Cardiocondyla dalmaticoides, Seifert, 2023

Seifert, Bernhard, 2023, A revision of the Palaearctic species of the ant genus Cardiocondyla Emery 1869 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Zootaxa 5274 (1), pp. 1-64 : 30-31

Cardiocondyla dalmaticoides n. sp.

Etymology: because of similarity to Cardiocondyla dalmatica .

Type material:

Holotype plus 2 paratype workers labelled “ HATAY — 2km N Reyhauli 50 km E Hatay 100 mH Strassenrand 1020 Leg. Schulz 09.06.93 TÜRKEI ”; one paratype worker labelled “ ANTALYA 2km S Geris 40km NE Manavgat 1000 mH Strassenrand 1020 Leg. Schulz 06.06.93 TÜRKEI ”; both samples deposited in SMN Görlitz ; at least two paratype workers labelled “ HATAY — 2km N Reyhauli 50 km E Hatay 100 mH Strassenrand 1022 Leg. Schulz 09.06.93 TÜRKEI ”, in private collection of Andreas Schulz / Leverkusen.

All material examined. Only the three type samples with 6 workers from Asia Minor were available. For details see supplementary information SI1, SI2 .

Geographic range. So far only known from two sites in Asia Minor between 100 and 1000 m a.s.l.

Diagnosis: --Worker ( Tab. 1 , Figs. 14–17 , key). Large, CS 614 µm. Head short, CL/CW 1.126. Postocular distance low, PoOc/CL 0.399. Scape long, SL/CS 0.855. Eye medium-sized, EYE/CS 0.242. Occipital margin straight or suggestively concave. Frons rather broad (FRS/CS 0.256), frontal carinae slightly converging immediately caudal of FRS level (FL/FR 1.044). Dorsal profile of promesonotum and of propodeum convex with a deep metanotal depression (MGr/CS 4.43 %). Spines rather short but much more acute than in C. dalmatica and elegans (SP/CS 0.112), their axis in profile deviating by about 50° from longitudinal axis of mesosoma, their bases much more approached than in C. dalmatica (SPBA/CS 0.228). Petiole narrower than in C. dalmatica and elegans and much higher than wide (PeW/CS 0.296, PeH/CS 0.341); in profile with a long peduncle and a very steep anterior slope of the node (about 72° relative to ventral profile). Postpetiole rather wide and moderately high (PpW/CS 0.563, PpH/ CS 0.291), in dorsal view suggestively heard-shaped, with a concave anterior margin and convex sides; postpetiolar sternite convex. Head in overall impression mildly shiny. Whole vertex with shallow, feebly bicoronate foveolae of 18–19 µm diameter, foveolar distance on paramedian vertex smaller than foveolar diameter, near to eyes larger; the interspaces between foveolae shiny and in places with fragments of a very delicate microreticulum ( Fig. 17 ). Mesosoma more shiny than in C. dalmatica , with only suggestively developed microreticulum and microrugulae, a large number of foveolae present on dorsal promesonotum, their distance approximately equal to their diameter. Whole propodeum completely glabrous. Dorsum of waist glabrous. First gaster tergite glabrous. Pubescence on whole body long and dense, PLG/CS 6.97 %, sqPDG 3.95. Color of head, mesosoma, waist and gaster usually homogenously dark to medium brown; mandibles, scape, tibiae and tarsae yellowish brown.

Taxonomic comments and clustering results. Cardiocondyla dalmaticoides n. sp. can be safely separated from C. dalmatica and C. elegans alone by the more approached spine bases and narrower petiole ( Fig. 134 ). The glabrous surface of propodeum, the very acute propodeal spines and the high petiole with a very steep anterior profile of the node offer accessory means for separation.

Biology. Unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 134. Plotting of the square root of the product of petiole width PeW and spine base distance SPBA against head width CW in worker individuals of Cardiocondyla dalmaticoides n. sp. (white dots), C. dalmatica (crosses) and C. elegans (rhombs).

FIGURES 14–17. Cardiocondyla dalmaticoides n. sp., holotype; Fig. 14: head in dorsal view; Fig. 15: lateral view, postpetiole and gaster in full lateral view shown upper left; Fig. 16: dorsal view, postpetiole and gaster in full dorsal view shown lower left; Fig. 17: head surface between inner eye margin and paramedian vertex. Turkey: Reyhauli-2 km N, 1993.06.09