Technomyrmex albipes

Nomenclature

Species: Technomyrmex albipes (Smith, F. 1861)

Vernacular name: White Footed Ant

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Diagnostic description

Diagnosis among workers of introduced and commonly intercepted species.

Antenna 12-segmented. Antennal scape length less than 1.5x head length. Eyes medium to large (greater than 5 facets); eye length not distinctly greater than length of erect hairs on frontal carinae. Antennal sockets and posterior clypeal margin separated by a distance less than the minimum width of antennal scape. Mandible lacking distinct basal angle. Dorsum of mesosoma with metanotal groove, but never with a deep and broad concavity; erect hairs present. Propodeum and petiolar node both lacking a pair of short teeth. Propodeum lacking posteriorly projecting protrusion; with dorsal surface distinctly shorter than posterior face. Waist 1-segmented (may be hidden by gaster). Petiolar node appearing flattened. Gaster armed with ventral slit; with five plates on its dorsal surface. Distinct constriction not visible between abdominal segments 3+4. Dorsum of head lacking erect hair posterior to eye. Pronotum with 2 pairs of erect hairs. Mesonotum lacking erect hairs. Propodeum with 2 pairs of erect hairs. Color uniformly dull brown with paler antennae, trochanters and tarsi; hind tarsus distinctly lighter in color than hind femur.

Technomyrmex albipes can be distinguished from Brachymyrmex species, with which it bears superficial resemblance, by the 12-segmented (versus 9-segmented) antenna, and by the presence of a ventral slit (versus acidopore) on the gaster tip. It can be differentiated from Technomyrmex species by the absence (versus presence) or erect hairs on the mesosoma, and by the gaster which has 4 plates on the dorsal surface and 6 on the ventral surface (versus 5 plates on both surfaces). It is most easily differentiated from Tapinoma sessile by the bicolored with dark head and light body, gaster and appendages (versus uniform brown color). Technomyrmex albipes is distinguished from its fellow introduced congeners by the following combination of characters: (1) no erect hairs on head posterior to eye level; (2) 2 pairs of erect hairs on pronotum, 2 pairs of propodeum, no erect hairs on mesonotum,; (3) hind tarsus distinctly lighter in color than hind femur; and (4) eye length not distinctly greater than length of erect hairs on frontal carinae.

Distribution

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Adult tending to a mealybug for honeydew. Photo by ©Alexander L. Wild, alexanderwild.com	Lateral view of body, entire, adult worker.
Lateral view of leg, adult worker. The metatarsus is pale in color and contrasts sharply with the darker brown hind tibia and femur. Separates Technomyrmex albipes , T. difficilis and T. vitiensis from T. pallipes.	Lateral view of eye / ocellus, adult worker. Eyes relatively large.
Lateral view of eye / ocellus, adult worker. Eye length is distinctly greater than length of cephalic hairs at same level on head. Used in Antkey to separate Technomyrmex vitiensis from T. albipes.	Lateral view of thorax / mesosoma, adult worker. Pronotal hair.
Lateral view of thorax / mesosoma, adult worker. Mesosoma dorsum.	Lateral view of thorax / mesosoma, adult worker. Propodeum hairs.
Lateral view of pronotum, adult worker. Pronotum with two pair of erect hairs that differ from the appressed pilosity. Separates Technomyrmex albipes and some specimens of T. pallipes from T. vitiensis and T. difficilis.	Lateral view of mesonotum, adult worker. Mesonotum lacking any erect hairs. Separates Technomyrmex albipes and T. vitiensis from T. difficilis and T. pallipes. However, the hairs of specimens can often be rubbed off prior to examination.
Lateral view of propodeum, adult worker. Propodeal declivity has two pairs of erect hairs. Separates Technomyrmex albipes, T. difficilis and some specimens of T. pallipes from T. vitiensis.	Lateral view of leg, adult worker. Tarsus of hind leg distinctly lighter than femur of hind leg.