Solenopsis (Diplorhoptrum) fugax var. furtiva Santschi, 1934 [type investigation]

Csosz, Sandor, Seifert, Bernhard, Laszlo, Mark, Yusupov, Zalimkhan M. & Herczeg, Gabor, 2023, Broadly sympatric occurrence of two thief ant species Solenopsis fugax (Latreille, 1798) and S. juliae (Arakelian, 1991) in the East European Pontic-Caspian region (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) is disclosed, ZooKeys 1187, pp. 189-222 : 189

Solenopsis (Diplorhoptrum) fugax var. furtiva Santschi, 1934 [type investigation]

Notes.

This taxon was described from France. Five syntype workers were examined labelled "Hte Garonne, Mt d’Espinasse, Val.Larboust, 1250 m. 03.X.1929"; depository NHM Basel. The placement of the worker type specimens within the S. fugax cluster has been shown in the analyses above.

Material examined.

Numeric phenotypical data were taken by SC in 35 samples with 137 workers. BS investigated 25 nest samples with 92 workers and 32 gynes, the latter collected either from nests or caught during nuptial flight or in traps. For details see Suppl. materials 2, 3.

Geographic range.

According to our data ranging from France over Central Europe, the Balkans, Asia Minor, the Caucasian region, the south Ukrainian and Russian steppes east to the Caspian Sea (Fig. 8 ). A wider range including Spain and stretching east to east Kazakhstan appears very likely but is not documented so far by examined vouchers.

Diagnoses.

Worker (Table 4 , Figs 9 - 12 ): Small, mean CS 491 µm. All shape ratios given below are mean values allometrically corrected for CS = 480 µm. Head elongated, CL/CW480 1.184. Hind margin of vertex in full face view both in minors and majors straight or very feebly concave. Scape short, SL/CS480 0.705. Frontal carinae short, often slightly diverging frontad, FL/CS480 0.231, FR/CS480 0.221. Preocular distance rather large, PrOc/CS480 0.191. Eye small, EL/CS480 0.091. Inner clypeal dents spiny and moderately long (CLSPLM/CS480 0.058), their tips often slightly incurving and as result more approached (CLSPD/CS480 0.123). Lateral clypeal dents much less developed (CLSPLL/CS480 0.021). Frontal lobes carinulate, whole surface vertex except for numerous foveolae of the seta bases and occasional vestigial microrugulae completely smooth and shiny. Mesosoma long (ML/CS480 1.214), moderately wide (MW/CS480 0.601) and always with a moderately deep metanotal groove (MpGr/CS480 0.028). Whole mesosoma smooth and shiny except for 3-6 longitudinal carinulae on lateral metapleuron. Petiole in lateral view with a relatively short peduncle and a high node with a semicircular dorsum, the whole node slightly inclined caudad. Petiole much higher and only slightly narrower than postpetiole (PEH/CS480 0.388, PPH/CS480 0.303, PEW/CS480 0.320, PPW/CS480 0.333). Both waist segments completely smooth and shiny. Head, mesosoma, waist, gaster, femora, tibiae, and scape with very abundant, fine and long setae. Pubescence absent. Whole body and appendages light yellowish, larger major workers often with a brownish color component.

Gyne (Table 5 , Figs 13 - 15 ): Medium-sized, mean CS 897 µm. Head clearly shorter than wide, CL/CW 0.939. Inner third of hind margin of vertex in full face view weakly convex or straight. Scape short, SL/CS 0.637. Frontal carinae short, subparallel and moderately distant, FR/CS 0.252. Preocular distance small, PrOc/CS 0.119. Eye moderately large, EL/CS 0.287. Inner clypeal dents spiny and rather long (CLSPLM/CS 0.050), rather approached (CLSPD/CS 0.141). Lateral clypeal dents much less developed (CLSPLL/CS 0.015). Genae and frontal lobes carinulate, central vertex strongly carinulate-rugulose; these characters are also found in the two microgynes corresponding in size to the S. juliae macrogynes. Mesosoma long (ML/CS 2.072) and much higher than wide (MH/CS 1.315, MW/CS 1.117). Dorsal mesonotum and scutum moderately carinulate. Lateral scutum, metapleuron and lower propodeum more strongly carinulate. Petiole in lateral view with a short peduncle, a high node with triangular profile and slightly higher than postpetiole (PEH/CS 0.493, PPH/CS 0.479); dorsal crest of petiole node in dorsal view much wider than long, the petiole slightly narrower than postpetiole (PEW/CS 0.463, PPW/CS 0.513). Postpetiole densely but weakly carinulate. Head, mesosoma, waist, gaster, femora, tibiae, and scape with very abundant, fine and long setae. Pubescence absent. Usually dark to medium brown; legs, antennae and mandibles yellowish.

Figures

Figure 8. Geographic map shows the distribution of the samples analyzed in this study. Blue dots: S. juliae, ocher dots: S. fugax, black dots: S. cypridis.

Figure 9. Head of major worker of Solenopsis fugax in full-face view.

Figure 12. Lateral view of Solenopsis fugax minor worker.

Figure 13. Head of a macrogyne of Solenopsis fugax in full-face view.

Figure 15. Head of a microgyne of Solenopsis fugax in full-face view.