Lasius israelicus

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Lasius israelicus
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: turcicus
Species: L. israelicus
Binomial name
Lasius israelicus
Seifert, 2020

Lasius israelicus Holotype worker antweb1041443 p.jpg

Lasius israelicus Holotype worker antweb1041443 d.jpg

Specimen Labels

known from a small area of 6000 km² in north Israel and Jordan (West bank) at elevations between 205 and 662 m.

Identification

Palaearctic Lasius s. str. species belonging to the Lasius turcicus species complex.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: Israel (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

AntMapLegend.png

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.
pChart

Biology

Castes

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Lasius israelicus Holotype worker antweb1041443 h.jpgLasius israelicus Holotype worker antweb1041443 d2.jpgLasius israelicus Holotype worker antweb1041443 p2.jpgLasius israelicus Holotype worker antweb1041443 p3.jpg
Holotype of Lasius israelicusWorker. Specimen code antweb1041443. 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.

  • israelicus. Lasius israelicus Seifert, 2020: 54, figs. 21-22 (w.aq.m.) ISRAEL.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Belonging to the Lasius turcicus species complex. Body size rather large (CS 865 µm). Number of mandibular dents low (MaDe900 7.7). Clypeal pubescence dilute (sqPDCL900 5.44). Petiole scale in profile view rather thin with a sharp dorsal crest. Cuticular surface of head and mesosoma shining, with reduced microsculpture. Pubescence hairs on frons very long (PLF 38.4 µm). Not to confuse with other species of the L. turcicus species complex because of longer and much more numerous setae on all body parts with exception of scape (e.g., PnHL/CS900 0.147, nHT900 18.0) and much longer scape and terminal segment of maxillary palps (SL/CS900 0.996, MP6/CS900 0.216). Coloration variable: in bicolored specimens head and gaster dark brown; mesosoma, mandibles, antennae, lateral and anterior part of clypeus, tibiae and tarsae light yellowish-reddish; in more concolorous specimens head, mesosoma and gaster medium brown with a yellowish-reddish tinge.

See table 3 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 on one pin labelled ”ISRAEL Nahal ‚Ammud 32°58.50N 35°28.00E 28.v.1981 F. KAPLAN“, ”18.“; 1 male and 1 alate gyne paratype with the same labelling on another pin; 3 paratype workers labelled ”ISRAEL Hazbani 33°14.50N, 35°40.00E 24.iv.1982 J. KUGLER“; 2 paratype workers labelled ”ISRAEL Elon Nahal Keziv [Wadi Karkara] 33°04.00 N, 35°13.00E 3.iv. 1944 H. BYTINSKI-SALZ“; 3 paratype workers labelled ”ISRAEL Monfort 33.048N, 35.220E 10.iii. 1981 J. KUGLER“; depository Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Görlitz.

Etymology

The name refers to the terra typica.

References