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Technomyrmex jocosus

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A drone of Technomyrmex jocosus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Dolichoderinae
Genus:	Technomyrmex
Species:	T. jocosus
Binomial name
Technomyrmex jocosus (Forel, 1910)

The White-footed ant is a common name for many species within the Technomyrmex genus and Technomyrmex jocosus looks very similar to and often misidentified as Technomyrmex albipes with T. jocosus workers measuring to 3.0 to 3.4 mm in length and has 12 segments in their antennae. However, the white-footed house ant (Technomyrmex jocosus) can be identified through a different arrangement and shape of the setae (hair-like bristles), with the dorsal setae on its abdomen being longer than T. albipes. Another distinguishing feature which sets apart T. jocosus from T. albipes is the different arrangement of the setae on their head as T. jocosus has a pair of setae on the back of its head behind the eyes.

Though very similar to Technomyrmex albipes, T. jocosus has setae in a different pattern. Along with its head being shinier and less sculpted compared to T. albipes, the compound eyes of T. jocosus are also larger than T. albipes. T. jocosus also lacks a petiolar node (a section just before the abdomen) which differentiates the genera from other common ant genus in its local area where other ants could be found.

Distribution and habitat

Technomyrmex jocosus is a very common Technomyrmex species that is native to Australia. This species can be found in both south-eastern and south-western Australia, particularly around moderately moist, thick wooded areas like forests but can also be found nesting in suburban areas like fence posts, gardens, and can often invade homes. However, T. jocosus has never been spotted in drier areas like the outback. T. jocosus has also been spotted in New Zealand as an invasive species while it can be detected and removed at national borders, it’s nests can be found in open country and forests.

Technomyrmex jocosus can be found in suburban and forested or open areas of New Zealand's North Island. After they were accidentally introduced, they spread through the suburban areas of the North Island’s ports and inhabit the moister open forests which they find suitable for their nesting. Just like in Australia, T. jocosus can also be found underneath rotten logs, crevices, and even housing wall cavities which makes them a household pest. Populations of T. jocosus were found in parts of New Zealand’s North Island, especially around Auckland and Wellington; however, the species has also been reported in the south, mainly around Marlborough and as far down as Christchurch in the Canterbury plains.

Technomyrmex jocosus is a ground-dwelling species that generally forages arboreally for food. They also farm wild hemipteran species such as aphids for honeydew. In Australia, large numbers of T. jocosus were found around Karri trees (Eucalyptus diversicolor). T. jocosus primarily inhabits moderately moist habitats, dead wood, crevices and large cracks in stones and even underneath tree bark, which is important for their foraging habits as they look for prey and honeydew.

Nest Formation

T. jocosus’ phenology is relatively unknown, though parallels may be referenced from describing the closely related species T. albipes as more research is required to understand how T. jocosus forms their colonies. The Technomyrmex, especially T. albipes, have been known to send winged queens out on nuptial flights synchronously in May to mid-June to begin new nests, these queens will mate with males outside and from the same nest to ensure the eggs are fertilized for new nests. Once arriving at a suitable location a new nest is formed and eventually the queen’s job of laying eggs will be taken by intercastes (wingless females with reproductive organs) who have mated with wingless males outside the nest.

Once the colony has been established, most of the egg-laying is done by the many intercastes within the nest which have spermatheca. Though the queen may still exist in the nest, she becomes dealate and loses her wings. The queens have a much larger body size to begin the initial creation of the nests’ population and are capable of laying many more eggs than intercastes.  

Diet and Foraging

Technomyrmex jocosus is a generalist scavenger, often foraging on open and forested habitats, not only do they search leaf litter and shrubs, they also forage arboreally and through mutualism with particular homopterans (leafhoppers), the species drinks the honeydew waste through their farmed leafhoppers. Interestingly, food is not distributed through trophallaxis, but from special trophic eggs that are not meant for reproduction, but for consumption by colony members.

Predators and Parasites.

A recently discovered species of parasitic fly has been spotted in New Zealand but is thought to have originated from Australia. Epacteon latifrons is a miniscule fly 0.75 to 0.85 millimeters in length. The fly was observed attacking worker T. jocosus members. Though the fly is part of the Phoridae genus, the action of E. latifrons darting towards the workers of T. jocosus is not well understood yet.

The third instar of an Australian green lacewing species preys upon the pupae of Technomyrmex and other ant genera within their nests. Italochrysa insignis (Walker) has shown interesting physical adaptations that help their survival in arboreal ant nests. The larvae carry debris on their backs which acts as a shield and to curb aggression against the ants from with scent from the ants themselves. The I. insignis larvae enter the brooding chambers and walks over the brood, and begin to feed, which makes the ants aggressive but they are repelled by the debris shield.