Tapinoma melanocephalum ( Fabricius, 1793 )

Hamer, Matthew T., Lee, Jonathan Hon Chung, Tse, Cheung Yau Leo, Silva, Thiago S. R. & Guénard, Benoit, 2022, Remarkable diversity in a little red dot: a comprehensive checklist of known ant species in Singapore (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with notes on ecology and taxonomy, Asian Myrmecology (e 015006) 15, pp. 1-152 : 27-28

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.20362/am.015006
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03B68783-314F-FFBE-FD4B-7903FD38FBD7
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Tapinoma melanocephalum ( Fabricius, 1793 )
status

Treatment

Tapinoma melanocephalum ( Fabricius, 1793) View in CoL

Material examined. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve , BT06, 1.35284°N, 103.77995°E, 11 Jan 2017, W. Wang leg., WW-SG17-005, ZRC GoogleMaps _ HYM_0000573; queen, Lee Kong Chi- an Natural History Museum, level 1M lab, 14 Nov 2018, J. Tan leg., ZRC _ ENT00007577 View Materials ; males, Prince George’s Park Residences ( NUS), 1.292389N, 103.778694E, 20-27 May 2015, M.S. Foo and W. Wang leg., malaise trap, ZRC _ BDP0046763 View Materials GoogleMaps ; same locality and collectors as previous, 3-10 Jun 2015, malaise trap, ZRC _ BDP0041599 View Materials GoogleMaps ; Sungei Buloh , 8 Jan 2014, Sk. Yamane leg., SG14-SKY-33 ( SKYC) .

Material not physically examined. Syntype of Myrmica pellucida, CASENT 0903062, ANTC22648 ( BMNH). Non-types, J.K. Wetterer leg. ( JKWC) – Bishan, by MRT station, 31 Jul 2014, vial #424; City Hall, by church, 29 Jul 2014, vial #374; Harbourfront, Jul-Aug 2014, vials #385, 472; Hougang, 30 Jul 2014, vial #402; Kallang, Riverside Park, 29 Jul 2014, vial #372; Katong, 27-28 Jul 2014, vials #328, 332, 345; Marine Parade, Jul-Aug 2014, vials #358, 368, 435; Mountbatten, by MRT station, 4 Aug 2014, vial #465; Outram Park, by MRT station, 29 Jul 2014, vial #380; Pasir Panjang, by MRT station, 5 Aug 2014, vial #483; Punggol, 30 Jul 2014, vials #390, 392; Queenstown, 29 Jul 2014, vial #383; Serangoon, 30 Jul 2014, vial #389; Tai Seng, 31 Jul 2014, vial #422 .

Literature. Viehmeyer (1916), Overbeck (1924); Shattuck (1994); Tan & Corlett (2012); Wang et al.(2018a).

Localities. Bishan; Bukit Timah Nature Reserve; Bukit Timah Road; City Hall; Harbourfront; Hougang; Katong; Marine Parade; Mountbatten; National University of Singapore campus; Outram Park; Pasir Panjang; Pulau Semakau; Pulau Ubin; Punggol; Queenstown; Riverside Park (Kallang); Serangoon; Sungei Buloh; Tai Seng.

Habitat/Ecology. Found in a broad range of habitats. Garden – colonies found under loose bark, closed up with earth, and in branches lying on the ground. Also collected from disturbed secondary forests and mangrove backforests. In mangroves, the ants were found nesting in a dead twig on a tree. Often observed and/or collected in urban settings, such as parks and inside household compounds or residences.

Remarks. A globally widespread tropical tramp species with unknown native range. Commonly known as the ‘ghost ant’, alluding to its pale gaster and legs that contrast sharply with blackish brown head and mesosoma.