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Distribution Maps of the Outdoor Myrmicid Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Finland, with Notes on Their Taxonomy and Ecology

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Distribution Maps of the Outdoor Myrmicid Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Finland, with Notes on Their Taxonomy and Ecology © Entomol. Fennica. 5 December 1995 Distribution maps of the outdoor myrmicid ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Finland, with notes on their taxonomy and ecology Michael I. Saaristo Saaristo, M. I. 1995: Distribution maps of the outdoor myrmicid ants (Hy­ menoptera, Formicidae) of Finland, with notes on their taxonomy and ecol­ ogy.- Entomol. Fennica 6:153-162. Twentytwo species of myrmicid ants maintaining outdoor populations are listed for Finland. Four of them, Myrmica hellenica Fore!, Myrmica microrubra Seifert, Leptothorax interruptus (Schenck), and Leptothorax kutteri Buschinger are new to Finland. Myrmica Zonae Finzi is considered as a good sister species of Myrmica sabuleti Meinert, under which name the species has earlier been known in Finland. Myrmica specioides Bondroit is deleted from the list as no samples of this species could be located in the collections. The distribution of each species in Finland is presented on 10 X 10 km square grid maps. The ecology of the various species is discussed. Also some taxonomic problems are dealt with. Michael I. Saaristo, Zoological Museum, University of Turku, FIN-20500 Turku, Finland This study was started during the autumn of 1983, Anergates atratulus. One of them, viz. H. sublaevis, by determing the extensive pitfall material of is a dulotic or slave keeping-species with a special­ ants in the collections of the Zoological Museum ized soldier-like worker caste, while others have no of the University of Turku (MZT). About the workers at all. As usual with workerless social same time the ant collections of the Finnish Mu­ parasites, there are quite few records of them be­ seum of Natural History, Helsinki (MZH) and cause they are difficult to collect except during the the Department of Applied Zoology, University relatively short time when they have alates. There­ of Helsinki (DAZH) were also carefully checked. fore, they most probably are more widely spread As a result of these studies it was found that than the present data would suggest. This assump­ information on the distribution of most of the tion may be infered from the results obtained with Finnish myrmicids was still very sporadic. There­ L. kutteri, to which special attention was paid. This fore numerous, specially planned ant collecting was done by bringing numerous L. acervorum nests trips were made by the author in 1985-94. in plastic bags to the laboratory where they were In addition to more detailed picture of the reared in order to learn if they possibly included L. distribution of the Finnish myrmicids, these trips kutteri. also yielded four new myrmicid ants for the Finn­ In addition to the actual social parasites, one ish fauna, viz. Myrmica hellenica, M. microrubra, xenobiotic species, Fonnicoxenus nitidulus, is found Leptothorax interruptus, and L. kutteri. in Finland. This small species lives only in the nests Myrmicids are commonly known to include of mound bilding red wood ants (Formica rufa numerous social parasites. All together six of them group). are now known to exist in Finland: Myrmica hirsuta, Finally, it should be noted that Myrmica Myrmica microrubra, Symbiomyrma karavajevi, specioides Bondroit, 1918 have been deleted from Leptothorax kutteri, Harpagoxenus sublaevis, and the list of Finnish myrmicids. The only sample 154 Saaristo: Myrmicid ants of Finland • ENTOMOL. FENNICA Vol. 6 identified as that species proved to be a mis­ author 7. VIII.1985 and a flourishing M. gallienii identification of Myrmica scabrinodis. population was verified. It covered about 5 ares and consisted of over one hundred nests. They were rather big earth mounds resembling those of Lasius The species, with ecological and taxo­ fiavus (Fabricius, 1781). Some ofthe surrounding nomic notes herbs were growing through the nests and the slight­ est disturbance of them caused the ants to come Myrmica gallienii Bondroit, 1919 (Map 1) swiftly out of the nests and cover the nests in a tight crawling mass. The nests were very populous, con­ As stated earlier by Jacobson ( 1939, as M. rolandi sisting of several thousand workers, and at that time Bondroit, 1918) and later also by Seifert (1988), M. there were also plenty of males and females. On gallienii has been frequently confused with M. l.VI.l988 the site was visited again and theM. rugulosa, M. rubra, M. ruginodis and even with M. gallienii population was still doing well. During the sulcinodis. According to my own experience this is same ant collecting trip a new M. gallienii popula­ true of all castes of M. rugulosa and also particu­ tion was discovered in Lohtaja some 80 km north larly to the worker caste of M. rubra and also M. of Oravainen. This time the site was a costal sand ruginodis. dune area and nests were bored some 10 em deep Earlier (Collingwood 1979) only one sample of into the sand. Time did not permit a more careful this species had been identified from Finland study of the area and accordingly only a few nests (Hanko, Taktom, 6(,5(,5, Hakan Lindberg leg.). Dur­ were located. Although it was not the normal time ing this study, additional samples were found among for alates there were numerous winged females in the old material determined either as M. rubra or one of the nests. Already Jacobson (1938) have M. rugulosa. Also, three new nesting sites were stated that when the nests are in dry, sandy places located; two of them in considerably northern lo­ they are buried in soil while, in more wet surround­ calities. At present, the species has been found in ings they are built as mounds. the following five places in Finland: A very interesting, and at the same time strange 1. Hanko, Taktom, 1945, 1Q7(,5(,5, leg. Hakan situation was observed concerning the production Lindberg and 1956, 6(,2(,2, leg. A. Nordstrom of sexuals in the Oravainen population. In addition (MZH). to normal males and females, virtually every nest 2. Finstrom, Attbole, 31.V.1945, 1(,5, leg. A. produced a considerable number of mosaic Nordstrom (MZT). gynandromorphs. This seems to be a regular situa­ 3. Sund, Stenrosberget Stormyran, 30.VII.l987, tion for this population and already in the pitfall 1(,5, leg. M. Saaristo (MZT) trap material from the year 1966 there was one such 4. Oravainen, Bodholm, 1966, numerous(,)(,) & specimen. Jacobson (1939, as M. rolandi) men­ one mosaic gynadromorph, leg. P. T. Lehtinen tioned the occurence of gynandromorphs in the east and 1985, 1988, and 1991, plenty of d'd'QQC,}C,} Baltic colonies of this species. and mosaic gynandromorphs, leg. M. Saaristo (MZT). 5. Lohtaja, Vattajanniemi, l.VI.l988, numerous Mynnica hellenica Forel, 1913 (Map 2) QQC,}C,}, leg. M. Saaristo (MZT). This species is new to Finland. Some 7 nests were The nesting site of M. gallienii in Oravainen found 21. VII.1988 in Hanko, Kolaviken during a was originally discovered when studying the pitfall collecting trip made by the author and Dr. Perttu trap material of MZT. During the summer of 1966 Seppa (6d'c5'7QQ 1(,5, MZT). The site was revisited some 10 traps were placed in a silty seashore on 19.VII.l994 by the author and one nest was meadow more or less regularly flooded during the located (2d'c5'20QQ22(,5(,5, MZT). spring and autumn. This is in good agreement with The nests were buried some 10 em in the sand Seifert's (1993b) statement that M. gallienii is a and had a single entrance. They were about 50 facultatively halophilic, thermophilic and clearly meters from the waterline. The area is regularly hygrophilic species. The site was visited by the visited by people and the trampling effect is con- ENTOMOL. FENNICA Vol. 6 • Saaristo: Myrmicid ants of Finland 155 siderable. The habitat is in good agreement with arion (Linnaeus, 1758), is obligatorily dependent that given by Seifert (1988, 1993b) for this species. on it. In Finland this butterfly is listed as a highly threatened species and it is also protected by the law. Myrmica hirsuta Elmes, 1978 (Map 3) In the Finnish inland M. Zonae is found only on eskers, ie. postglacial moraine ridges, but in the In Central Europe this widely spread social parasite SW-archipelago in various kinds of habitats, often lives in the nests of M. sabuleti, while in Finland it in very hot and dry places. The nests are either is found in the nests of its sister species M. Zonae. under stones or buried in the soil. There are several The species was recorded as new to Finland by queens in the nest and up to 1000 or ever more VepsaHiinen & Pisarsky (1982) from Hanko, workers. Tvarminne. At present, the species is known from three places in Finland: Myrmica rubra Linnaeus, 1758 (Map 6) 1. Tammisaari, 0. Wellenius leg.: 1935, 1937, 1938, 1945 (MZT: ld'19, MZH:28c5'c5'799, This is one of the most common Myrmica species DAZH: 20'0'399) in Finland although, as being a typical lowland 2. Hanko, Tvarminne (Vepsalainen & Pisarsky species, its range is limited to about 66' 40' N.lt is 1982) also a very aggressive species and stings freely. It is 3. Nauvo, Seili, M. Saaristo leg.: 1983 (19), found in a large variety of habitats but is compara­ 1984 (20'0'), 1985 (20'0'299), 1991 bly rare inside larger forests, where it is displaced (40'0'999) (MZT) by its sibling species M. ruginodis. The species is frequent in gardens and acricultural meadows; es­ pecially in very moist seashore meadows it may be Myrmica lobicornis Nylander, 1846 (Map 4) locally extremely abundant. It tolerates growth of grasses and other field layer plants much better This is a fairly common species in Finland and well than other ants.
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