Chemotaxonomy of Tapinoma and some Dolichoderinae Ants from Europe and North Africa

Abstract

Cuticular hydrocarbons of some Dolichoderinae species from France and various places like Spain, North Africa, and Italy were studied. The Tapinoma nigerrimum group was particularly analyzed and replaced in the genus Tapinoma. All species were correctly discriminated and a new hydrocarbons profile was found in Spanish mountains in the T. nigerrimum group, which was provisionally named T. sp. Spain. We added numerous unknown spots for the distribution of these ants. We also tested aggression between some T. magnum colonies and it appeared that this species forms supercolonies like other invasive species, but does not form giant supercolonies like the Argentine ant

Keywords

• Chemosystematics
• cuticular hydrocarbons
• invasive ants
• Tapinoma
• Dolichoderus
• Linepithema