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. 2018 Apr 18;4410(3):497-510.
doi: 10.11646/Zootaxa.4410.3.4.

Taxonomic identity of the ghost ant, Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius, 1793) (Formicidae: Dolichoderinae)

Roberto J Guerrero  1
Affiliations

Taxonomic identity of the ghost ant, Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius, 1793) (Formicidae: Dolichoderinae)

Roberto J Guerrero. Zootaxa. .

Abstract

This paper revises the taxonomy of Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius, 1793) as follows: T. melanocephalum = Tapinoma luffae (Kuriam, 1955) syn. nov., = Tapinoma melanocephalum coronatum Forel, 1908 syn. nov., = Tapinoma melanocephalum malesianum Forel, 1913 syn. nov. A neotype of Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius, 1793) is designed here. Lectotypes of Tapinoma melanocephalum coronatum Forel, 1908 and T. melanocephalum malesianum Forel, 1913 are designated. Formica wallacei is proposed as a replacement name for Formica familiaris (= T. melanocephalum senior synonym). The worker, queen and male are redescribed and diagnosed. The morphological variability of populations is discussed. All castes are included in full color images.

Keywords: Hymenoptera, Cosmopolitan species, morphological variation, new synonymy, taxonomic stability, tramp species.

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