Taxonomic history
[Misspelled as ruginodes by Betrem, 1926 PDF: 216, caption of fig. 6.].Hauschteck, 1965 PDF: 325 (k.).Junior synonym of Formica vagans: Foerster, 1850a: 66; Curtis, 1854: 213.Subspecies of Myrmica laevinodis: Mayr, 1886d PDF: 450; Ruzsky, 1896 PDF: 73; Ruzsky, 1902d PDF: 29; Ruzsky, 1905b: 671; Ruzsky, 1925a PDF: 288; Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1929b PDF: 44.Subspecies of Myrmica rubra: Forel, 1874 PDF: 76; Emery & Forel, 1879 PDF: 460; Lameere, 1892: 68; Saunders, 1896 PDF: 40 (in key); Ruzsky, 1904a PDF: 288; Emery, 1908a PDF: 171; Forel, 1909c PDF: 103; Bondroit, 1910 PDF: 494; Santschi, 1910b PDF: 71; Karavaiev, 1910 PDF: 270; Karavaiev, 1912b PDF: 583; Stitz, 1914 PDF: 73; Emery, 1914c PDF: 156; Forel, 1915d: 28; Emery, 1916a PDF: 119; Escherich, 1917: 325 (in key); Menozzi, 1918 PDF: 82; Nadig, 1918 PDF: 338; Emery, 1921c PDF: 39; Kulmatycki, 1922 PDF: 77; Finzi, 1923a PDF: 2; Soudek, 1923b PDF: 110; Santschi, 1925g PDF: 339; Schkaff, 1925b PDF: 274; Karavaiev, 1926b PDF: 94; Stärcke, 1926a PDF: 89 (in key); Karavaiev, 1927d: 258 (in key); Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1927e PDF: 193; Gösswald, 1932 PDF: 76; Arnol'di, 1933a: 599 (in key); Teranishi, 1940: 14; Chapman & Capco, 1951 PDF: 128; Ceballos, 1956: 297.Junior synonym of Myrmica rubra: Santschi, 1931c PDF: 339; Karavaiev, 1934: 65; Weber, 1947b PDF: 448; Sadil, 1952 PDF: 240; Pisarski, 1975: 10.Status as species: Nylander, 1846b PDF: 1052; Foerster, 1850a: 66; Smith, 1851 PDF: 118; Schenck, 1852 PDF: 77; Mayr, 1855 PDF: 407 (redescription); Smith, 1855b PDF: 116; Nylander, 1856b PDF: 79; Gredler, 1858 PDF: 22; Smith, 1858a PDF: 115; Mayr, 1861 PDF: 63 (in key); Meinert, 1861: 324; Roger, 1863b PDF: 28; Mayr, 1863a PDF: 435; Smith, 1871c: 2; Dours, 1873 PDF: 168; André, 1874c: 193 (in key); Mayr, 1877a: 15; Emery, 1878a PDF: x (in list); Emery, 1878: 52; Mayr, 1880 PDF: 34; Saunders, 1880 PDF: 214; André, 1883a: 317 (in key); White, 1884 PDF: 260; Forel, 1886e PDF: clxviii; Provancher, 1887: 247; Nasonov, 1889: 33; Forel, 1892j PDF: 315; Dalla Torre, 1893 PDF: 113 (footnote), 115; Ruzsky, 1902e PDF: 16; Wasmann, 1906 PDF: 118 (in key); Bondroit, 1912 PDF: 351; Ruzsky, 1914b PDF: 105; Donisthorpe, 1915f: 115; Ruzsky, 1916: 5; Bondroit, 1918 PDF: 103; Santschi, 1919e PDF: 244; Bondroit, 1920a PDF: 150; Soudek, 1922b PDF: 41; Müller, 1923b PDF: 41; Vashkevich, 1924b PDF: 148; Finzi, 1926 PDF: 85; Betrem, 1926 PDF: 216; Karavaiev, 1926f PDF: 65; Donisthorpe, 1927c: 125; Karavaiev, 1927e PDF: 333; Menozzi, 1927b PDF: 90; Lomnicki, 1928 PDF: 5; Karavaiev, 1930b PDF: 145; Karavaiev, 1931e PDF: 210; Teranishi, 1932 PDF: 49; Grandi, 1935 PDF: 99; Stitz, 1939: 83; Novák & Sadil, 1941 PDF: 76 (in key); Holgersen, 1942b PDF: 8; Holgersen, 1943c PDF: 168 (in key); Holgersen, 1944a PDF: 173; Morisita, 1945 PDF: 22; Ruzsky, 1946 PDF: 70; Van Boven, 1947b PDF: 176 (in key); Forsslund, 1947 PDF: 68; Arnol'di, 1948a PDF: 211 (in list); Röszler, 1950 PDF: 223; Consani & Zangheri, 1952 PDF: 39; Collingwood, 1958d PDF: 68; Collingwood, 1962c PDF: 217, 222; Bernard, 1967a PDF: 120 (redescription); Kutter, 1968b: 59; Collingwood & Yarrow, 1969 PDF: 56; Arnol'di, 1970b PDF: 1833 (in key); Baroni Urbani, 1971c PDF: 27; Collingwood, 1971 PDF: 156; Banert & Pisarski, 1972 PDF: 349; Bolton & Collingwood, 1975: 5 (in key); Collingwood, 1976a PDF: 300; Aktaç, 1977 PDF: 119; Van Boven, 1977 PDF: 115; Kutter, 1977c: 67; Arnol'di & Dlussky, 1978: 530 (in key); Collingwood, 1978 PDF: 78 (in key); Collingwood, 1979 PDF: 53; Collingwood, 1981 PDF: 26; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987a PDF: 53; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987b PDF: 267 (in key); Nilsson & Douwes, 1987: 66; Seifert, 1988b: 6 (redescription); Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 86; Arakelian, 1994 PDF: 26; Radchenko, 1994b: 105 (in key); Radchenko, 1994d PDF: 137 (in key); Radchenko, 1994h PDF: 73; Bolton, 1995b: 282; Douwes, 1995: 88; Poldi et al., 1995: 2; Wu & Wang, 1995a: 92; Radchenko et al., 1997: 484; Espadaler, 1997g PDF: 30; Collingwood & Prince, 1998: 12 (in key); Gallé et al., 1998: 214; Wei et al., 2001 PDF: 562 (in key); Czechowski et al., 2002 PDF: 19; Markó & Csosz, 2002 PDF: 112; Karaman & Karaman, 2003 PDF: 44; Bolton, 2005 PDF: 13 (in key); Karaman & Karaman, 2005 PDF: 53; Radchenko, 2005b PDF: 144; Bračko, 2006 PDF: 138; Markó et al., 2006 PDF: 70; Petrov, 2006 PDF: 87 (in key); Bračko, 2007 PDF: 18; Radchenko, 2007 PDF: 30; Seifert, 2007: 207; Werner & Wiezik, 2007 PDF: 139; Zryanin & Zryanina, 2007 PDF: 230; Gratiashvili & Barjadze, 2008 PDF: 141; Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009 PDF: 490; Boer, 2010: 57; Lapeva-Gjonova et al., 2010 PDF: 9; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010 PDF: 236; Csosz et al., 2011 PDF: 56; Karaman, 2011b PDF: 45; Legakis, 2011 PDF: 5; Borowiec & Salata, 2012 PDF: 522; Czechowski et al., 2012: 77; Guénard & Dunn, 2012 PDF: 48; Kiran & Karaman, 2012 PDF: 22; Yamane & Aibek, 2012 PDF: 181; Borowiec, 2014 PDF: 133; Bračko et al., 2014 PDF: 14; Lebas et al., 2016: 314; Radchenko, 2016: 120; Chen et al., 2016 10.3897/zookeys.551.6005 PDF: 114 (in key); Salata & Borowiec, 2018c 10.5281/zenodo.2199191 PDF: 47; Seifert, 2018: 169.Senior synonym of Myrmica diluta: Mayr, 1861 PDF: 63 (in key); Mayr, 1863a PDF: 435; Roger, 1863b PDF: 28; Dours, 1873 PDF: 168; André, 1874c: 203 (in list); Forel, 1874 PDF: 101 (in list); Emery & Forel, 1879 PDF: 460; Dalla Torre, 1893 PDF: 115; Ruzsky, 1905b: 671; Donisthorpe, 1915f: 115; Emery, 1921c PDF: 39; Donisthorpe, 1927c: 125; Bolton, 1995b: 282; Radchenko, 2007 PDF: 28; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010 PDF: 236; Radchenko, 2016: 120.Senior synonym of Myrmica rubra macrogyna: Bolton, 1995b: 282; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010 PDF: 236; Radchenko, 2016: 120.Senior synonym of Myrmica rubra microgyna: Bolton, 1995b: 282; Radchenko et al., 1997: 484; Czechowski et al., 2002 PDF: 20; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010 PDF: 236; Czechowski et al., 2012: 77; Radchenko, 2016: 120.Senior synonym of Myrmica rubra mutata: Seifert, 1988b: 6; Bolton, 1995b: 282; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010 PDF: 236; Radchenko, 2016: 120.Senior synonym of Myrmica ruginodolaevinodis: Bernard, 1967a PDF: 120; Van Boven, 1977 PDF: 115; Radchenko, 1994h PDF: 73; Bolton, 1995b: 282; Radchenko et al., 1997: 484; Czechowski et al., 2002 PDF: 20; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010 PDF: 236; Czechowski et al., 2012: 77; Radchenko, 2016: 120.Senior synonym of Myrmica silvestrii: Radchenko & Elmes, 2010 PDF: 236; Radchenko, 2016: 120.Senior synonym of Myrmica kurokii sontica: Radchenko & Elmes, 2010 PDF: 236; Radchenko, 2016: 120.Senior synonym of Myrmica yoshiokai: Radchenko & Elmes, 2010 PDF: 236; Radchenko, 2016: 120.Records
(Map 10): Bulgaria ( Emery 1914 , Agosti and Collingwood 1987a , Atanassov and Dlusskij 1992 ); Sofia Basin: Sofia ( Lapeva-Gjonova and Atanasova 2004 , Antonova 2005 , Antonova and Penev 2006 , 2008 ), surroundings of Sofia near Vladaya vill. ( Antonova and Penev 2006 , 2008 ); Vitosha Mt. ( Atanassov 1936 , 1952 ); Plana Mt.: Kokalyane monastery (Kokalyane vill.), Astronomical observatory (between Plana vill. and Dolni Okol vill.), east of Zheleznitsa vill., under Muhchel peak (Dolni Okol vill.), Tsiganka peak (Pasarel vill.), Peyova buka hut (Pasarel vill.) ( Vagalinski and Lapeva-Gjonova in press ); Belasitsa Mt.: at the foot of Belasitsa Mt. ( Atanassov 1964 ); Krupnik-Sandanski-Petrich Valley: plain by Strumeshnitsa river ( Atanassov 1964 ); Rila Mt.: Rila monastery ( Forel 1892 ), Borovets ( Atanassov 1936 ); Slavianka Mt.: Alibotush reserve ( Antonova 2009 ); Western Rhodopi Mts: Devin, Chepelare ( Lapeva-Gjonova in press (a) ).
mihi. M. vagans Fabr . Piez. 407, 48. Zett. Ins. Lapp. 451, 2.
Operaria: testaceo-ferruginea sparse flavo-pilosula; capite supra, abdominis dorso in medio et macula ventrali plus minus fuscescentibus; capite thoraceque longitudinaliter striatim rugulosis; metanoto spinis binis validiusculis longis; uodis petioli rugosis.
Femina: testaceo-ferruginea sparse flavido-pilosula; capite supra, abdominis dorso medio et macula ventrali plus minus fuscescentibus; capite thoraceque longitudinaliter striatim rugulosis; metanoti spinis longiusculis; alis hyalinis obsoletissime cinerascentipallescentibus, stigmate distincto cinereo-fuscescente.
Mas: nigro-fuscus nitidus parcissime tenuiter flavido-pilosulus; mandibulis, articulalionibus pedum et tarsis testaceo-pallescenlibus, antennarum flagellis apiceque abdominis obscure rufescentibus.
Habitatio et mores praecedentis, sed est fere adhuc vulgarior. Mares et feminae sat frequenter in nidis obveniunt a fine tuensis Julii usque ad initium Septembris.
[[ worker ]]. Long. 2 lin. - parum ultra. Simillima praecedenti, sed paulo major, radius fere rugosa, metanoto ante spinas longitudinaliter rugoso, spinis longioribus et nodis longitudinaliter confuse, sed non profunde rugosis. Clypeus supra sat late politus. Cetera ut in praecedente.
[[ queen ]]. Long, fere 2 1 / 2 lin. Simillima feminae praecedentis, at jam colore et spinis metathoracis duplo longioribus distincta. Caput supra fuscescens, clypeo fusciori. oculis atris; infra, pone oculos, mandibulis antennisque testaceoferrugineis; mandibulas apicibus parum fuscescentibus. Striae clypei magis confusae quam in praecedente. Thorax metanoto et pleuris obsoletissime, scutello vero distinctius fuscescentibus; spinis longiusculis. Alae ut supra; anticae long. 2 1 / 2 lin. Pedes toti pallide testaceo-ferruginei. Nodi sicut in [[ worker ]].
[[ male ]]. Long. 2 1 / 2 lin. Mari praecedentis speciei simillimus, at paullo major, robustior, capite inprimis conspicue majori, alarum stigmate distinctiori fusciori, pedibus longe nudioribus. Caput nitidum subtiliter obsolete rugulosum; clypeus politus aequalis convexiuscula. Alae ut in [[ worker ]], anticae long. 2 1 / 3 lin.; pedes tenuiter pubescentes, subnudi.
Obs. Characteribus constantibus allatis invicem manifeste distinguuntm ambae praecedentes species seorsimque prasterea vivunt. Sub nomine M. rubra Latr . (Linn.) eas mixtim cum sequentis operariis benigne communicavit Cel. Dahlbom e Suecia. Cui vero harum trium nomen rubra retinendum, sane nescio quomodo explicetur, et forte M. rubra Latr . alia adhuc est species quam ulla earumdem. Dom. Losana itidem vix speciem rite distinctam hoc nomine designavit (1. c. pag. 330) *). Quod cum ita sit aptissimum duxi nova fingere nomina, ne synonymo funditus, ut apparet, vago et incerto nimis pertinaciter insistens in labyrinthis erraren, unde exitum non vidi.
Myrmica ruginodis , Nyl. Adno. Mon. Form. Bor. Eur, 929. 2; Addit. Adno. Mon. Form. Bor. Eur. 1052. 19; Form. Fr. et d'Alger. 79.
Foerst. Hym. Stud. Form. 66. 36.
Schenck, Beschr. Nass. Ameis. 77.
Smith, Brit. Form. 116. 2.
Mayr. Form. Austr. 135. 4.
Myrmica vagans, Curtis , Trans. Linn. Soc. xxi. 213. 3.
Hab. Britain; France; Germany; Hungary; Finland.
This and the two following species were formerly included under the name of M. rubra . Dr. Nylander says the male is identical with the typical specimen of M. vagans in the Museum at Kiel, and that the female is the M. rubra , the male also standing as the male of M. caespitum : this confusion is entirely avoided by adopting the names proposed by Nylander for the three closely allied, but very distinct species. This species would therefore, according to the laws of priority, be the M. rubra of Fabricius; but we cannot be certain that it would be so of Linnaeus, who would undoubtedly have included this and two or three of the following species under that name.
Nyl, Adn. p. 929. - - Myrm. vagans Fabr. Pies. 407, 48. Zett. Ins. Läpp . 451, 2.
Operaria: Testaceo-ferruginea, sparse flavido-pilosula, oapite supra abdominisque dorso medio fuscescentibus; antennis 12-articulatis, scapo basin versus arcuatim flexo; capite thoraceque longitudinaliter striatim rugosis; metanoto spinis valldiusculis, longis, ante spinas longitudinaliter et intra transversalis rugoso; nodis segmenti primi rugosis. Lg. 2 lin.
Femina: Testaceo-ferruginea, sparse flavido-pilosula, capite supra, scntello et segmenti secundi dorso medio plus minus fuscescentibus; antennis 12-articulatis, scapo ad basin arcuatim flexo; capite thoraceque longitudinaliter striatim rugosis; metanoto spinis longiusculis; alis hyalinis, nervis cum stigmate subflavescentibus, area radiall aperta, cubitali prima nervo recurrente; nodis segmenti primi longitudinaliter confuse sed non profunde rugosis. Lg. 2 1-/2 2 2/V Hn.
Mas: Nigro-fuscus, nitidus, pareissime tenaiter flavldo-pilogulus, mandibulis, articulationibus pedum et tarsis testaceo-pallescentibus; antennis 13-articulatis, scapo valde eloagato, fuscescente, flagello apiceque abdominis obscure rufesoentibus; metathorace inermi, tuberculis obsoletis ntrinque; alis hyalinis, basin versus et stigmate param infuscatis, area radiali aperta, cubitali prima nervo recurrente; nodis segmenti primi levibus. Lg. 2 1/3 - 2 1/2 lin.
Der Arbeiter hat den Kopf und die Mitte des 2ten Segments rothbraun, der erstre ist auf der Stirn bis zum Scheitel hinauf scharf längsrunzlig , hinter den Augen dagegen und überhaupt an der Seite des Kopfes mehr netzaderig-runzlig; der Clypeus mit scharfen Lfingsrunzeln durchzogen, nach oben aber und selbst in der Mitte mehr glatt wie bei latinodis; die Mandibeln auch gröberISngsrünzlig , die Fühler dagegen im Allgemeinen von derselben Bildung. Der ganze Mittelleib oben und in den Seiten sehr grob und etwas unregelmäßiglängsrunzlig , das Metanötum aber an der abschüssigen Stelle zwischen den Dornen mit groben Querrunzeln, die Dornen selbst wohl um 1/3 länger als bei laevinodis . Die Knoten des lsten Segments runzlig und namentlich in den Seiten mit mehreren deutlichen Längsfurchen durchzogen, welche aber nicht so tief wie bei scabrinodis sind. Das 2te Segment auf der Mitte etwas dunkler wie bei laevinodis , die Behaarung ganz wie bei jener Art.
Die längeren Dornen, der mit Längsrunzeln versehene Basaltheil des Metanotums, die deutlichen Querrunzeln zwischen den Dornen, die sehr grob gerunzelten Brustseiten und die mit deutlichen Längsfurchen versehenen Knoten des lsten Segments trennen diese Art von laevinodis .
Das Weibchen ist etwas blasser gefärbt als der Arbeiter, der Kopf, die Spitze des Schildchens mit dem Frenum und das 2te Segment auf der Mitte braun. Der Clypeus mit Längsrun- zeln versehen, welche ziemlich weit von einander getrennt sind, nach oben ist derselbe nebst dem Stirnfeld glatt. Die Stirnlappen mit ziemlich stark aufgebogenem Rande; die Mandibeln, die Sculptur des Kopfes und die Fühlerungefähr wie bei dem Arbeiter. Der Mittelleib etwas gröber , aber nicht so scharf und regelmässiglängsrunzlig wie bei latinodis. Die Basis des Metanotum's mit starken Längsrunzeln , eben so das Schildchen und die Brustseiten, obgleich letztere, nicht so stark wie bei dem Arbeiter. Die abschussige Stelle glatt, zwischen den Dornen mit einigen schwachen Querrunzeln. Die Dornen selbst deutlich länger als bei laevinodis , aber etwas kürzer als bei dem Arbeiter. Die Flügel wasserhell, nach der Basis hin kaum etwas gelblich getrübt , die Adern and das Stigma gelblich, letzteres ein wenig kräftigergefärbt als bei laevinodis , die Zellen und der Verlauf der Adern mit jener Art übereinstimmend . Die Knoten des lsten Segments runzlig, mit deutlichen Längsfurchen an den Seiten.
Das Männchen ist schwer von dem von laevnodis zu unterscheiden, den einzigen standhaften Unsterschied dürften wohl die sparsamere, feinere und kürzere Behaarung der Beine und die etwas dunkler gefärbten und schmälerenFlügel darbieten.
Formica vagans , Fab. Ent. Syst. ii. 358,37. Piez. 407,48? Myrmica ruginodis, Nyland , Adno. Mon. Form. Boreal. Europ. 929, 2. Foerster, Hym. Stud. Form. 66,36.
Has. - Britain.
This species is equally abundant with M. rubra , and has been hitherto regarded as a form of that species.
Myrmica ruginodis is a species of ant that lives in northern parts of Europe and Asia. It is very similar to M. rubra, but has a more northerly and higher-altitude distribution. Overwintering larvae may become either workers or queen ants, with up to 20 queens living in a colony of up to 2,500 individuals. Two subspecies are recognised, differing in the relative size of the queen.
There is a close resemblance between Myrmica ruginodis and Myrmica rubra, another common species across much of Eurasia. They differ in the shape of the base of the antennae, which are curved in M. ruginodis and sharply angled in M. rubra, and in the spines projecting from the back of the thorax – in M. ruginodis, these are as long as the distance between their tips, while in M. rubra, they are shorter.[1][2]
Myrmica ruginodis is found across the northern Palaearctic region, at higher altitudes and latitudes than M. rubra. Its range extends from Western Europe to Japan, and from Italy in the south to the Norwegian North Cape in the north.[3] M. ruginodis is the only species of ant to have been recorded from all of the vice-counties into which the British Isles are divided for the purposes of biological recording, including the Channel Islands,[4] and the only ant species present in Shetland,[2][4] where it is "locally common".[5]
It is "very abundant" in European woodland and moorland, especially above an altitude of 1,000 metres (3,300 ft), where it replaces M. rubra.[3] The diet of M. ruginodis usually consists of small insects and other arthropods, but may also include any carcasses of birds and mammals found while foraging.[2]
Myrmica ruginodis overwinters as larvae. The larvae which have experienced the cold weather of a winter can develop into either workers or queens, and the specialisation into castes occurs only about a week before the end of the larval growth.[6] A queen lays eggs throughout the spring and summer, and these larvae form two broods, with different rates of development. The fast brood develop within three months, and become workers; the slow brood take a year to develop and are the larvae which overwinter and develop into queens or workers.[6] Each colony contains 1,200 to 2,500 individuals, including 10–20 queens.[2] Mating flights take place in July and August.[1]
Myrmica ruginodis was first described by the Finnish biologist William Nylander in 1846. It has been divided into two subspecies, based on the size of the queens.[7] One, M. r. macrogyna, has queens significantly larger than the workers, while the other, M. r. microgyna, has queens of a similar size to the workers.[2] M. r. microgyna has a different distribution to M. r. macrogyna (restricted to northwestern Great Britain, for instance), and also differs from M. r. macrogyna in that the colonies also reproduce by "budding", while M. r. macrogyna only reproduces through mating flights.[2]
Myrmica ruginodis is a species of ant that lives in northern parts of Europe and Asia. It is very similar to M. rubra, but has a more northerly and higher-altitude distribution. Overwintering larvae may become either workers or queen ants, with up to 20 queens living in a colony of up to 2,500 individuals. Two subspecies are recognised, differing in the relative size of the queen.
