formica paralugubris". Behavioral Ecology. 16 (1): 15–19. doi: 10.1093/beheco/arh128 . Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  2. Seifert, Bernhard (February 16, 2015). "The supercolonial European wood ant Formica paralugubris SEIFERT, 1996 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) introduced to Canada and its predicted role in Nearctic forests" (PDF). Myrmecological News. 22. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  3. Chapuisat, Michel; Oppliger, Anne; Magliano, Pasqualina; Christe, Philippe (2007). "Wood Ants Use Resin to Protect Themselves against Pathogens". Proceedings: Biological Sciences. 274 (1621): 2013–2017. doi:10.1098/rspb.2007.0531. ISSN   0962-8452. JSTOR   25249282. PMC   2275180 . PMID   17535794.
  4. Brütsch, Timothée; Jaffuel, Geoffrey; Vallat, Armelle; Turlings, Ted C. J.; Chapuisat, Michel (April 2017). "Wood ants produce a potent antimicrobial agent by applying formic acid on tree-collected resin". Ecology and Evolution. 7 (7): 2249–2254. Bibcode:2017EcoEv...7.2249B. doi: 10.1002/ece3.2834 . PMC   5383563 . PMID   28405288.