Kingdom Animalia Subphylum Hexapoda Family Formicidae Rank Subspecies | Phylum Arthropoda Class Insecta Subfamily Myrmicinae | |
Myrmica scabrinodis scabrinodis is a subspecies of ant that can be found everywhere in Europe except for Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canary Islands, Croatia, Iceland, Malta, Monaco, Madeira, Monaco, San Marino, Slovenia, and Vatican City. It is unique in that it reproduces by ejecting pheromones from its postpetiole directly into the mandibles of its mate. Female ants of this species can also reproduce through thelytokous parthenogenesis, but, unlike most ant species during this process, the individual will rupture the membrane of the gaster, causing a burst of secretions containing their offspring in addition to acetophenones and other chemicals.
Oleic acid has been identified as the compound released from dead ants that triggers necrophoric behaviour in genus Myrmica, however M. scabrinodis scabrinodis occasionally respond by engaging in anthropophagy. Males in this species react to the absence of characteristic chemicals (dolichodial and iridomyrmecin) present on the cuticle of their living nestmates to trigger a similar response. About 12%, 16%, and 4% of their faecal volume in spring, summer, and autumn, respectively, is composed of material from this behaviour.