Nylanderia deceptrix sp. n., a new species of obligately socially parasitic formicine ant (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Collection: Pensoft Publishers

Keywords: Ants · Topics: Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior, Plant and animal studies, Insect and Pesticide Research

Obligately socially parasitic ants are social parasites that typically lack the sterile worker caste, and depend on the host species for survival and brood care. The genus Nylanderia has over 130 described species and subspecies, none of which, until this study, were known social parasites. Here we describe the first social parasite known in the genus, Nylanderia deceptrix. Aspects of the biology of the host species, Nylanderia parvula (Mayr 1870), and N. deceptrix are examined. The data from both the host and the parasite species are combined to better understand the host-parasite relationship.

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