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Key to Tapinoma of Greece
This key to workers is from Borowiec and Salata 2022. Each terminal couplet is followed by comparative remarks that are specific to the Greek ant fauna.
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- Greece species list
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1
- Emargination on clypeus deep and parallelsided or slightly divergent . . . . . #2
- Emargination on clypeus shallow, semicircular or triangular . . . . . #5
2
return to couplet #1
- Emargination on clypeus very deep, extending to 0.35-0.39 length of clypeus, parallelsided. Larger species, HW of major workers 0.929-1.246 (mean 1.032) . . . . . #3
- Emargination on clypeus deep, extending to 0.30-0.34 length of clypeus, sides usually slightly divergent. Smaller species, HW of major workers 0.714-0.936 (mean 0.833) . . . . . #4
3
return to couplet #2
- Small setae around median clypeal emargination not protruding the margin of the excision. Known from both continental and island Greece . . . . . Tapinoma simrothi
Tapinoma magnum and T. simrothi form a complex of species with deep, parallelsided median emargination of clypeus. They are difficult to separate based only on external characters and the best distinguishing character is structure of male genitalia. For other distinguishing characters see Tapinoma magnum comparative remarks.
- Small setae around median clypeal emargination protruding the margin of the excision. Invasive species, known only from Dodecanese . . . . . Tapinoma magnum
Tapinoma magnum and T. simrothi form a complex of species with deep, parallelsided median emargination of clypeus. They are difficult to determination using only external characters and the best distinguishing character is structure of male genitalia. Tapinoma magnum has more setose anterior part of clypeus with longer marginal setae, some small setae reaching behind lateral and posterior margin of median emargination while in T. simrothi none or at most 2 of short setae reach behind the margin of median emargination. Tapinoma magnum is an invasive species in Greece, it was recorded only from tourist area in one island of the Dodecanese Archipelago. While T. simrothi is widespread in continental and insular Greece, most likely sympatric with T. magnum on Dodecanese.
4
return to couplet #2
- Slightly smaller species, mean HW of the largest workers 0.758, not larger than 0.810. No reliable records from Greece but occurrence in norther provinces is highly possible . . . . . Tapinoma erraticum
Tapinoma cf. erraticum_BALC and T. erraticum form a complex of species with median emargination of clypeus intermediate in depth between shallowly emarginate T. festae and T. subboreale and deeply emarginate T. magnum and T. simrothi.
- Slightly larger species, mean HW of the largest workers 0.889, up to 0.936. Common throughout Greece . . . . . Tapinoma cf. erraticum_BALC
5
return to couplet #1
- Emargination on clypeus deeper with less divergent lateral margins. Gyne small, HL 0.802-0.873, HW 0.825-0.889, MW 0.889-0.936. Northern species not recorded from Greece but possible to occur in northern provinces . . . . . Tapinoma subboreale
Tapinoma subboreale is the smallest species with the smallest gynes within Greek Tapinoma. Shallow, semicircular to triangular median emargination on clypeus places this species only close to T. festae but it differs distinctly in structure of male genitalia. For other distinguishing characters see comparative remarks under Tapinoma festae. Both species are separated geographically, T. festae is southern species known only from islands north to the southern Ionian Islands while T. subboreale is northern species so far not recorded from Greece. However, its confirmed presence in north Balkan countries suggests that it can occur in northern provinces of Greece.
- Emargination on clypeus very shallow with more divergent lateral margins. Gyne large, HL 1.063-1.150, HW 1.174-1.254, MW 1.183-1.333. Southern species known only from Greek islands north to Ionian Islands . . . . . Tapinoma festae
Tapinoma festae and T. subboreale form a complex of species with shallow and broad median emargination of clypeus. Workers are very difficult to determine based only on external characters and the best distinguishing character is structure of male genitalia. Additionally, gynes well separate both species, in T. festae they are large with HL 1.063-1.150, HW 1.174-1.254, MW 1.183-1.333 while in T. subboreale gynes are the smallest within the Greek representatives of the genus Tapinoma with HL 0.802-0.873, HW 0.825-0.889, MW 0.889-0.936. Both species are also separated geographically, T. festae is southern species known only from islands north to the southern Ionian Islands. While T. subboreale is northern species not recorded from Greece but known from north Balkan countries. Thus its occurrence in northern provinces of Greece is possible.