.jpg){kind=logo}
Lasius excavatus
| Lasius excavatus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Formicinae |
| Tribe: | Lasiini |
| Genus: | Lasius |
| Section: | niger clade |
| Species group: | brunneus |
| Species complex: | brunneus |
| Species: | L. excavatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Lasius excavatus Seifert, 2020
| |
L. excavatus appears to be arboricolous and is probably an Iranian endemic. The climatic conditions within the highland desert of Iran are harsh due to high aridity, high summer temperatures and very cold winters. This species was found in rare spots with less extreme conditions allowing growth of trees: a light Quercus woodland and a light stand of broad-leafed trees in the ancient settlement of Maymand. (Seifert 2020)
Identification
Palaearctic Lasius s. str. species belonging to the Lasius brunneus species complex.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Seifert (2020) - Only known from the two type localities in the highland desert of S Iran at elevations of 2200–2500 m.
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Iran (type locality).
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. |
|
Biology
Castes
Worker
Images from AntWeb
   
| |
| Holotype of Lasius excavatus. Worker. Specimen code antweb1041440. Photographer Roland Schultz, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by SMNG, Görlitz, Germany. |
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- excavatus. Lasius excavatus Seifert, 2020: 48, figs. 7-8 (w.) IRAN.
The low number of mandibular dents (MaDe900 7.00), the linear profile lines of the dorsum and posterior slope of propodeum, the sharp dorsal crest of petiole scale, the very smooth pubescence on scapes and tibiae, the strongly reduced pilosity, the short pronotal setae (PnHL/CS900 0.102) and the short frontal pubescence (PLF900 23.2 µm) place Lasius excavatus within the Lasius brunneus species complex. The main difference to the three related species L. brunneus, Lasius silvaticus and Lasius himalayanus are the longer scape (SL/CS900 0.974), the shorter postocular index (PoOc/CL900 0.222) and a suggested excavation of posterior head margin. The coloration is similar to the situation in L. brunneus, yet with two of the six type specimens a little darker.
See table 1 in Seifert 2020 for additional morphometrics. The abbreviated names of various quantitative data shown above are defined here: Seifert 2020 Lasius characters.
Type Material
Holotype plus 2 paratype workers labelled ”IRAN: 30.229°N, 55.375°E, Shar-e-babak: Maymand, on trees in garden, 2220 m, O. Paknia 2004.06.11 -169“; 3 paratype workers labelled ”IRAN: 30.900°N, 51.419°E, Sisakht, Kharidun, 2500 m, oak steppe forest, on tree, O. Paknia 2007.07.10 -1727“; all material stored in Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Görlitz.
Etymology
The species name refers to the shape of posterior head margin.