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Messor kardamenae
| Messor kardamenae | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Stenammini |
| Genus: | Messor |
| Species group: | instabilis |
| Species complex: | semirufus |
| Species: | M. kardamenae |
| Binomial name | |
| Messor kardamenae Salata & Borowiec, 2023
| |
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This species has been recorded from lowland habitats from sea level to an altitude 226 m. Observed in agricultural area, clay wasteland, ruderal places in tourist resort and on the soil in an active volcano.
Identification
Messor kardamenae with mean HW of the largest workers 2.63 (max 2.85) and HL 2.41 (max 2.55) is intermediate between large members of the Messor wasmanni complex (with mean HW of the largest workers > 2.65 (max 2.95) and HL > 2.46 (max 2.68)), and small members of the Messor semirufus complex (with mean HW of the largest workers always < 2.00 and HL of the largest workers always < 1.95 (max 2.30 and 2.13 respectively)). Messor kardamenae clearly differs from Messor danaes and Messor veneris and both species of M. wasmanni complex: Messor concolor and Messor wasmanni in high numbers of setae in the occipital part of the head, usually 7–11 (up to 13) while other species have only 1–6 (up to 8) setae in the occipital area. Messor atanassovii with 12–20 large setae in occipital area looks the most similar. Both species have the same range of colour variation with mesosoma from uniformly red to almost completely brown to mostly black. Messor kardamenae is distinctly larger with ML of the largest workers 2.70–3.25 (mean 2.923) and HW 2.50–2.85 (mean 2.633) while in M. atanassovii ML is 2.32–2.73 (mean 2.395) and HW 1.86–2.30 (mean 1.980). Also, M. kardamenae has relatively shorter antennal scapes in major workers with SL/HW 0.64–0.68 (mean 0.659) while in M. atanassovii SL/HW is 0.68–0.74 (mean 0.721). In M. kardamenae the first gastral tergite is always lacking erect setae while in most populations of M. atanassovii the first gastral tergite is covered with very short and sparse erect setae, mostly limited to its basal third but sometimes setae are present also in posterior half of its surface. Both species are separated geographically, M. kardamenae is a southern species and occurs only in the eastern Dodecanese islands while M. atanassovii is a northern species noted from Bulgaria and north and western Greek provinces (Epirus, Ionian Islands, Eastern Macedonia, Thraki, and Central Macedonia). Messor creticus differs in the presence of erect setae on the first gastral tergite and strong and never diffusing sculpture on mesosoma. From other species of the M. semirufus complex known from the eastern part of the Mediterranean basin, only similarly sized and coloured specimens of M. intermedius are similar but differ in the occipital part of the head entirely lacking erect setae or with at most two erect setae.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 36.8° to 35.9°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: Salata et al., 2023
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Greece (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. |
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Estimated Abundance
| Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species. |
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Biology
Castes
Worker
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Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- kardamenae. Messor kardamenae Salata & Borowiec, 2023: 127, figs. 21-28 (s.w.) GREECE.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Major (n = 5): HL: 2.333–2.550 (mean 2.409); HW: 2.500–2.850 (mean 2.633); SL: 1.660–1.833 (mean 1.735); EL: 0.444–0.484 (mean 0.459); WL: 2.700–3.250 (mean 2.923); MW: 1.365–1.540 (mean 1.427); PSL: 0.317–0.428 (mean 0.354); PW: 0.432–0.619 (mean 0.495); PPW: 0.611–0.833 (mean 0.687); HL/HW: 0.895–0.933 (mean 0.916); SL/HW: 0.643–0.676 (mean 0.659); WL/MW: 1.978–2.110 (mean 2.048); EL/HL: 0.188–0.194 (mean 0.190); PSL/HW: 0.124–0.150 (mean 0.134); PPW/PW: 1.343–1.435 (mean 1.390).
Colour. Variable, head usually completely black, only mandibles reddish to reddish brown and frontal triangle reddish, often anterior margin of gena also reddish, occasionally in medium size majors workers vertex with reddish discoloration. Mesosoma from predominantly red to predominantly brown to black with reddish patches. In the darkest populations sides of mesosoma mostly brownish black with reddish discolorations on sides of pronotum and upper parts of mesonotum and propodeum but with reddish to reddish-brown dorsum. In pale populations mesosoma completely reddish with indistinct obscure discolorations on mesonotum. Petiole and postpetiole reddish, reddish brown, brown, or black. Gaster in mature specimens black, only tergites with reddish or yellowish transparent hind margins, in premature specimens at base sometimes with reddish discoloration. Legs in dark specimens predominantly brown, sometimes coxa black with yellowish apices, trochanters brown with yellowish apical margin, femora brown with yellowish knee, tibiae brown, tarsi brown dorsally and yellowish ventrally. In pale specimens coxa, trochanters, femora and tibiae reddish brown with yellow apices and tarsi yellow. Antennal scapes mostly dark brown to black with yellowish brown apex, funicle usually completely brown or dark brown basally and yellowish brown apically. Head. Subrectangular, 0.90–0.93× as long as wide, sides below eyes softly converging anterad, above eyes subparallel then softly rounded, posterior margin deeply concave. Anterior clypeal margin straight, without median emargination, with a row of ten long marginal, yellowish setae, the longest as long as length of clypeus. Clypeus without appressed pubescence, laterally with two pairs of long and one or two short erect seta and long erect seta close to the middle of lateral margin of central plate. Surface of the clypeus on sides irregular, in centre mostly regular, only on sides with short longitudinal one or two striae, clypeal alae with few irregular rugae, no median keel, interspaces diffusely microreticulate, shiny. Eyes small and broadly oval, 0.6–0.7× as long as the gena. Frontal triangle impressed, with 4 striae converging anteriorly, surface smooth and shiny. Frontal carinae short, slightly extending beyond frontal lobes. Frons narrow, in the narrowest part ~ 0.26× as wide as head width. Antennal fossa deep, surrounded by fine, sometimes partly diffused, semicircular striae, surface smooth or with diffused microreticulation, shiny. Head mostly with diffused and invisible background microreticulation but with numerous pits, small and sparse on sides of head, moderately coarse and partly elongate above frontal striation, surface shiny. Frons in the middle with clearly marked longitudinal striae and with very narrow, short, and shallow median sulcus, but without ocellar cavity behind the median sulcus, gena with short longitudinal striae, area behind eyes only with pits, without striation. Surface covered with short and sparse, clearly visible white appressed pubescence. Frontal lobes with single long erect seta, and frons behind frontal striae with a pair of long erect setae and on vertex with two irregular rows of three or four long setae and often with additional 2–4 short setae, often broken in mature specimens. Occipital area with 7–12 erect setae 0.5× as long, grouped mostly in occipital corners, sides of head and gena without standing setae. Ventral part of the head and inner margin of mandibles with numerous, long erect setae, partly forming a J-shaped psammophore. Antennal scape short, in frontal view almost straight only apically slightly curved, without preapical constriction, 0.64–0.68× as long as the width of the head; base of scapus moderately extended, both outer and inner angle angulate. Funiculus distinctly longer than scape, pedicel moderately elongated, ~ 2.5× as long as wide at apex, not flattened dorsoventrally, ~ 0.72× as long as segments 2 and 3 combined and 1.4× as long as segment 2. Surface of the scape shiny with diffused microreticulation, covered with moderately long and sparse, white, decumbent to subdecumbent hairs. Mandibles rounded, with deep striae, surface shiny with a few long and short yellow setae, cutting edge in large majors without teeth or with serrulate edge. Mesosoma. Moderately long, 2.0–2.1× as long as wide. Promesonotum regularly convex in profile with pronotum not or very slightly bulging above mesonotal plate, pronotal sides regularly rounded. Propodeum positioned lower than promesonotum, flat to very slightly convex anteriorly then angulate posteriorly, posterior slope from obliquely flat to slightly concave thus propodeal angle distinct, forming angulate to obtuse tubercle. Pronotum anteriorly with transverse rugae and diffusely microreticulate interspaces but shiny, dorsum mostly irregular or with remnants of rugae, sides with sharp semicircular striae, and distinctly microreticulate interspaces but shiny, but in some populations lateral rugae diffused. Elevated dorsal plate of mesonotum mostly without rugae, or posteriorly with short longitudinal rugae, interspaces with diffused microreticulation, shiny, mesopleura with sharp perpendicular rugae and strong microreticulation. Propodeum dorsally, on dorsal half of sides and on posterior face with sharp transverse rugae, in metapleural area with sharp longitudinal rugae, interspaces anteriorly with diffused microreticulation, on metapleuron and posterior face of propodeum smooth and shiny. In specimens with predominantly red mesosoma rugae on propodeum less sharp than in dark specimens. Vestiture and setation of mesosoma sparse, pronotum with 6–8 long, yellow erect setae, the longest with length 0.290, sides of the pronotum without suberect setae, mesonotum anteriorly with 10–12 and posteriorly 4–6 long erect setae, usually also with a pair of long setae close to margin of propodeum, metapleuron in posterolateral corners with short subdecumbent setae, propodeum with two or three pairs of long erect setae often broken in mature specimens. Petiole. Elongate, with long pedicel and moderately high triangular node, thin, PI ~ 1.5, anterior slope flat or only slightly concave, pedicel, and base of node with distinct reticulate sculpture, anterior face of node with diffused microreticulation, sides of node microreticulate and with two or three longitudinal rugae, posterior face of node microreticulate, without striation. Top of petiole angular, upper margin and sides with two or three erect setae on each side. Postpetiole. Rounded in profile, globular in dorsal view, 1.3–1.4× as wide as the petiole, surface microreticulate and posterolaterally with few fain transverse striae, whole surface with 6–8 long erect setae. Gaster. Whole surface of first tergite with extremely short and sparse appressed hairs and strongly diffused background microreticulation, in anterior third appearing more micropunctate than microreticulate, in posterior 2/3 length hardly visible or also reduced only to micropunctate, completely without erect setae except row of posterior submarginal setae; second tergite with two rows of long erect setae. Legs. Moderately elongate, femora distinctly swollen centrally, tibiae moderately widened apically, mid and hind tarsi longer than tibiae. Whole surface of femora diffusely microreticulated, dorsally and laterally covered with moderately sparse and long, decumbent and subdecumbent and ventrally semierect to erect setae. Surface of tibiae covered with sparse and long decumbent to semierect setae.
Minor (n = 5): HL: 1.119–1.492 (mean 1.361); HW: 1.025–1.416 (mean 1.279); SL: 0.984–1.238 (mean 1.144); EL: 0.270–0.349 (mean 0.315); WL: 1.476–1.980 (mean 1.799); MW: 0.695–0.890 (mean 0.823); PSL: 0.156–0.190 (mean 0.179); PW: 0.241–0.314 (mean 0.282); PPW: 0.333–0.397 (mean 0.544); HL/HW: 1.042–1.099 (mean 1.067); SL/HW: 0.866–0.960 (mean 0.898); WL/MW: 2.124–2.227 (mean 2.183); EL/HL: 0.217–0.241 (mean 0.232); PSL/HW: 0.121–0.166 (mean 0.142); PPW/PW: 1.260–1.382 (mean 1.318).
Colour. As coloured as major workers, but sometimes gena reddish, or head and mesosoma mostly reddish brown to brown. Head. Slightly more elongated and more rounded in frontal view than in major workers, ~ 1.01× as long as wide, softly converging anterad and posterad, behind eyes more regularly rounded, occipital margin of the head slightly convex. Clypeus in the middle completely smooth and shiny. Frons mostly smooth and shiny, with or without only few very short striae laterally, gena with shorter rugae than in majors. Background microreticulation of head almost visible or absent. Mesosoma. As slim as in majors, WL/MW ratio 2.1–2.2. Pronotal surface completely without rugae only with diffused microreticulation and micropunctation. Sculpture of mesonotum and propodeum finer than in majors, on sides of propodeum often mostly reduced to only strong microreticulation. Propodeal angle less marked than in majors with posterior face usually flat. Setation and vestiture of mesosoma as in majors but with lower number of setae, mesonotum with only 4–6 erect setae, propodeum with only one pair of setae or often without standing setae. Petiole and postpetiole. As in major workers but surface with partly diffused reticulation and without striae and with smaller number of erect setae. Gaster. As shiny as in majors, with strongly diffused microreticulation, second tergite with only single transverse row of setae. Rest of characters as in major workers.
Type Material
- Holotype major worker (pin): GREECE, Dodecanese, Kos | Kardamena city, 7m | 36.78363 N / 27.14107 E | 9 VII 2015, S. Salata || Collection L. Borowiec | Formicidae | LBC-GR01961 (MNHW).
- Paratypes: 6 major, 6 medium, 1 minor workers (pin), the same data as for holotype (MNHW).
Etymology
Named after Kardamena, a woman whose name is the origin of the name of the type locality for Messor kardamenae. Kardamena is now a small town situated mid-way along the south coast of the island of Kos.