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

Abstract

Cuticular hydrocarbons of some Dolichoderinae ant 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 hydrocarbon profile was found in the 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. It appeared that this species forms supercolonies like other invasive species but does not form giant supercolonies like the Argentine ant.