identifier	taxonID	type	CVterm	format	language	title	description	additionalInformationURL	UsageTerms	rights	Owner	contributor	creator	bibliographicCitation
2E86DCB94DE35396B6D2BADD1EF2A2B0.text	2E86DCB94DE35396B6D2BADD1EF2A2B0.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Messor odrysarum Lapeva-Gjonova & Borowiec 2026	<div><p>Messor odrysarum Lapeva-Gjonova &amp; Borowiec sp. nov.</p><p>Figs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10</p><p>Material examined.</p><p>Holotype: Bulgaria • 1 w. (pin), East Rhodopes, Kardzhali district, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=25.432&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=41.756332" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 25.432/lat 41.756332)">Sokolyane</a>, 41°45.38'N, 25°25.92'E, alt. 468 m, 15 Sept. 2025, leg. A. Lapeva-Gjonova, BFUS Collection, Catalog Number: BFUS -I-AG 003233 . Paratypes: BULGARIA • 7 w. (pin): the same locality as holotype, 25 Aug. 2022, leg. A. Lapeva-Gjonova (BFUS: from BFUS -I-AG 003201 to BFUS -I-AG 003207); • 14 w. (pin): the same locality as holotype, 03 June 2025, leg. A. Lapeva-Gjonova (BFUS: from BFUS -I-AG 003208 to BFUS -I-AG 003221); • 4 w. (pin): the same locality as holotype, 03 June 2025, leg. A. Lapeva-Gjonova (MNHW); • 1 g. (pin) (BFUS: BFUS -I-AG 003229), 3 m. (pin) (BFUS: from BFUS -I-AG 003230 to BFUS -I-AG 003232), 8 w. (pin) (BFUS: from BFUS -I-AG 003221 to BFUS -I-AG 003228): the same data as holotype, leg. A. Lapeva-Gjonova; • 1 g., 1 m., 3 w. (pin): the same data as holotype, leg. A. Lapeva-Gjonova (MNHW); • 4 w. (3 EtOH / 1 pin): Eastern Rhodopes, Kardzhali district, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=25.717333&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=41.609833" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 25.717333/lat 41.609833)">Oreshari vill.</a>, 41°36.59'N, 25°43.04'E, alt. 111 m, 22 Apr. 2014, leg. A. Lapeva-Gjonova (MNHW) ; • 1 w. (pin): Eastern Rhodopes, Haskovo district, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=25.8485&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=41.589165" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 25.8485/lat 41.589165)">Chernichino vill.</a>, 41°35.35'N, 25°50.91'E, 647 m, 23 Apr. 2021, leg. A. Lapeva-Gjonova (MNHW) ; • 5 w. (pin): same locality as previous, 15. Nov. 2025, leg. A. Lapeva-Gjonova (BFUS: from BFUS -I-AG 003196 to BFUS -I-AG 003200); • 5 w. (pin): Eastern Rhodopes, Kardzhali district, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=25.542667&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=41.767166" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 25.542667/lat 41.767166)">Maslinovo vill.</a>, 41°46.03'N, 25°32.56'E, alt. 362 m, 03 June 2025, leg. A. Lapeva-Gjonova (MNHW) .</p><p>Other material.</p><p>Bulgaria • 3 w. (pin): Eastern Rhodopes, Kardzhali district, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=25.717333&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=41.609833" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 25.717333/lat 41.609833)">Oreshari</a> vill., 41°36.59'N, 25°43.04'E, alt. 111 m, 22 Apr. 2014, leg. A. Lapeva-Gjonova (BFUS: BFUS -I-AG 000165, BFUS -I-AG 003173, BFUS -I-AG 003174, BFUS -I-AG 003176) ; • 1 g., 2 w. (pin): Eastern Rhodopes, Haskovo district, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=25.8485&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=41.589165" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 25.8485/lat 41.589165)">Chernichino</a> vill., 41°35.35'N, 25°50.91'E, alt. 647 m, 23 Apr. 2021, leg. A. Lapeva-Gjonova (BFUS: from BFUS -I-AG 003183 to BFUS -I-AG 003185) ; • 10 w. (pin): same locality as previous, 14 Sept. 2025, leg. A. Lapeva-Gjonova (BFUS: from BFUS -I-AG 003186 to BFUS -I-AG 003195); • 7 w. (1 EtOH / 6 pin): Eastern Rhodopes, Kardzhali district, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=25.542667&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=41.767166" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 25.542667/lat 41.767166)">Maslinovo</a> vill., 41°46.03'N, 25°32.56'E, alt. 362 m, 03 June 2025, leg. A. Lapeva-Gjonova (BFUS: BFUS -I-AG 003169; from BFUS -I-AG 003177 to BFUS -I-AG 003182) .</p><p>Etymology.</p><p>The name refers to the ancient Thracian state of Odrysia, whose geographical extent included the area where the new species was found. The name is formed as a first-declension plural noun.</p><p>Diagnosis.</p><p>Messor odrysarum sp. nov. is assigned to the Messor structor group based on well-developed head and mesosoma sculpture, dense pilosity with erect mesosoma setae, absence of a true psammophore, and confirmed by COI analysis. The new species is most closely related to the Balkan-Anatolian species M. oertzeni, as indicated by the following characteristics: the longer antennal scape (SL / HW of 0.89 ± 0.05 in major workers and 1.09 ± 0.02 in gynes), the straight posterior head margin, the distinctly angulate propodeum in major workers, and the COI genetic distance of 5.72 %, which is the smallest compared to other species in the genus from the region. Workers of Messor odrysarum sp. nov. differs from M. oertzeni, in their smaller body size, uniform black colouration, narrowed head posterior to the eyes, more irregular sculpture on the head and promesonotum, and longer, denser setae on the head and mesosoma, but sparser on the metasoma. The gyne of M. odrysarum sp. nov. can be distinguished from M. oertzeni by its smaller size, uniformly black body colour and less regular sculpture on the occipital part of the head and dorsal mesosoma. The new species is currently known from the East Rhodopes in Bulgaria, while M. oertzeni is more widely distributed across the eastern Balkans and Anatolia.</p><p>Description.</p><p>Major workers (N = 20). Measurements: HL 1.99 ± 0.15 (1.73–2.24); HW 2.01 ± 0.19 (1.64–2.31); HL / HW 0.99 ± 0.03 (0.92–1.06); SL 1.78 ± 0.10 (1.62–1.93); SL / HW 0.89 ± 0.05 (0.80–0.99); EL 0.38 ± 0.04 (0.32–0.45); MW 1.30 ± 0.11 (1.09–1.48); PSL 0.30 ± 0.04 (0.25–0.38); PTL 0.70 ± 0.06 (0.57–0.82); PTH 0.55 ± 0.04 (0.48–0.62); PTH / PTL 0.79 ± 0.05 (0.70–0.86); WL 2.62 ± 0.19 (2.37–2.95); HFL 2.45 ± 0.15 (2.18–2.66); HFL / WL 0.93 ± 0.02 (0.90–0.99).</p><p>Colour. Entire body shiny black, except for lower part of the genae, mandibles, antennal condyle, tip of last antennal segment, and joints of legs and tarsi, which are reddish.</p><p>Head. Almost squared, HL / HW 0.99, sides slightly converging towards posterior margin, latter straight. Anterior clypeal margin slightly convex, finely crenulate, without median emargination, with a row of 8 long marginal, yellowish setae. Clypeus without appressed pubescence, with few short, erect setae. Central plate of clypeus and clypeal alae with longitudinal rugae without median keel, interspaces smooth, shiny. Eyes small and broadly oval (mean EL 0.378 mm). Frontal triangle shallowly impressed, with several longitudinal rugae and smooth interspaces, shiny. Frontal carinae extend beyond frontal lobes and merge with one of antennal semicircular rugae. Frons narrow, approximately 0.25 width of head at narrowest point. Antennal fossa deep and completely surrounded by semicircular rugae, its surface smooth and shiny. Head with longitudinal striation on genae and frons and with more irregular sculpture, being mixture of microreticulate and rugulose structures on vertex. Narrow median band from vertex to frons smooth. Anterior surface of head covered with short, sparse, yellowish appressed setae, while long, decumbent to semierect setae cover its entire surface. Ventral part of head and inner margin of mandibles with numerous, semierect setae of various lengths, straight to occasionally C-shaped, which do not form distinct psammophore. Antennae elongated, 0.80–0.99 as long as head width. At base, scape strongly extended, forming rounded outer and subangulate inner angles. In frontal view, apical part of scape slightly curved with preapical constriction. Funiculus distinctly longer than scape, pedicel moderately elongated, approximately 2.2 × as long as wide at apex, flattened dorsoventrally, approximately 0.87 × as long as segments 2 and 3 combined and 1.75 × as long as segment 2. Scape with diffused microreticulation, shiny, covered with long, dense, yellowish setae, decumbent to subdecumbent. Mandibles rounded, shiny surface with deep grooves with a few yellow setae, cutting edge in large majors without teeth or with serrulate edge.</p><p>Mesosoma. Moderately long, approximately twice as long as wide. Promesonotum convex in lateral view with mesonotum slightly bulging above pronotal plate. Pronotum rounded at sides. Propodeum lower than promesonotum, flat dorsally and distinctly angulate; in largest workers with subangulate denticle; posterior slope oblique. Pronotum anteriorly and dorsally with distinct irregular reticulate sculpture, laterally with longitudinal rugae, interspaces smooth and shiny. Elevated dorsal plate of mesonotum with transverse rugae; sides reticulate; mesopleura with sharp, sparsely arranged, vertically positioned rugae; interspaces microreticulate and shiny. Propodeum dorsally and on posterior slope with sharp transverse rugae; metapleural area with sharp longitudinal rugae; interspaces with diffuse microreticulation; metapleurum and posterior face of propodeum partly smooth and shiny. Promesonotum, dorsal part of propodeum and mesometapleural sulcus with short, sparse, yellowish appressed setae. Numerous long, dense, erect setae cover mesosoma dorsally, longer on promesonotum and twice shorter on propodeum.</p><p>Waist and gaster. Moderately long peduncle with moderately high triangular node, thin, PTH / PTL 0.79. Peduncle, and base of node with distinct reticulate sculpture, anterior face concave with distinct microreticulation, slightly dull, sides and posterior face of node strongly microreticulate with several irregular rugosities. Dorsal petiole angulate in lateral view, upper margin shallowly emarginate, top and lateral sides of node with 10–15 erect setae. Postpetiole rounded in lateral view, globular in dorsal view, 1.1–1.3 × as wide as the petiole; surface microreticulate; sides and posterior face with several sharp, irregular to transverse rugosities. Dorsal sclerite with c. 20 long erect setae; sternal sclerite with c. 10 shorter erect setae. First gastral tergite entirely microreticulate; surface shiny, bearing extremely sparse and short appressed setae together with long, semierect setae, the longest reaching 0.29 in length.</p><p>Legs. Elongate, femora moderately swollen centrally, tibiae moderately widened apically, mid and hind tarsi longer than tibiae. Whole femora microreticulate, dorsally and laterally covered with dense and long, decumbent and subdecumbent and ventrally semierect to erect setae. Tibiae covered with dense and long decumbent to semierect setae.</p><p>Smallest workers (N = 15). Measurements: HL 1.01 ± 0.07 (0.89–1.15); HW 0.95 ± 0.07 (0.83–1.08); HL / HW 1.07 ± 0.02 (1.04–1.13); SL 1.03 ± 0.08 (0.92–1.17); SL / HW 1.09 ± 0.02 (1.04–1.12); EL 0.20 ± 0.02 (0.17–0.25); MW 0.64 ± 0.04 (0.57–0.70); PTL 0.39 ± 0.03 (0.31–0.43); PTH 0.29 ± 0.02 (0.27–0.33); PTH / PTL 0.76 ± 0.04 (0.71–0.85); WL 1.40 ± 0.09 (1.23–1.53); HFL 1.20 ± 0.10 (1.02–1.37); HFL / WL 0.86 ± 0.05 (0.68–0.91).</p><p>Colour. Same as major workers, black, the antennae, legs, waist and gaster appear dark brown.</p><p>Head. Slightly more elongated (HL / HW mean 1.07) and more rounded in frontal view than major workers, softly converges posterad behind eyes, posterior head corners rounded, and occipital margin straight. Antennae elongated; scape 1.04–1.12 as long as head width, covered with long, dense erect setae. Sculpture of head less developed than in major workers, with striation on frontal area and genae, vertex and occipital corners with microreticulation only.</p><p>Mesosoma. As slim as majors, ML / MW ratio mean 2.2. Sculpture of mesosoma as in major workers, lateral sides of pronotum striate with microreticulation between striae. Propodeum rounded in lateral view, not angled and without denticle. Setation of mesosoma as in majors but with lower number of setae.</p><p>Waist and gaster. Waist as in major workers, but with smaller number of erect setae (fewer than 10) and with microreticulation only, without rugosity. Gaster microreticulate and shiny. Rest of characters as in major workers.</p><p>Legs. Elongate; femora moderately swollen medially, tibiae moderately widened preapically; mid and hind tarsi longer than tibiae. Femora entirely microreticulate, dorsally and laterally with short decumbent to subdecumbent setae, ventrally with longer decumbent to semierect setae. Tibiae with dense decumbent to semierect setae.</p><p>Gynes (N = 3). Measurements: HL 2.18 ± 0.05 (2.12–2.22); HW 2.19 ± 0.07 (2.11–2.24); HL / HW 0.99 ± 0.05 (0.95–1.05); SL 1.85 ± 0.03 (1.82–1.88); SL / HW 0.84 ± 0.04 (0.82–0.89); EL 0.55 ± 0.00 (0.55–0.56); MW 2.08 ± 0.04 (2.03–2.11); PSL 0.56 ± 0.03 (0.53–0.60); PTL 1.26 ± 0.09 (1.17–1.35); PTH 0.91 ± 0.02 (0.90–0.93); PTH / PTL 0.73 ± 0.04 (0.69–0.77); WL 3.93 ± 0.12 (3.82–4.07); HFL 2.67 ± 0.02 (2.66–2.69); HFL / WL 0.68 ± 0.02 (0.66–0.70).</p><p>Colour. Entire body shiny black, except for lower part of the genae, mandibles, antennal condyle, last four antennal segments, joints of legs and tarsi, reddish.</p><p>Head. Almost squared, HL / HW 0.99, sides subparallel, the posterior head corners rounded and posterior margin straight. Anterior clypeal margin convex, finely crenulate, without median emargination, with row of long marginal, yellowish setae. Clypeus with appressed pubescence. Central plate of clypeus and clypeal alae with longitudinal rugae without median keel, interspaces smooth, shiny. Eyes small and broadly oval (mean EL 0.55 mm). Frontal triangle shallowly impressed, with several longitudinal rugae and smooth interspaces, shiny. Frontal carinae short, slightly extending beyond frontal lobes. Frons narrow, at narrowest point approximately 0.3 width of head. Antennal fossa deep and completely surrounded by semicircular rugae, its surface smooth and shiny. Head with longitudinal striation on genae and frons and with more irregular rugulose sculpture on vertex. Anterior surface of head covered with short, sparse, yellowish appressed setae, while subdecumbent to decumbent setae cover entire surface. Ventral part of head and inner margin of mandibles with numerous, semierect setae of various lengths, straight to occasionally C-shaped, which do not form a distinct psammophore. Antennae elongated, 0.82–0.89 as long as head width. At its base, scape strongly extended, forming rounded outer and subangulate inner angles. In a frontal view, apical part of scape slightly curved with preapical constriction. Funiculus distinctly longer than scape, pedicel moderately elongated, approximately twice as long as wide at apex, approximately 0.83 × as long as segments 2 and 3 combined and 1.58 × as long as segment 2. Scape with diffused microreticulation, shiny, covered with long, dense, yellowish setae, appressed to decumbent.</p><p>Mandibles rounded, surface shiny with deep grooves with dense yellow setae, cutting edge with large, sharp teeth.</p><p>Mesosoma. Stout and moderately long, approximately twice as long as wide (WL / MW 1.9). Pronotum not visible from above and rounded at sides. Its anterior slope scabrous, while laterally it is covered with longitudinal rugae, interspaces smooth and shiny. Scutum slightly convex above pronotal plate. Its surface smooth and shiny along the midline, and punctate on sides. Posterior half with irregular longitudinal rugosity. Scutellum slightly convex, almost smooth, shiny. Anepisternum, katepisternum and lateral sides of propodeum with longitudinal rugae; interspaces smooth and shiny. Metanotum and posterior slope of propodeum with distinct, regular, transverse rugae. Propodeal spines moderately long, in form of triangular teeth, PSL 0.56 ± 0.03. Dorsal surface of scutum covered with dense, long, yellowish setae, longest of 0.461 mm, sparser on scutellum, and shortest on dorsal side of propodeum.</p><p>Waist and gaster. Petiole elongate, with long peduncle and moderately high triangular node, thin, PTH / PTL 0.73, peduncle, and anterior face of node with microreticulation, and posterior face with sharp transverse rugae. Upper margin of petiole straight or slightly emarginate, top and posterior face with erect yellow setae. Postpetiole rounded in lateral view, globular in dorsal view, 0.75 × as wide as petiole, anterior face smooth and shiny, on sides and on posterior face with perpendicular and transverse rugae, with long erect setae. First gastral tergite entirely microreticulate; surface shiny, covered with short appressed setae together with long, subdecumbent to semierect setae, the longest reaching 0.4 in length.</p><p>Legs. Legs elongate; femora slightly swollen medially, tibiae moderately widened preapically, mid and hind tarsi longer than tibiae. Femora microreticulate, dorsally with dense decumbent setae, laterally with decumbent to subdecumbent, ventrally with subdecumbent to semierect setae. Tibiae with dense, long, decumbent to semierect setae.</p><p>Males (N = 3). Measurements: HL 1.24 ± 0.03 (1.21–1.26); HW 1.28 ± 0.05 (1.22–1.30); HL / HW 0.97 ± 0.05 (0.93–1.02); SL 0.50 ± 0.07 (0.44–0.58); SL / HW 0.39 ± 0.07 (0.34–0.48); EL 0.50 ± 0.01 (0.48–0.51); MW 1.65 ± 0.05 (1.60–1.70); PSL 0.38 ± 0.02 (0.36–0.39); PTL 0.94 ± 0.08 (0.85–0.99); PTH 0.52 ± 0.0 (0.52–0.53); PTH / PTL 0.56 ± 0.05 (0.53–0.61); WL 3.22 ± 0.06 (3.15–3.26); HFL 2.81 ± 0.05 (2.76–2.86); HFL / WL 0.87 ± 0.01 (0.87–0.88).</p><p>Colour. Body shiny black; incisor part of mandibles, tip of the last antennal segment, leg joints, and tarsi reddish.</p><p>Head. Head slightly wider than long (HL / HW 0.97); posterior head corners broadly rounded, posterior margin slightly convex. Mandibles triangular, smooth basally and apically, striate medially, bearing eight acute teeth, apical and preapical largest. Clypeus convex medially, without median emargination; surface with several irregular rugae, interspaces microreticulate. Frontal carinae short, not extending beyond midpoint of eyes. Lower margin of antennal socket below lower eye margin. Ocelli well below posterior head margin; anterior ocellus above level of upper eye margin. Eyes large (mean EL 0.50), strongly convex, situated closer to anterior than to posterior head margin, with microscopic hairs. Antenna 13 - segmented, without apical club, last segment 1.6 × longer than the previous one. Head mainly microreticulate, with longitudinal striation on the genae and frons, and covered with long, dense, yellowish setae, longest on posterior corners and margin, and clypeal margin.</p><p>Mesosoma. Stout; mesoscutum enlarged and strongly convex, overhanging pronotum; parapsidal lines distinct. Mesoscutellum convex. Metanotum short, vertical, with transverse rugae. Propodeum angulate in lateral view; surface with longitudinal rugosity, interspaces microreticulate. Metasternal process large, longer than high, apex dentate. Mesosoma densely covered with long yellowish setae, erect dorsally and decumbent laterally.</p><p>Waist and gaster. Waist elongate, with long peduncle and triangular petiole (PTH / PTL 0.56). Peduncle, anterior face, and lateral sides of petiole microreticulate; posterior face with median longitudinal rugae and reticulate laterally. Petiole with long, curved, backward-directed setae on the upper margin and posterior face, and short, erect to appressed setae on the anterior face. Postpetiole rounded in lateral view and globular in dorsal view, 1.2 × as wide as petiole; surface reticulate with sparse low rugae. Dorsal surface with long curved backward setae and decumbent setae posteriorly; ventrally with erect setae. First gastral tergite microreticulate; surface shiny, covered with long appressed setae together with long, subdecumbent to semierect setae; midline hairless.</p><p>Legs. Elongate; mid and hind tarsi longer than tibiae. Femora and tibiae microreticulate; dorsally with decumbent setae, denser apically; laterally with decumbent to subdecumbent setae; ventrally with decumbent to semierect setae. Tibiae dorsally with dense, short, decumbent to subdecumbent setae.</p><p>COI barcode.</p><p>A sequence of the species has been deposited in BOLD (accession number BGANT 009-23, BIN: BOLD: AES 9246) and analysed by Lapeva-Gjonova et al. (2025) under the provisional name Messor sp. 2 . According to the Kimura 2 - parameter model, the new species shows a COI genetic distance of 5.72 % from M. oertzeni . Phylogenetic reconstruction using both Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood indicates that it is a sister taxon of M. oertzeni, with very strong support (1.00 posterior probability and 95 % bootstrap value, respectively) (see Lapeva-Gjonova et al. 2025 for details).</p><p>Biological notes.</p><p>A lowland species, occurring at elevations up to 647 m. Nests were found in the middle of dirt roads within oak forests or open grasslands, with entrances at ground level. In late summer, seed remains were observed near the nest entrances (Fig. 10). Alate gynes and males were collected intranidally in April and September. Syntopic occurrence was recorded with Messor wasmanni and M. oertzeni . The myrmecophilous beetle Cholovocera balcanica Karaman, 1936 ( Coleoptera: Endomychidae) was found in large numbers in the nests of the new species at the type locality (Sokolyane), Oreshari and Chernichino.</p><p>Distribution.</p><p>Messor odrysarum sp. nov. is currently only known from the Eastern Rhodopes in Bulgaria, possibly also occurring in the Thracian region of Greece and Türkiye.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/2E86DCB94DE35396B6D2BADD1EF2A2B0	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Pensoft via Plazi	Lapeva-Gjonova, Albena;Borowiec, Lech	Lapeva-Gjonova, Albena, Borowiec, Lech (2026): A new species of Messor from Bulgaria and redescription of the gyne of M. oertzeni Forel, 1910 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys 1275: 145-168, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1275.181745
EC6BF84D7E8A5D05AC50C5B52536088F.text	EC6BF84D7E8A5D05AC50C5B52536088F.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Messor oertzeni Forel 1910	<div><p>Messor oertzeni Forel, 1910</p><p>Figs 11, 12</p><p>Material examined.</p><p>Bulgaria • 1 g. (pin), <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=23.2675&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=41.452" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 23.2675/lat 41.452)">Struma valley</a>, Rupite; 41°27.12'N, 23°16.05'E, alt. 91 m, 23 Aug. 2025, leg. A. Lapeva-Gjonova, Catalog Number: BFUS -I-AG 003234 (BFUS) .</p><p>Redescription.</p><p>Gyne (N = 1). Measurements: HL 3.37; HW 2.50; HL / HW 1.35; SL 2.28; SL / HW 0.91; EL 0.64; MW 2.40; PSL 0.66; PTL 1.43; PTH 1.03; PTH / PTL 0.72; WL 4.56; HFL 3.09; HFL / WL 0.68.</p><p>Colour. Head reddish, with posterior head corners, a medial band extending from posterior head margin to central part of clypeus, antennal fossae, and clypeal margins dark brown to black. Antennae uniformly reddish. Mesosoma, waist and gaster black. Legs with coxae and median portion of femora dark brown to black; remaining parts reddish to brown.</p><p>Head. Rectangular, longer than wide (HL / HW 1.35); sides subparallel. Posterior corners of head rounded; posterior margin straight. Clypeus with appressed pubescence and few short, erect setae. Anterior clypeal margin slightly convex, finely crenulate, without a median emargination, bearing row of ten long, yellowish marginal setae. Central plate and clypeal alae with longitudinal rugae, lacking median keel; interspaces smooth and shiny. Eyes small, broadly oval (EL 0.643 mm). Frontal triangle shallowly impressed, with longitudinal rugae and smooth, shiny interspaces. Frontal carinae extending beyond frontal lobes and merging with one of semicircular antennal rugae. Frons approximately one-third of width of head. Antennal fossa deep, completely surrounded by semicircular rugae; surface smooth and shiny. Head with extremely dense longitudinal striation, slightly divergent around eyes and in occipital corners. Genae, lateral sides of head and occipital region with moderately dense and short decumbent to semierect setae, longest in occipital corners with length 0.205. Ventral part of head with numerous, semierect setae of various lengths, straight to occasionally C-shaped, which do not form a distinct psammophore. Antennae elongated, 0.91 as long as head width. At its base, the scape is strongly extended, forming rounded outer and subangulate inner angles. In a frontal view, the apical part of the scape is slightly curved with a preapical constriction. Funiculus distinctly longer than scape, pedicel moderately elongated, approximately 2.2 × as long as wide at apex, flattened dorsoventrally, approximately 0.75 × as long as segments 2 and 3 combined and 1.43 × as long as segment 2. Scape with microreticulation, shiny, covered with short, dense, setae, decumbent to subdecumbent. Mandibles rounded, shiny surface with deep grooves with dense yellow setae, cutting edge with large, sharp teeth.</p><p>Mesosoma. Stout and moderately long, approximately 2 × as long as wide (WL / MW 1.9). Pronotum is not visible from above and is rounded at the sides. Its anterior slope with transverse rugae, lateral sides covered with longitudinal rugae, interspaces smooth and shiny. Scutum slightly convex above pronotal plate. Its surface smooth and shiny on most convex central and lateral areas and longitudinally striate in areas between them. Scutellum slightly convex, longitudinally striate, shiny. Anepisternum, katepisternum and lateral sides of propodeum with longitudinal rugae; interspaces smooth and shiny. Metanotum and posterior slope of propodeum with distinct, regular, transverse rugae. Propodeal spines moderately long, in form of triangular teeth, PSL 0.66. Dorsal surface of scutum covered in dense, long, yellowish setae, the longest of 0.401 mm; sparser on scutellum, and shortest on dorsal side of propodeum.</p><p>Waist and gaster. Petiole elongate, with long peduncle and moderately high triangular node, thin, PTH / PTL 0.72, peduncle, and anterior face of node with microreticulation, and posterior face on the top with sharp transverse rugae. Upper margin of petiole slightly emarginate, top and posterior face with erect yellow setae. Postpetiole rounded in lateral view, globular in dorsal view, 0.76 × as wide as petiole, anterior face finely striate, lateral and posterior faces reticulate, with long, erect, backward-directed setae. First gastral tergite entirely microreticulate; surface shiny, covered with short appressed setae together with moderately long, subdecumbent to semierect setae, longest reaching 0.294 in length.</p><p>Legs. Elongate; femora slightly swollen medially, tibiae moderately widened preapically, mid and hind tarsi longer than tibiae. Femora microreticulate, dorsally with decumbent setae, laterally with decumbent to subdecumbent, ventrally with subdecumbent to semierect setae. Tibiae with dense, decumbent to subdecumbent setae.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/EC6BF84D7E8A5D05AC50C5B52536088F	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Pensoft via Plazi	Lapeva-Gjonova, Albena;Borowiec, Lech	Lapeva-Gjonova, Albena, Borowiec, Lech (2026): A new species of Messor from Bulgaria and redescription of the gyne of M. oertzeni Forel, 1910 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys 1275: 145-168, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1275.181745
