Cryptic Lineages in the Cardiocondyla sl. kagutsuchi Terayama (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Discovered by Phylogenetic and Morphological Approaches

Sociobiology

Ichiro Okita¹  Koji Tsuchida¹  Mamoru Terayama² 

[1] Gifu University;University of Tokyo

关键词: Cardiocondyla;    Mitochondrial DNA;    Morphology;    Taxonomy;   

DOI  :  

来源: Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Brazil

【 摘 要 】

The taxonomy of ant species in the genusCardiocondylais very confused due to the extreme difficulty in separating many species based on morphology alone. In Japan, one group of the species complexCardiocondylasl.kagutsuchihas both winged and wingless worker-like (ergatoid) males (dimorphic) whereas others have only ergatoid males (monomorphic). The presence of both groups prompted us to hypothesize thatC.sl.kagutsuchipresumably includes several independent species with differences in their male wing morphologies. However, whether any species boundary actually exists between the male groups has remained unsolved over the 10+ years since the previous revision of this genus. In this study, using discriminant and phylogenetic analyses, we compared the worker caste morphology of this species complex among lineages detected by phylogenetic analyses. In addition, we examined the number of sexuals present in field colonies. Our results revealed the existence of at least three morphological and phylogenetic groups within this species complex.

【 授权许可】

Unknown