Strongylognathus testaceus

Collingwood, C. A., 1979, The Formicidae (Hymenoptera) of Fennoscandia and Denmark., Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica 8, pp. 1-174 : 80-82

publication ID

6175

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6283820

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/6971EF7F-D8FF-84BB-9C05-5FD057653075

treatment provided by

Christiana

scientific name

Strongylognathus testaceus
status

 

27. Strongylognathus testaceus View in CoL   HNS (Schenck, 1852)

Figs. 108,109.

Eciton testaceum Schenck   HNS , 1852:117.

Worker. Yellowish brown. Head rectangular with pronounced occipital emargination and posterolateral angles. Body shining with long fine pale hairs present also on appendages. Sculpture variable, with longitudinal striae present or more or less effaced on head and alitrunk. Length: 2.0-3.6 mm.

Queen. Darker than worker, brownish with paler appendages. Wings pale with 1 cubital cell, 1 discoidal and an open radial cell. Length: 3.5-3.8 mm.

Male. Dark brown with pale brown appendages. Head small narrower than promesonotum. Occiput emarginate sharply angled postero-laterally. Antennal scape shorter than second funiculus segment. Length: 3.2-4 mm.

Distribution. Very rare in S. Sweden, only recorded from Sm. and 01. - Recorded in England from Devon, Dorset and Hants very locally. - Range: Pyrenees to Ukraine, North Italy to Sweden.

Biology. This species occurs only in the nests of its host Tetramorium caespitum   HNS . Workers and brood of both host and parasite are present but only the sexuals of Strongylognathus   HNS are developed, the original Tetramorium   HNS queen as well as the adoptive Strongylognathus   HNS queen usually being found present together.

S. testaceus   HNS workers are normally greatly outnumbered by Tetramorium   HNS workers. Observations on this and related species suggest that neighbouring nests of the host species are raided to recruit more Tetramorium   HNS pupae to the colony which is often very populous with up to 20,000 individuals. Alatae are present in July and August

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