ANNALES ZOOLOGICI (Warszawa), 2005, 55(2): 127-221 MONOGRAPHIC REVISION OF THE ANTS (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE) OF NORTH KOREA Alexander Radchenko Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 64, Wilcza str., 00-679 Warsaw, Poland; e-mail: [email protected] Abstract.— The monographic revision of North Korean ants is provided fist time in the World literature. This work was based on the investigation of very rich material collected by Polish and Hungarian entomologists in North Korea in 1959-1990. The collections are kept in the Museum and Institute of Zoology of , the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, in the Institute of Environmental Sciences of the Jagiellonian University, Cracow, and in the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest. In total, these unique collections include more than 70 thousand specimens collected in almost all regions of North Korea. Altogether, 99 ant species from 35 genera and 7 subfamilies, including 6 newly described species and 35 new to North Korea have been found; 17 species have been excluded from the list of the North Korean fauna. The monograph includes review of species, taxonomic and zoogeographical analysis of the Korean myrmecofauna, and the comparison of this fauna with that of the adjacent regions of Eastern Asia. A key for determination of all taxa of North Korean ants is also provided. Key words.— Ants, Formicidae, taxonomy, key, zoogeography. North Korea, East Palaearctic. Contents Introduction 128 'Strumigenys 148 Key to genera of Myrmicinae 184 Acknowledgements 129 Temnothorax 148 Key to genera of DoUchoderinae. 186 Survey of species 129 Tetramorium 153 Key to genera of Formicinae 187 Ponerinae 130 Vollenhovia 154 Key to species of Ponerinae 187 Cryptopone 130 DoUchoderinae 154 Key to species of Ponera 187 Hypoponera 130 Dolichoderus 154 Key to species oi Pachycondyla 188 to species of DoUchoderinae .. 188 Pachycondyla : 130 Linepithema 155 Key Ponera 131 Liometopum 155 Key to species oi Technomyrmex. .188 Proceratiinae 132 Tapinoma 156 Key to species of Formicinae 188 Proceratium 132 Technomyrmex 156 Key to species of Camponotus 188 Pseudomyrmecinae 132 Formicinae 157 Key to species oi Formica 188 Tetraponera 132 Camponotus 157 Key to species oi Lasius 190 Myrmicinae 133 Formica 160 Key to species oi Paratrechina 191 Aphaenogaster 133 Lasius 165 Key to species oi Plagiolepis 192 Crematogaster 134 Paratrechina 172 Key to species of Myrmicinae 192 Leptothorax 134 Plagiolepis 174 Key to species oi Aphaenogaster .... 192 Messor 136 Polyergus 174 Key to species oi Crematogaster . .192 Monomorium 136 Polyrhachis 175 Key to species oi Leptothorax 192 Myrmecina 137 Proformica 175 Key to species oi Monomorium . .192 Myrmica 138 Taxa excluded from the North Key to species oi Myrmecina 192 Pheidole 145 Korean myrmecofauna 176 Key to species oi Myrmica 192 . species Stenamma Pristomyrmex 146 Zoogeographical implication . 176 Key to oi 193 Solenopsis 147 Keys for identifications 183 Key to species of Temnothorax 193 Stenamma 147 Key to subfamilies 183 References 194 Strongylognathus 147 Key to genera of Ponerinae 184 Taxonomic index 201 128 A. Radchenko Introduction purposes and a model group for evaluating local biodi- versity. However, this is possible only on condition that Ants belong to the family Formicidae of the order taxonomic and faunistic myrmecological knowledge is Hymenoptera. To date, more than 1 1,000 extant ant spe- detailed enough and reliable. cies have been described from all continents, excluding Even though several hundred species and infraspe- Antarctica, which belong to about 300 genera from 21 cific forms of ants have been described from the East subfamilies (Bolton 1995 a, b, 2003). About 1500 species Palaearctic over the last 100 years or more, the first from more than 80 genera are known in the Palaearctic modern revisions and keys have only been pubhshed Region. Nevertheless, many tropical and mountain during the last 10-15 years. Ants of the Russian Far East regions have not been adequately studied; additionally, have been investigated by Kupyanskaya (1990, 1995), many genera need revisions and there are hundreds or who pubhshed a monographic revision and a key. The even thousands of undescribed species in the world latest monograph on Chinese ants was prepared by Wu collections. For example, several hundred new species and Wang (1995), but this book is quite incomplete. A of dacetine ants were described recently (Bolton 2000), modern monograph of Japanese ants was published very and than more 30 new species were recently described recently (Imai et al. 2003), while there have not been any even in the well-studied ant genus Myrmica (Radchenko monographic revisions of Korean ants. and Elmes 1998, 1999, 2001 a, b, 2003, 2004, Elmes The earliest report on Korean ants was by Wheeler and Radchenko 1998, Radchenko et al. 2001, Elmes et (1906), and since that time several tens papers dealing al. 2001, 2002). Hence, one can suppose that the total with Korean myrmecofauna have been pubhshed (see number of ant species reaches 15,000 or even 20,000. Terayama et al. 1992, Kim B.-J. 1996, 2003). At the same Ants are morphologically very diverse. The body time, the ant fauna of the Democratic People's Republic length of workers of the smallest species is less than one of Korea (the name North Korea is used throughout the millimetre, but the biggest species, such as Camponotus rest of the present monograph) has been investigated to gigas from South-East Asia, or Dinoponera grandis from a much smaller extent than that of South Korea. South America, are about four centimetres long. Early pubUcations (Karawajew 1912, Wheeler 1928b, All ants are so-caUed eusocial, or "true" social, insects. 1929, Teranishi 1940, Wilson 1955, Pisarski 1966) noted They live in colonies that consist of several tens to 15-20 several species of North Korean ants, but the most com- million workers, and their females belong to different plete picture of North Korean ants was presented in two castes: queens, workers, and sometimes soldiers. short papers by CoUingwood (1976, 1981). His data were Ants belong to animals dominating, in respect of based on material collected in 1970, 1971 and 1975 by abundance and biomass, in almost all terrestrial habitats expeditions of the Hungarian Natural History Museum in the world, and have strong and multiple biotic impacts to North Korea. CoUingwood found 63 ant species in the on ecosystems. They occupy habitats from the forest-tun- material. Subsequent checklists of Korean Formicidae dra zone to equatorial forests, from bogs to deserts, from (Paik 1984, Terayama et al. 1992, Kim B.-J. 1996, 2003) did deep soil levels to forest canopy. In the mountains they not add any more information about North Korean ants. have been recorded at altitudes up to 3600 m in the Pamir The present revision was supported by the Polish and 4500-4800 m in the Himalayas and Tibet. Scientific Research Committee's Grant KBN No. 6 P04C Most ant species are non-speciaUsed predators feeding 060 21 and based on the investigation of very abundant on a very varied diet: they ingest animal and plant proteins material collected by Polish and Hungarian entomolo- as well as carbohydrate food, and are able to modify their gists in North Korea between 1959 and 1990 (Mahunka diet according to the resources available in a habitat. On and Steinmann 1971, Mroczkowski 1972, Papp and the other hand, ants generally tend to utilise food sources, Horvatovichl972, Papp and Vojnits 1976, Dely and Dely- which are the most abundant and most easily accessible at Draskovits 1977, Vojnits and Zombori 1979, Steinmann a given moment, which accounts for their essential role in and Vasarhelyi 1980, Forro and Topal 1981, Forro and maintaining homeostasis in biocoenoses. Ronkay 1983, Vojnits and Zombori 1987, Bankowska and Of significance is the influence of ants on the processes Sterzynska 1997, Pawlowski et al. 2000). The collections of soil formation. The building of ants' nests and dieir con- are preserved in the Museum and Institute of Zoology of stant involves improvement the movement oflarge volimies the Pohsh Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, in the Institute of soil and plant matter, thus enriching the soil and influ- of Environmental Sciences of the Jagiellonian University, encing the composition of its microflora. Owing to their Krakow), and in the Hungarian Natural History Museum, social habit, ants can sturvive virtually independently of Budapest. Totally, these unique collections include more weather changes and they are generally protected from any than 70 thousand specimens collected in almost all unfavourable impact of other habitat factors, which guaran- regions of the country (Fig. 1). tees a considerable stability of ant communities over time. In the material I have found 99 ant species belonging AU this makes ants a useful bioindicator of the to 35 genera and 6 subfamilies, including 6 species new state of the environment for ecological monitoring to science, and 35 species and 6 genera new to North ANTS OF NORTH KOREA 129 Korea; 17 species are excluded from the list of the North Korea. I would like impressing my great thanks to Prof Korean fauna. Wojciech Czechowski and Dr. Wiestawa Czechowska North Korea is situated in the East Asia between (Museum and Institute of Zoology of Polish Academy 37°45'-43°00' N latitudes and 124°19'-130°40' E longi- of Sciences, Warsaw) for the permanent help during tudes, in the northern part of Korean Peninsula and the all my work on this monograph. I am also thankful to mainland of Asia. Its area is 120,540 square kilometres. Gedric Alex CoUingwood (UK), Prof Gennady Dlussky Generally, North Korea is a mountainous country (Moscow State University, Russia) and Dr. Wieslawa with deep, narrow valleys. High mountains with alti- Czechowska for important critical comments; to Ewa tudes over 2000 m a.s.l.