Tabove image of Cardiocondyla mauritanica clearly shows this species lacks the dorsal standing pilosity (erect hairs) of Temnothorax. This is a widespread species with an enormous native distribution from northwest Africa to India. It has been suggested that one of the reasons for its success in spreading throughout the Old and New Worlds is its ability to co-exist with dominant invasive species such as the Argentine ant (Linepthema humile).

The common name "moorish sneaking ant" has been proposed for this genus, apparently due to their inconspicuous nature. The specific epithet mauritanica is Latin for "Moorish." The term "Moor" is derived from the Mauri people of northwestern Africa, and has long been used in Europe as a colloquial term for inhabitants of North Africa. When viewed from above, the postpetiole is much broader than the petiole and is roughly heart-shaped, hence the generic name Cardiocondyla.

Compared with most tramp ants, the colonies are relatively small with a few hundred workers and multiple queens. Many ant species exhibit polymorphism in workers, with different sized minor and major workers. Cardiocondyla has polymorphism in males, a rarity in ant species. This condition is technically termed polyphenism: Two or more distinct phenotypes are produced from the same genotype, a compelling reason to study epigenetics! In Cardiocondyla there are winged males that leave the nest to mate with winged queens (alate females) from other colonies, and wingless fighter males that mate with female sexuals (queens & workers) within their natal nest.

The following description of wingless fighting males is from:

Jürgen Heinze. 2016. Life-History Evolution in Ants: The Case of Cardiocondyla. Proc Biol Sci. 2017 Mar 15; 284(1850): 20161406. Published online 2017 Mar 15. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2016.1406:

Click Here To Read This Fascinating Article By Jürgen Heinze

"While winged males are docile, fragile dispersers, wingless males are robust and equipped with strong mandibles. Intrasexual competition among wingless males may be extremely fierce and in many species results in obligate lethal fighting. Wingless males have strong, shear-shaped mandibles in one of the two basal branches of the phylogeny, and long, sabre-shaped mandibles in the other. They use their mandibles to eliminate freshly emerged competitors by crushing or piercing the still soft cuticula of the latter. In addition, males with sickle-shaped mandibles may grab rivals that have survived the first few critical hours of their adult lives and to besmear them with hindgut secretions, which elicit aggression from workers against the so branded individual. This basic scheme of deadly male combat is modified in numerous ways. For example, fighting among adult males appears to be less common in most species with shear-shaped mandibles, probably because these are less suitable for grabbing sclerotized, adult rivals."

Cardiocondyla wingless fighter male showing sickle-shaped mandibles used for killing other wingless males in nest. Docile winged males are not harmed. Image from Jürgen Heinze (2016). More Images In Article By Jürgen Heinze

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