Species: Tetramorium tsushimae

Current Valid Name:

Taxonomic History (provided by Barry Bolton, 2023)

Tetramorium caespitum subsp. tsushimae Emery, 1925a PDF: 187, fig. C1-3 (w.q.) JAPAN (Tsu I.), CHINA (Beijing). Palearctic. Primary type information: Primary type material: syntype workers (number not stated, “numerous”), 1 syntype queen. Primary type localities: Japan: Tsushima (Fruhstorfer), and China: Peking (=Beijing). Primary type depository: MSNG. Primary type specimen: CASENT0904809. AntCat AntWiki HOL

Taxonomic history

[Misspelled as tsushimaeum by Santschi, 1941 PDF: 277.]

[Misspelled as tschushimae by Radchenko, 1992b PDF: 51.]

As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Wheeler, 1928d PDF: 115.

Subspecies of Tetramorium caespitum: Santschi, 1925f PDF: 88; Santschi, 1927b PDF: 54; Santschi, 1941 PDF: 277; Chapman & Capco, 1951 PDF: 175; Onoyama, 1980a PDF: 197.

Status as species: Bolton, 1995b: 415; Imai et al., 2003 PDF: 136; Radchenko, 2005b PDF: 153; Steiner et al., 2006 PDF: 179 (in table); Pfeiffer et al., 2007 PDF: 5; Guénard & Dunn, 2012 PDF: 57; Wagner et al., 2018 10.1038/s41598-018-30890-z PDF: 4 (in list); Yamane et al., 2022 10.3897/zookeys.1084.69767 PDF: 60.

Senior synonym of Tetramorium jacoti: Wheeler, 1927d PDF: 7 (in text); Stitz, 1934: 2; Radchenko, 1992b PDF: 51; Bolton, 1995b: 415; Imai et al., 2003 PDF: 136; Radchenko, 2005b PDF: 153.

[Note: Wheeler, 1927d PDF; Stitz, 1934; Radchenko, 1992b PDF give Tetramorium jacoti as senior synonym, but Tetramorium tsushimae has priority (Bolton, 1995b: 415).]

// Distribution

Distribution:

  Geographic regions (According to curated Geolocale/Taxon lists):
    Americas: United States
    Asia: China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea
    Europe: Russia
  Biogeographic regions (According to curated Bioregion/Taxon lists):
    Nearctic, Palearctic
  Native to (according to species list records):
    Palearctic bioregion

Distribution Notes:

Urban & ruderal within 20 km. radius of St. Louis, MO (as of 2005)

Biology:

An aggressive tramp species, the only ant which is highly invasive outdoors in Illinois's climate. Dispersed in sod, nursery stock and loads of soil or gravel.

Identification:

Tuft of hair on gula absent, present on Tetramorium immigrans.

Notes:

Native to Japan, Korea, eastern temperate China, T. tsushimae apparently was introduced into urban St. Louis during the early 20th century, it has in recent decades begun to spread rapidly to other Missouri and Illinois cities, probably in shipments of soil and gravel.

Specimen Habitat Summary

Found most commonly in these habitats: 1 times found in Suburban with wide-spaced hardwood trees, 1 times found in in garden in full sun, 1 times found in in greenhouse on Bombax.

Found most commonly in these microhabitats: 1 times under flat rock.

Collected most commonly using these methods: 2 times Search, 4 times direct collection.

Elevations: collected from 64 - 935 meters, 262 meters average

Collect Date Range: collected between 1920-10-10 00:00:00.0 and 2017-08-21 00:00:00.0

Type specimens: syntype of Tetramorium caespitum jacoti: casent0901253; syntype of Tetramorium tsushimae: casent0904809; Type of unavailable quadrinomial: Tetramorium caespitum tsushimae coeleste: casent0915089; Type of unavailable quadrinomial: Tetramorium caespitum tsushimae pullum: casent0915090

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Citing AntWeb

Species: Tetramorium tsushimae Emery, 1925

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