A recently introduced very small black Tapinoma which unlike the two native Tapinoma has no clear notch in the clypeus. It was first noticed as an unusually small black ant around 2019 but was only identified to species in 2024.
So far only known from Royston in Herts where it is abundant in a private garden and has been seen in other gardens up to 200m away.
Also known from Spain, France, Switzerland and in a hothouse in Belgium
Workers are ~2mm long and black. They can be keyed out using the key in Seifert's Tapinoma Revision 2024.
References
Seifert, B., Kaufmann, B., Fraysse, L. 2024. A taxonomic revision of the Palaearctic species of the ant genus Tapinoma Mayr 1861 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 5435(1), 1-74
Only known from private gardens so far.
Nests in the soil and under stones
2024