Key to Metalasius and subgenera of Lasius of Greece

This key to workers is from Borowiec and Salata 2022.

You may also be interested in

• Greece species list
• Ants of Greece project page
• Ants of Crete project page

1

• Small, CW 0.60-1.28 mm. Body never shinning black, from yellow to brownish black or bicoloured. Head with convex, straight or very shallowly excavated posterior margin . . . . . #2

• Large, CW 1.25-1.55 mm. Body shinning black. Head with distinctly excavated posterior margin . . . . . Dendrolasius

2

return to couplet #1

• Maxillary palps short, not reaching beyond midpoint between mouth and occipital foramen. Workers yellow of various tint . . . . . #3

• Maxillary palps elongate, distinctly reaching beyond midpoint between mouth and occipital foramen. Workers brownish to greyish-black, sometimes bicolored, never pure yellow . . . . . Lasius s. str.

3

return to couplet #2

• Petiolar scale thin, with tapered crest. Queens large, body length never below 6 mm . . . . . #4

• Petiolar scale thick, with rounded crest. Queens small, body length not more 4 mm . . . . . Austrolasius

4

return to couplet #3

• Workers polymorphic. Ventral side of head lacking erected setae . . . . . Cautolasius and Metalasius

• Workers monomorphic. Ventral side of head with numerous erected setae . . . . . Chthonolasius

References

• Borowiec, L., Salata, S. 2022. A monographic review of ants of Greece (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Vol. 1. Introduction and review of all subfamilies except the subfamily Myrmicinae. Part 1: text. Natural History Monographs of the Upper Silesian Museum 1: 1-297.