Linepithema iniquum

Nomenclature

Species: Linepithema iniquum (Mayr, 1870)

Usage: valid

External links

Diagnostic description

Diagnosis of worker among Antkey species

Antenna 12-segmented. Antennal scape length less than 1.5x head length. Eyes medium to large (greater than 6 facets); do not break outline of head; placed distinctly below midline of face. Antennal sockets and posterior clypeal margin separated by a distance less than the minimum width of antennal scape. Anterior clypeal margin variously produced, but never with one median and two lateral rounded projections. Mandible lacking distinct basal angle. Profile of mesosomal dorsum with three distinct convexities. Dorsum of mesosoma lacking a deep and broad concavity; lacking erect hairs. Promesonotum separated from propodeum by metanotal groove. Propodeum with dorsal surface not distinctly shorter than posterior face; globular, strongly and uniformly convex. Propodeum and petiolar node both lacking a pair of short teeth. Mesopleura and metapleural bulla lacking pubescence; surface glabrous. Propodeal spiracle distinctly anterior to posterior margin of propodeal profile. Waist 1-segmented. Petiole upright and not appearing flattened. Gaster armed with ventral slit. Erect hairs present on cephalic dorsum (above eye level), gastral tergites 1 and 2; often present on pronotum. Dull, not shining, and color uniformly light to dark brown. Measurements: head length (HL) 0.55–0.74 mm, head width (HW) 0.46–0.70 mm.

Among the species treated here, Linepithema iniquum is most easily confused with the Argentine Ant, L. humile. It can be separated from that species by the following characters: (1) the mesopleura and metapleural bulla lack pubescence and have a glabrous (versus dull) surface; (2) erect hairs are present (versus lacking) on cephalic dorsum (above eye level), gastral tergites 1 and 2, and often present on pronotum; (3) the profile of mesosomal dorsum has three (versus two) distinct convexities; (4) the propodeum is globular (versus angular) and is strongly and uniformly convex (versus with flat or weakly convex dorsal and posterior faces); and (5) the propodeal spiracle is distinctly anterior to (versus bordering) the posterior margin of propodeal profile.

Look alikes

Linepithema humile

Distribution

Click here for updated occurrence data and map on antmaps.org
Click here for updated occurrence data and map on GBIF.org

Worker ants from neighboring colonies act aggressively towards each other. Photo by ©Alexander L. Wild, alexanderwild.com	Adult worker. Photo by ©Alexander L. Wild, alexanderwild.com
A worker ant tends a scale insect for honeydew in an Ecuadorian cloud forest. Photo by ©Alexander L. Wild, alexanderwild.com	Lateral view of body, entire, adult worker. Photo by Alexander Wild, Antweb.org.
Lateral view of body, entire, adult. Erect hairs on cephalic dorsum (above eye level) and on gastral tergites 1 and 2.	Lateral view of body, surface characters, adult worker. Erect hairs are present on cephalic dorsum (above eye level), gastral tergites 1 and 2, and are often also present on the pronotum. Used in Antkey to separate Linepithema iniquum from Linepithema humile.
Anterior view of head, adult worker. Photo by Alexander Wild, Antweb.org.	Lateral view of thorax / mesosoma, adult . Profile of mesosomal dorsum with three distinct convexities. Photo by Alexander Wild, Antweb.org, modified.
Lateral view of thorax / mesosoma, adult worker. The profile of mesosomal dorsum with three distinct convexities (promesonotum, metanotum and propodeum). Used in Antkey to separate Linepithema iniquum from Linepithema humile.	Lateral view of thorax / mesosoma, adult. Dense pubescence not covering mesopleuron. Photo by Alexander Wild, Antweb.org, modified.
Lateral view of thorax / mesosoma, adult worker. The mesopleura and metapleural bulla lacking pubescence giving the surface a glabrous appearance. Used in Antkey to separate Linepithema iniquum from Linepithema humile.	Lateral view of propodeum, adult. Propodeum globular, strongly and uniformly convex. Photo by Alexander Wild, Antweb.org, modified.
Lateral view of propodeum, adult worker. The propodeum is strongly rounded, uniformly convex and resembling a sphere in profile. Used in Antkey to separate Linepithema iniquum from Linepithema humile.	Lateral view of propodeum, adult. Propodeal spiracle not on posterior border of propodeum.
Lateral view of propodeum, adult worker. The propodeal spiracle is distinctly anterior to posterior margin of the propodeum. Used in Antkey to separate Linepithema iniquum from Linepithema humile.