Lasius maltaeus

Lasius maltaeus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Lasiini
Genus:	Lasius
Section:	niger clade
Species group:	niger
Species:	L. maltaeus
Binomial name
	Lasius maltaeus; Seifert, 2020 Specimen Labels

Lasius maltaeus is found over most of Sicily as well as Malta, while the closely related Lasius emarginatus replaces it in the north-eastern sector of the island, the nearby Aeolian Islands, and the Italian peninsula (Menchetti et al., 2023). Some of the material used in the original description was collected at the base of promenade wall.

Identification

Seifert (2020) - Lasius maltaeus shows by far the highest setae numbers within the L. emarginatus species complex and has the longest maxillary palp segment and largest head length index (Seifert 2020 Lasius characters).

Quantitative morphology and mtDNA data allow for the unambiguous distinction of L. emarginatus from L. maltaeus; see Menchetti et al. (2023) for details.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: Italy, Malta.

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 maltaeus. Worker. Specimen code antweb1041447. 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.

maltaeus. Lasius maltaeus Seifert, 2020: 72, figs. 79-80 (w.) MALTA.

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

Description

Worker

Absolute size medium to rather large (CS 948 µm). Head length index very large (CL/CW900 1.106), scape length index large (SL/CS900 1.067); postocular distance medium (PoOc/CL900 0.228), eye and torulo-clypeal distance large (EYE/CS900 0.247, dClAn900 5.20); terminal segment of maxillary palp longest within the Lasius emarginatus species complex (MP6/CS900 0.241). Number of mandibular dents above average (MaDe900 8.44). Pubescence on clypeus dilute (sqPDCL900 5.11); frontal pubescence short (PLF900 24.6). Most hairy species of the L. emarginatus species complex; number of setae on genae, gula, dorsum of scape and flexor profile of hind tibia extremely high (nOcc900 18.2, nGen900 13.0, nGu900 17.4, nSc900 30.1, nHT900 26.9). Coloration: all body parts orange colored, with dorsum of head sometimes slightly darker orange brown, gaster always darker orange brown.

See table 8 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 and 5 paratype workers on two pins labelled ”MALTA: 35.93°N, 14.35°E Ghajn Tuffieha, 40 m S.P. Schembri 1989.0503“; 3 paratype workers labelled ”MALTA: 3.859°N, 14.399°E Buskett, 185 m col. Collingwood 1983.11.30“; 3 paratype workers labelled ”MALTA: 35.897°N, 14.461°E Birkirkara, 35 m June 1978, No 55213“; 4 paratype workers labelled ”MALTA: 38.9157°N, 14.4980°E, Sliema, 15 m, base of promenade wall, P. Attewell 2019.06.06“; depository Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Görlitz.

Etymology

The name refers to island of Malta where it is an endemic species.

References