Formica nigricans Emery, 1909 - an ecomorph of Formica pratensis Retzius, 1783 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Workers and queens from 224 nest samples of Formica pratensis Retzius originating from all over Europe, but mainly from Germany were investigated for several morphological characters, particularly pilosity. Statistic differences between the hairy N morph (= F. nigricans Emery 1909) and the less hairy P morph in body size, pilosity, geographic frequency, habitat selection and mound construction could be shown but other aspects of external biology coincide. There are no suggestions of reproductive isolation of the morphs which are interpreted as different genotypes of the same population and represent different ecological adaptions. The strong decrease of N morph frequency in pratensis populations from S to N Europe, its higher frequency in more xerothermous habitats in Germany, and its well-documented peculiarity of constructing higher mounds than the P morph for conditions of equal sunexposure characterize the N morph as a genotype adapted to higher temperatures. In Germany, as much as 16% of pratensis nests investigated contained both morphs. Polycalic colonies are found in both morphs but isolated nests predominate. Formica minor pratensoides Gößwald 1951 is a synonym of pratensis and refers to polycalic colonies of the P morph which occasionally occur inside more mesophilic, less sun-exposed forests

Clypeal excision in Tapinoma Förster, 1850 ants is adaptive (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

Die mediane Einkerbung des Clypeusvorderrandes bei Vertretern des Ameisengenus Tapinoma Förster, 1850 ist keine zufällig angelegte, selektionsneutrale Struktur sondern besitzt einen adaptivem Wert. Sie erlaubt ein weiteres Vorstrecken der Mundwerkzeuge und damit die bessere Aufnahme von Nahrung oder Wasser aus engen Spalträumen. Mit zunehmender Kopfbreite der Arbeiterinnen wird es immer schwieriger zum Boden solcher Spalträume, etwa der engen Röhren von floralen Nektarien, vorzudringen. Eine Regressionsanalyse der artspezifischen Werte von 16 westpaläarktischen Tapinoma-Arten zeigte, dass die Tiefe der Clypeuskerbe mit zunehmender Kopfbreite nicht nur absolut sondern insbesondere auch relativ zur Kopfbreite signifikant zunimmt (pEvidence is presented that the median clypeal excision in the dolichoderine ant genus Tapinoma Förster, 1850 is a rare adaptive trait improving the protrusion of mouthparts for better exploitation of food or water sources located in narrow cleft spaces. The problem of getting access to food from, for example, narrow tubes of nectaries becomes more serious with increasing worker head width. A regression analysis of species-specific means in 16 Westpalaearctic Tapinoma species shows that the relative depth of clypeal excision grows significantly with head width in the interspecific comparison (

Lasius nigroemarginatus Forel, 1874 is a F1 Hybrid between L. emarginatus (Olivier, 1792) and L. platythorax Seifert, 1991 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Es wird gezeigt, dass der in neueren taxonomischen Katalogen als jüngeres Synonym von Lasius emarginatus (Olivier, 1792) gelistete Lasius nigroemarginatus Forel, 1874 ein F1-hybrid zwischen L. emarginatus und L. platythorax Seifert, 1991 ist. Diese Schlussfolgerung ergab sich aus der Position von vier Typusexemplaren von L. nigroemarginatus in dem durch 16 kontinuierliche phenotypische Merkmale charakterisierten Vektorraum der drei möglichen Elternarten. Diese waren im Untersuchungsmaterial vertreten durch 144 Arbeiterinnen von Lasius niger (Linnaeus, 1758), 90 Arbeiterinnen von L. emarginatus und 94 Arbeiterinnen von L. platythorax – wobei das Material aus dem gesamten paläarktischen Verbreitungsgebiet der betrachteten Arten stammte. Sowohl eine Nichtmetrische Multidimensionale Skalierung als auch ein hypothesenfreies (wild-card) Rechnen in einer linearen Diskriminanzanalyse platzierte die Typusexemplare zwischen den Clustern von L. emarginatus und L. platythorax und weit entfernt vom Cluster von Lasius niger. Eine gesonderte Betrachtung der Struktur- und Pigmentmerkmale zeigt, dass die Typen von L. nigroemarginatus in fünf Merkmalen ideal intermediär zwischen L. emarginatus und L. platythorax, in vier Merkmalen näher zu L. emarginatus und in sieben Merkmalen näher zu L. platythorax positioniert waren. Die aus der Position im morphologischen Raum abgeleiteten Schlussfolgerungen werden durch Daten zu Schwarmzeiten und Mikrohabitatwahl sowie den durch Forel beim Öffnen des Nestes wahrgenommenen Geruch bestätigt. Lasius niger konnte klar als Elternart ausgeschlossen werden. Es wird darauf hingewiesen, dass der Internationale Code für Zoologische Nomenklatur (ICZN) logische Inkonsistenzen und Definitionsschwächen bezüglich der Behandlung von echten hybridogenen Arten aufweist und dass die Artikel 1.3.3, 17.2 und 23.8 des ICZN geändert oder neugeschrieben werden sollten.Lasius nigroemarginatus Forel, 1874, that has been synonymized in recent catalogues with Lasius emarginatus (Olivier, 1792), is shown to represent a F1 hybrid between L. emarginatus and L. platythorax Seifert, 1991. This conclusion was firstly drawn from numeric description of 16 phenotypic characters and the placement of four type workers of L. nigroemarginatus within vectorial space of the three possible parental species. These were represented by 144 workers of Lasius niger (Linnaeus, 1758), 90 workers of L. emarginatus and 94 workers of L. platythorax – with a coverage for all species by their whole Palaearctic range. The type sample was placed intermediate between (and clearly separated from) the clusters of L. emarginatus and L. platythorax in both Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling and when run as a wild-card in a three-class linear discriminant analysis. Comparing structural and pigmentation characters one by one, the types of L. nigroemarginatus were intermediate between L. emarginatus and L. platythorax in five characters, closer to L. emarginatus in four characters and closer to L. platythorax in seven characters. The conclusions derived from the position in the morphological space were supported by data on swarming time and nest habitat selection and the odor perceived by the collector Forel. Lasius niger could be clearly excluded to represent a parental species. It is argued that the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) shows logical inconsistencies and explanatory weakness regarding the treatment of truly hybridogenous species and that the Articles 1.3.3, 17.2 and 23.8 of ICZN should be amended or re-written

The Palaearctic members of the Myrmica schenki group with description of a new species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

Eine taxonomische Synopsis der 6 paläarktischen Arten der Myrmica-schencki-Gruppe, basierend auf der Arbeiter-Morphologie, wird vorgestellt. Alle Arten können mittels Morphometrie und Strukturmerkmalen deutlich unterschieden werden. Myrmica pelops sp. n., ein Endemit des südlichen Griechenland, wird erstmals beschrieben. Das Radiationszentrum der Gruppe ist die Westpaläarktis. Nur eine Art, Myrmica koreana Elmes et al. 2001, hat eine ostpaläarktische Verbreitung, welche aber westwärts bis SE Kasachstan reicht. Die schon von Radchenko (1994a) angenommene Synonymie von Myrmica lacustris Ruzsky 1905 und Myrmica deplanata Emery 1921 wird als sehr wahrscheinlich angesehen. Myrmica caucasicola Arnoldi 1934, ein Endemit aus SE Aserbaidschan, wird wieder beschrieben und als gute Art bestätigt.StichwörterPalaeartic region, taxonomic revision, Myrmica schencki group, morphometry.Nomenklatorische Handlungencaucasicola Arnoldi, 1934 (Myrmica), Lectotype described as Myrmica schencki var. caucasicolapelops Seifert, 2003 (Myrmica), spec. n.schencki Viereck, 1903 (Myrmica), Lectotype described as Myrmica rubra var. schenckiA taxonomic synopsis of the 6 Palaearctic species of the Myrmica schencki group is given based upon worker morphology. All species are well-separable by morphometry and structural characters. Myrmica pelops sp. n., an endemic species of S Greece, is described. The radiation centre of the group is in the W Palaearctic. Only one species, Myrmica koreana Elmes et al. 2001, is of E Palaearctic distribution, but reaches SE Kazakhstan in the west. Previously established synonymy of Myrmica lacustris Ruzsky 1905 with Myrmica deplanata Emery 1921 (Radchenko 1994b) is considered as most likely. Myrmica caucasicola Arnoldi 1934, an endemic of SE Azerbaijdshan, is redescribed and confirmed as valid species.KeywordsPalaeartic region, taxonomic revision, Myrmica schencki group, morphometry.Nomenclatural Actscaucasicola Arnoldi, 1934 (Myrmica), Lectotype described as Myrmica schencki var. caucasicolapelops Seifert, 2003 (Myrmica), spec. n.schencki Viereck, 1903 (Myrmica), Lectotype described as Myrmica rubra var. schenck

Cardiocondyla pirata sp. n. - a new Philippine ant with enigmatic pigmentation pattern (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

A new species of the ant genus Cardiocondyla Emery, 1869 - Cardiocondyla pirata sp. n. - is described from the Philippines. The species belongs to an Indo-Malayan group of six species that is characterized by workers having a strongly bilobate postpetiolar sternite and a thickset mesosoma with strongly convex dorsal profile as well as wingless, ergatoid males with sickle-shaped mandibles. The female castes show a pigmentation pattern not known from any ant worldwide. If having any adaptive value, a possible function of this structure is supposed to be visual dissolution of body shape in order to irritate predators

NC-Clustering demonstrates heterospecificity of the cryptic ant species Temnothorax luteus (FOREL, 1874) and T. racovitzai (BONDROIT, 1918) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

Es wird gezeigt, dass die westmediterranen kryptischen Ameisenarten Temnothorax luteus (Forel, 1874) und T. racovitzai (Bondroit, 1918) mittels explorativer und hypothesengetriebener Analysen komplexer morphologischer Datensätze eindeutig unterscheidbar sind. Die Untersuchung konzentrierte sich auf das sympatrische Areal beider Arten. An 178 Arbeiterinnen aus 64 Nestproben wurden 18 morphologische Merkmale erfasst. Nach Reduktion auf die sieben meistseparierenden Merkmale ergab sich eine 100 %ige Übereinstimmung der Klassifizierungen durch hierarchische NC-Ward-, nicht hierarchische NC-K-Means- und NC-NMDS-K-Means Clusteranalyse sowie durch eine lineare Diskriminanzanalyse. Die Typenserien von T. massiliensis (Bondroit, 1918) und T. racovitzai (Bondroit, 1918) wurden mit einer a posteriori Wahrscheinlichkeit von p = 1.0000 bzw. p = 0.9992 dem gleichen Cluster zugeordnet. Die Typenserien von T. tristis (Bondroit, 1918) und T. luteus wurden beide mit p = 0.9999 einem zweiten, deutlich vom ersteren separierten Cluster zugeordnet. Daraus ergibt sich, dass T. tristis ein jüngeres Synonym von T. luteus und T. massiliensis ein jüngeres Synonym von T. racovitzai ist. Der Klassifikationsfehler auf der Ebene der Individuen betrug 1.7 % an 178 Arbeiterinnen. Trotz einer breiten Überlappung der Verbreitungsgebiete gibt es keine Hinweise auf phänotypisch gemischte Nester, was die Hypothese widerlegt, dass T. luteus and T. racovitzai einen intraspezifischen Polymorphismus repräsentieren könnten. Es wurden signifikante interspezifische Unterschiede in der geographischen Verbreitung und der thermischen Nischenkomponente gezeigt. Die mittlere Lufttemperatur von Mai bis August von 24 Fundorten von T. luteus war im Mittel um 3.77°C kälter als die von 21 Fundorten von T. racovitzai (pEvidence is presented that the W Mediterranean cryptic ant species Temnothorax luteus (Forel, 1874) and T. racovitzai (Bondroit, 1918) are clearly separable by exploratory and hypothesis-driven data analyses of complex morphological data sets. Investigation was concentrated to the sympatric range of both species. 18 morphological characters were evaluated in a total of 178 workers originating from 64 nest samples. Classifications by hierarchical NC-Ward clustering, non-hierarchical NC-K-Means clustering, NC-NMDS-K-Means clustering and linear discriminant analysis coincided by 100 % after reduction of the character set to the seven most discriminative characters. The type series of T. massiliensis (Bondroit, 1918) and T. racovitzai (Bondroit, 1918) were assigned to the same cluster with posterior probabilities of p = 1.000 in the former and p = 0.9992 in the latter. The type series of T. tristis (Bondroit, 1918) and T. luteus were allocated to another, clearly separated cluster with p = 0.9999 in each case. Accordingly, T. tristis is considered as junior synonym of T. luteus whereas T. massiliensis was established as junior synonym of T. racovitzai. The classification error of the LDA was 1.7 % in 178 individuals. Despite a broad sympatric range, there are no suggestions to any nest samples containing a mixture of both phenotypes. This rejects the hypothesis that T. luteus and T. racovitzai could represent an intraspecific dimorphism. Significant interspecific differences of the two species in geographic distribution and thermal niche were demonstrated. Mean air temperature from May to August of 24 sampling sites of T. luteus was by 3.77°C cooler than in 21 sites of T. racovitzai (

The Rubens morph of Formica exsecta Nylander, 1846 and its separation from Formica fennica Seifert, 2000 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

A study of numeric morphology-based alpha-taxonomy (NUMOBAT) considering the species Formica exsecta Nylander, 1846 and F. fennica Seifert, 2000 was performed in 166 nest samples with 485 worker individuals originating from 117 localities of the Palaearctic west of 59°E. The presence of intraspecific pilosity dimorphism is shown for F. exsecta. The setae-reduced phenotype, termed the Rubens morph, shows a frequency of about 25%, and the more abundant setae-rich phenotype, termed the Normal morph, one of 75%. The frequency of nests containing workers of both phenotypes is 15.5% in 58 samples from Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. Applying the DIMORPH test of Seifert (2016) on this territory, it is demonstrated that the association of Rubens and Normal phenotypes within the same nest cannot be interpreted as parabiosis of independent species (p=0.017) or as temporary (p=0.0004) and permanent (p=0.0001) socially parasitic association, whereas genetically mediated intraspecific dimorphism is most likely (p=0.659, all p data according to Fisher’s exact test). The Rubens morph of F. exsecta is phenotypically most similar to F. fennica but is safely separable by four different forms of exploratory data analyses using nest centroids (NC) as input data: NC-Ward, NC-part.hclust, NC-part.kmeans, and NC-NMDS-k-means. Data on zoogeography and the narrow climate niche indicate that F. fennica is unlikely to occur in Norway

PSMA-PET/CT in Patients with Recurrent Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma: Histopathological Correlations of Imaging Findings

PET/CT with prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted tracers has been used in the diagnosis and staging of patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). For ccRCC primary tumors, PET parameters were shown to predict histologic grade and features. The aim of this study was to correlate PSMA PET/CT with histopathological findings in patients with metastatic recurrence of ccRCC. Patients with ccRCC who underwent PSMA-targeted PET/CT and subsequent histopathological evaluation of suspicious lesions were included. Specimens underwent immunohistochemical marking. Lesion diameter, volume and tracer uptake were correlated with the extent and intensity of molecular PSMA expression and with clinical findings. Twelve PET-positive lesions of nine patients were evaluated. Eleven ccRCC metastases and one prostate carcinoma were detected histopathologically. Molecular PSMA expression was detected in all lesions, which intensity and distribution did not correlate with PET parameters. PSMA-targeted PET/CT is a feasible tool for the evaluation of patients with ccRCC but cannot reliably predict histologic features of metastases. PSMA may also be expressed in malignant lesions other than ccRCC, leading to incidental detection of these tumors

A Worker-Like Female of Myrmica sabuleti (Meinert, 1861) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) in a Pitfall Trap with Five Mermithids (Nematoda: Mermithidae) Protruding from the Gaster

A worker-like female of Myrmica sabuleti (Meinert, 1861), pitfall-trapped near Jena, Germany, in late summer 2016, was infested by five postparasitic juvenile mermithids. They poked out of the ant´s gaster as a trail of seven filaments of various lengths. Apart from its swollen gaster, the ant differed from conspecifics in several morphometric parameters. Using both morphological and molecular techniques, the parasite family Mermithidae was confirmed. Our stray find raises multiple questions concerning the genus and species identity of the parasite, its biology, and the infestation rate of the host ant population. More mermithid awareness by the various researchers working with Myrmica will help, but directed fieldwork, experimental life-history research, and molecular studies are needed to emancipate progress in ant-mermithid research from serendipity

Whole‐genome analysis of multiple wood ant population pairs supports similar speciation histories, but different degrees of gene flow, across their European ranges

The application of demographic history modelling and inference to the study of divergence between species has become a cornerstone of speciation genomics. Speciation histories are usually reconstructed by analysing single populations from each species, assuming that the inferred population history represents the actual speciation history. However, this assumption may not be met when species diverge with gene flow, for example, when secondary contact may be confined to specific geographic regions. Here, we tested whether divergence histories inferred from heterospecific populations may vary depending on their geographic locations, using the two wood ant species Formica polyctena and F. aquilonia. We performed whole-genome resequencing of 20 individuals sampled in multiple locations across the European ranges of both species. Then, we reconstructed the histories of distinct heterospecific population pairs using a coalescent-based approach. Our analyses always supported a scenario of divergence with gene flow, suggesting that divergence started in the Pleistocene (c. 500 kya) and occurred with continuous asymmetrical gene flow from F. aquilonia to F. polyctena until a recent time, when migration became negligible (2–19 kya). However, we found support for contemporary gene flow in a sympatric pair from Finland, where the species hybridise, but no signature of recent bidirectional gene flow elsewhere. Overall, our results suggest that divergence histories reconstructed from a few individuals may be applicable at the species level. Nonetheless, the geographical context of populations chosen to represent their species should be taken into account, as it may affect estimates of migration rates between species when gene flow is spatially heterogeneous.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio