Aphaenogaster vohraliki

Aphaenogaster vohraliki
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Aphaenogaster
Species group:	splendida
Species:	A. vohraliki
Binomial name
Aphaenogaster vohraliki Salata, Karaman, Kiran & Borowiec, 2021

Nothing in known concerning the biology of this species (Salata et al., 2021).

Identification

A very distinct species. Its elongate head with distinctly converging posterior sides of head at first glance makes this species similar to some representatives of the Aphaenogaster cecconii species group but it differs in distinctly more developed sculpture of head and mesosoma than in any species in the A. cecconii group. From species of the A. splendida group the most similar is Aphaenogaster hamaensis, described and known from Syria, which also has elongate head with distinctly converging posterior sides. Aphaenogaster hamaensis distinctly differs from A. vohraliki in extremely short propodeal spines of the shape of reduced teeth while in A. vohraliki propodeal spines are long and elongate. Also Aphaenogaster kervillei, due to elongate head and slim legs, appears similar to A. vohraliki but differs in short, dentiform propodeal spines and posterior sides of head weakly converging posterad.

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: Türkiye.

Distribution based on AntMaps

Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.

Castes

Queen unknown.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

• vohraliki. Aphaenogaster vohraliki Salata, Karaman, et al. 2021: 336, figs. 81, 82 (w.) TURKEY.
  • Type-material: holotype worker, 4 paratype workers.
  • Type-locality: holotype Turkey: Adana Dist., Feke, 31.v.1993 (V. Vohralík); paratypes with same data.
  • Type-depositories: MNHW (holotype); DBET, MNHW (paratype).
  • Distribution: Turkey.

Type Material

• Holotype worker: Turkey, distr. Adana | Feke | 31.V.1993 |V. Vohralík lgt. || Sample Nr. | V 842” (CASENT0887540, MNHW-DBET).
• Four paratype workers: the same data as holotype (CASENT0887541–CASENT0887544, MNHW-DBET, PWC).

References

• Kiran, K., Karaman, C. 2020. Additions to the ant fauna of Turkey (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Zoosystema 42(18), 285-329 (doi:10.5252/zoosystema2020v42a18).
• Salata, S., Karaman, C., Kiran, K., Borowiec, L. 2021. Review of the Aphaenogaster splendida species-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Annales Zoologici 71 (doi:10.3161/00034541anz2021.71.2.008).
• Schifani, E., Alicata, A., Menchetti, M., Borowiec, L., Fisher, B.L., Karaman, C., Kiran, K., Oueslati, W., Salata, S., Blatrix, R. 2022. Revisiting the morphological species groups of West-Palearctic Aphaenogaster ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) under a phylogenetic perspective: toward an evolutionary classification. Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny 80, 627–648 (doi:10.3897/asp.80.e84428).