Arxius de Miscel·lània Zoològica. Volumen 23 (2025) Páginas: 63-67
A new genus and species from Algeria: the trap-jaw ant Anochetus ghilianii (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)
Hamecha, L., Mairif, M., Taheri, A., Messaoud, Y., Djetti, T.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.32800/amz.2025.23.0063Descargar
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Hamecha, L., Mairif, M., Taheri, A., Messaoud, Y., Djetti, T., 2025. A new genus and species from Algeria: the trap-jaw ant Anochetus ghilianii (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Arxius de Miscel·lània Zoològica, 23: 63-67, DOI: https://doi.org/10.32800/amz.2025.23.0063-
Fecha de recepción:
- 05/11/2024
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Fecha de aceptación:
- 26/02/2025
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Fecha de publicación:
- 27/03/2025
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Abstract
A new genus and species from Algeria: the trap-jaw ant Anochetus ghilianii (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)
Entomological investigations in western Algeria have led to the first observation of the trap-jaw ant Anochetus ghilianii (Spinola, 1851) in the country. Five nests were found under stones in two agricultural orchards in the Hauts Plateaux of Meghila and Hammam Tires (Tissemsilt department). This finding marks the first record of the genus Anochetus in Algeria, increasing the number of ant genera known in the country to 35 and the number of species to 219. This species was so far only known from Morocco and Spain, and suspected to be introduced in the latter. Additionally, a list detailing the other ant species collected in the two orchards is provided.
Dataset published through GBIF (DOI: 10.15470/o3zxvj).
Key words: First record, North Africa, Tissemsilt, Western Algeria, Biodiversity
Resumen
Un nuevo género y especie para Argelia: la hormiga Anochetus ghilianii (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)
Las investigaciones entomológicas en el oeste de Argelia han permitido realizar el primer registro de Anochetus ghilianii (Spinola, 1851) en el país. Se encontraron cinco nidos bajo piedras en dos huertos agrícolas en los Hauts Plateauxde Meghila y Hammam Tires (en el departamento de Tissemsilt). Este hallazgo marca el primer registro del género Anochetus en Argelia, por lo que el número de géneros de hormigas conocidos en el país aumenta a 35 y el número de especies, a 219. Hasta ahora, esta especie solo se conocía en Marruecos y España, país en el que se sospecha que fue introducida. Además, se proporciona una lista que detalla las otras especies de hormigas recolectadas en los dos huertos.
Datos publicados en GBIF (DOI: 10.15470/o3zxvj).
Palabras clave: Primer registro, Norte de África, Tissemsilt, Oeste de Argelia, Biodiversidad
Resum
Un nou gènere i una nova espècie per a Algèria: la formiga Anochetus ghilianii (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)
Les recerques entomològiques a l'oest d'Algèria han permès fer el primer registre d'Anochetus ghilianii (Spinola, 1851) al país. Se'n va trobar cinc nius sota pedres en dos horts agrícoles als Hauts Plateaux de Meghila i Hammam Tires (al departament de Tissemsilt). Aquesta troballa marca el primer registre del gènere Anochetus a Algèria, per la qual cosa el nombre de gèneres de formigues coneguts al país augmenta a 35 i el nombre d'espècies, a 219. Fins ara, aquesta espècie només es coneixia al Marroc i a Espanya, país en el qual se sospita que va ser introduïda. A més, es proporciona una llista que detalla les altres espècies de formigues recol·lectades als dos horts.
Dades publicades a GBIF (DOI: 10.15470/o3zxvj).
Paraules clau: Primer registre, Nord de l'Àfrica, Tissemsilt, Oest d'Algèria, Biodiversitat
Introduction
Ponerinae is the fourth largest subfamily of Formicidae family in the world (Schmidt and Shattuck 2014), preceded by Dolichoderinae, Formicinae, and Myrmicinae. It is a diverse group with a predominantly tropical distribution (Bolton 1994, 2003). In Algeria, this subfamily comprises three genera: Hypoponera Santschi, Odontomachus Latreille, and Ponera Latreille (Bolton 2003, Borowiec 2014).
The genus Anochetus, widely distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical regions globally, includes 124 extant and 9 fossil species, and they are the only trap-jaw ants in the western Palearctic (Bolton 2024). They live in small nests located in soil, termite nests, under logs, in rotten wood, and beneath rocks (Brown 1976, 1978).
The Mediterranean region hosts three Anochetus species: Anochetus bytinskii Kugler and Ionescu, 2007, A. ghilianii (Spinola 1851), and Anochetus sedilloti Emery, 1884 (Brown 1978). A. bytinskii is known only from the northern half of Israel (Kugler and Ionescu 2007); A. sedilloti, has a wide distribution range extending across the northern Afrotropics from Senegal to Ethiopia, is also recorded in Tunisia, and is considered exotic in the Arabian Peninsula to western India (Kugler and Ionescu 2007, Guénard et al 2017); finally, A. ghilianii is known from Morocco and Spain, and thought to be introduced in the latter (Jowers et al 2015). This species is the only one of its genus to reach the extreme western Mediterranean, where it is considered a tertiary relict (Tinaut et al 2005). However, it is not easy to find because of its hypogean habitat. Here, we report the first record of the species in Algeria, the second North African country to document its presence.
Material and methods
In March and April 2024 we surveyed ants in two sites in the Tissemsilt region (western Algeria), about 220 km SW from the capital Algiers (fig. 1), consisting of natural and agricultural environments. The region has a dry, continental climate, classified as BSk according to the Koppen-Geiger climatemap (Kottek et al 2006). Site 1 (fig. 2A): Mghila, municipality of Theniet El Had, agricultural orchard (35.773639, 2.115222, 910 m, 07/03/2024). Site 2 (fig. 2B): Hammam Tires, municipality of Tissemsilt, cultivated wheat orchard (35.604722, 1.789722, 867 m, 20/05/2024). Both fields are located on a vertisol substrate covered with low vegetation characterised by diplotax Diplotaxis harra and donkey cucumber Ecballium elaterium. At each site, we searched for ant nests under stones, and foragers moving on the ground.
Fig. 1. Geographical distribution of A. ghilianii records; red, current study; black, previous records.
Fig. 1. Distribución geográfica de los registros de A. ghilianii: rojo, estudio actual; negro, registros anteriores.
Fig. 2. Aspect of A. ghilianii in the field and the two sites where the species was found: A, Meghila; B, Hammam Tires.
Fig. 2. Aspecto de A. ghilianii en el campo y los dos ubicaciones donde se encontró la especie: A, Meghila; B, Hammam Tires.
The Emberger climategram was used to classify the sites according to the bioclimatic zones (fig. 3). For this purpose, we used climate variables such as the maximum and minimum temperature of respectively the warmest and coldest months with annual precipitation of each site were used to estimate the aridity index (Q-values, Stewart 1969).
Fig. 3. The Emberger climagram designed for the different localities of A. ghilianii: green, Algeria; red, Morocco; yellow, Spain.
Fig. 3. Climograma de Emberger diseñado para las diferentes localidades de A. ghilianii: verde, Argelia; rojo, Marruecos; amarillo, España.
Anochetus ghilianii was identified based on the key of Kugler and Ionescu (2007).
Specimens were preserved in 75-100 % ethanol and kept in the following personal collections: L Hamecha (Ben-Youcef Ben-Khedda University, Algeria), M Mairif (Tissemsilt of University, Algeria), and J-L Reyes-López (University of Cordoba, Spain).
Results and discussion
Five nests of the trap-jaw ant A. ghilianii (fig. 2) were discovered in two agricultural sites in the Tell Atlas (Tissemsilt) of Algeria. These nests were located under small stones during a wet period of the year (March and April 2024). This discovery is the first record of this species and the genus Anochetus in Algeria, extending the known distribution to Morocco and southern Spain (Cagniant 2006, Kugler and Ionescu 2007, Tinaut et al 2011, Borowiec 2014).
Manual collection efforts yielded three nests at the Meghila site on 07/03/2024, and two more at Hammam Tires on 20/04/2024. At both sites, a total of 22 additional ant species were collected, all considered native to Algeria (table 1 and dataset published through GBIF with DOI: 10.15470/o3zxvj).
Tabla 1. Riqueza específica de las hormigas recolectadas en los huertos en estudio: - ausencia; + presencia.
The ecology of this species is poorly known. However, based on the available data, it can be considered a cryptic species with partially hypogean habits and wingless queens (Tinaut et al 2011). Its colonial reproduction is likely through fission, and the nuptial flight occurs in autumn (Taheri et al 2018). The life cycle of A. ghilianii is annual, without overwintering brood (Taheri, unpublished). The wingless nature of the queens implies a severe dispersal handicap as compared to most other ants, contributing to the interpretation of the close genetic proximity of Iberian and Moroccan populations as an indication that the first originated from an introduction (Jowers et al 2015).
In the Iberian Peninsula, A. ghilianii has been recorded in the coastal regions near Cádiz and Gibraltar, with sporadic occurrences also documented in small mountainous areas, including the Sierra de Bolonia, Sierra del Cabrito, and Arroyo de la Miel, in the region of the Strait of Gibraltar (Tinaut et al 2006, Jowers et al 2015). In these areas, populations are limited by river systems, particularly the Barbate and Guadiaro rivers to the west and east. Their habitats are mainly associated with low-lying wet environments (up to 390 m; Tinaut et al 2011). They frequent open or shrubby habitats, leaf litter and forests, including Quercus sp. and Betula and Fraxinus species, often in areas used for livestock farming, such as the Sierra de Bolonia, Sierra del Cabrito and Arroyo de la Miel (Tinaut et al 2006, Guillem and Bensusan 2009).
In contrast, A. ghilianii has an extensive distribution in northern Morocco, covering the Atlantic coast from Tangier to Ben Slimane and the Mediterranean coast as far as the River Laou (Northwest Morocco in the Provinces of Tétouan and Chefchaouen; Jowers et al 2015). It acts as a moderately forest-dwelling species, relatively dense in open cork oak forests and matorrals in Morocco (Taheri et al 2020). The species occupies a broader elevational range, from sea level to 1,000 m in the oak forests of the Rif (Cagniant 2006), and up to 1,400 m in the Northern Middle Atlas (Taheri pers. comm.).
The Algerian localities we studied belong to a semi-arid bioclimatic zone of the high plateaus (Tell Atlas), about 95 km from the coast.
Considering that the species was primarily known from Morocco and southern Spain, the supposedly non-native nature of the Iberian populations, and the remarkable lack of flying dispersal capabilities for A. ghilianii queens, the origin of the newly discovered Algerian populations awaits clarification considering that they are about 580 km distant from the nearest known Moroccan sites. Molecular data and further field research will thus be necessary to understand whether the Algerian populations of A. ghilianii are an introduction from Morocco, or whether its eastern distribution has been underestimated to date due to the elusive nature of this species.
