Proformica lebasi

Proformica lebasi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Formicini
Genus:	Proformica
Species:	P. lebasi
Binomial name
	Proformica lebasi; Borowiec & Salata, 2022

This is a mountain species, found on rocky pastures with sparse vegetation located above the upper edge of the forest at an altitude 979-1758 m. Nests are in ground and workers are active only in the midday hours with the strongest insolation.

Photo Gallery

Borowiec & Salata (2022), Fig. 131.1-2. Proformica lebasi: 1 – minor worker, dorsal, 2 – minor worker, lateral (photographed by Lech Borowiec).
Borowiec & Salata (2022), Fig. 131.3-4. Proformica lebasi: 3 – minor worker, head and antennae, 4 – minor worker, head (photographed by Lech Borowiec).
Borowiec & Salata (2022), Fig. 131.5-6. Proformica lebasi: 5 – major worker, dorsal, 6 – majoe worker, lateral (photographed by Lech Borowiec).
Borowiec & Salata (2022), Fig. 131.7-8. Proformica lebasi: 7 – major worker, head and antennae, 8 – major worker, head (photographed by Lech Borowiec).

Identification

Proformica lebasi belongs to the species with sparsely setose mesosoma and occipital part of head without or at most with 1-2 setae in occipital corners.

Proformica striaticeps differs in body of minor workers yellowish brown and distinctly striated frons and mesosoma and central part of first gastral tergite lacking erected setae or at most with 1-2 short erected setae, appressed pubescence on gastral tergites short and sparse, hardly visible while in P. lebasi workers are dark brown to black and striation on frons, if present, is diffused and covers only on central frons, pronotum and central part of first gastral tergite usually with few erected setae and appressed pubescence on gastral tergites short and sparse but well visible.

Proformica oculatissima differs in sparser appressed pubescence (distance between hairs as large as 1/2 or whole length of hair), and more shiny body with diffused background microreticulation; additionally P. oculatissima differs in less evident mesosomal setation with number of setae on mesonotum and propodeum less than 3 and on pronotum usually less than 4.

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 40° to 40°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: Borowiec & Salata, 2022

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.

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.

Biology

Castes

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

lebasi. Proformica lebasi Borowiec & Salata, 2022: 260, figs. 131.1-8 (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

Moderately large, polymorphic; Minor HL: 0.790-1.000 (mean 0.895); HW: 0,543-0.698 (mean 0.617); SL: 0.730-0.889 (mean 0.807); EL: 0.232-0.257 (mean 0.241); ML: 1.14-1.41; MW: 0.48-0.62. Color. Head, mesosoma, petiolar scale and gaster dark brown to black, gena usually paler than other parts of head, yellowish brown to brown with diffused border between dark and pale colors, antennae yellow, apical 5-6 antennomeres often indistinctly infuscated, coxa dark brown, femora mostly dark brown with yellowish apex, tibiae yellowish brown gradually paler from distal part to apex, tarsi yellow. Head. Approximately 1.5 times longer than wide, in front of eyes parallelsided, behind eyes regularly rounded, occipital margin convex. Clypeus on the whole surface with distinct longitudinal striation, slightly trapezoidal, its anterior margin convex, sides convergent posterad, posterior margin truncate in the middle, whole clypeal surface with sparse and short, hardly visible appressed hairs, a row of 4-5 long setae close to anterior margin and two pairs of erected setae, one pair close to anterior margin and the second pair close to base, the longest anterior seta with length 0.159-0.162. Head mostly microreticulate, without or with rudimental longitudinal striation between antennal sockets, with sparse and short appressed pubescence, erected setae absent or with 1-2 short setae in interocular area and 1-3 short setae in ocellar area, in occipital part of head lacking erected setae or in the largest minor workers with 1-2 setae laterally, gular area and ventral side of head lacking erected setae. Scape very long, approximately 1.3 times longer than width of head, thin, distinctly reaching beyond the occipital margin, distinctly, regularly widened from 1/3 of its length, its surface microreticulate but shiny, with short and sparse appressed pubescence. Funicular segments elongate, thin, first segment approximately twice as long as second segment, the second segment 1.6 times as long as wide, slightly shorter than third segment, the rest of funicular segments clearly longer than broad. Eyes big, elongate oval, approximately 1.4 times longer than wide, 0.27 length of head. Mandibles long, with longitudinal sculpture but shiny, with large apical dent and smaller denticles on masticatory margin. Mesosoma. Elongate, in dorsal view distinctly constricted in the middle, 2.3 times as long as wide, dorsally and laterally distinctly microreticulated, surface indistinctly shiny. In lateral view pronotum convex, metanotum and propodeum almost continuous with shallow mesonotal groove. Whole mesosomal surface covered with very short and sparse appressed pubescence, pronotum with (0)1-6, mesonotum with (1)3-5, propodeum 2-4 moderately longstanding setae, the longest setae with length 0.143. Waist and gaster. Petiolar scale thick in lateral view but broad in anterior view, sides rounded, apex truncate or shallowly concave, with 1-2 moderately long setae. Gaster longer than mesosoma, first tergite distinctly microreticulated, subsequent tergites with mixed microreticulation and diffused transverse microstriation, surface shiny, covered with long and moderately sparse appressed pubescence, distance between hairs as large as 0.2-0.3 length of hair. First tergite with row 2-3 erected setae anteriorly and row of 4 erected setae across middle, and row of moderately long setae close to posterior margin, second and third gastral segment across the middle with a row of 6-8 moderately long erected setae. Legs. Ventral surface of fore femora with 2-3, of mid and hind femora with 1-2 erected setae. The number of erected setae depends on the condition of the specimen and old workers may have fewer bristles than stated in the description or be completely bristled.

Major HL: 1.389-1.405 (mean 1.397); HW: 1.246-1.254 (mean 1.250); SL: 1.048-1.095 (mean 1.072); EL: 0.349-0.357 (mean 0.353); ML: 1.82-1.88; MW: 0.952. Color. Paler than minor workers, head, mesosoma, petiolar scale and gaster mostly yellowish brown to brown, sides of mesonotum and propodeum slightly darker, brown colored, antennae and legs yellowish, femora slightly darker than tibiae. Head. Approximately 1.1 times longer than wide, in front of eyes parallelsided, behind eyes regularly rounded, occipital margin straight. Clypeus on the whole surface with distinct longitudinal striation, slightly trapezoidal, its anterior margin convex, sides convergent posterad, posterior margin truncate in the middle, whole clypeal surface with sparse and short appressed hairs and a row of short setae close to anterior margin; both examined majors have no erected setae in central and posterior part of clypeus but it could be an artifact. Head with micropunctation and microreticulation between punctures, without distinct microstriation in interantennal and interocular area, but punctures tend to form longitudinal rows, with very sparse and short appressed pubescence, with 1-2 short erected setae in interocular and ocellar areas, without or with two very short setae in occipital part of head, and 2-5 setae on ventral side of head. Scape short, approximately 0.86 times as long as width of head, thin, distinctly reaching beyond the occipital margin, distinctly, regularly widened from 2/3 of its length, its surface microreticulate but shiny, with short and sparse appressed pubescence. Funicular segments elongate, thin, first segment 2.1 times as long as second, the second funicular segment 1.3 times as long as wide, only slightly shorter than third segment, the rest of funicular segments longer than broad but less clearly as in minor worker. Eyes big, elongate oval, approximately 1.5 times longer than wide, 0.25 length of head. Mandibles moderately long and broad, with longitudinal sculpture but shiny, with large blunt apical dent and smaller blunt denticles on masticatory margin. Waist and gaster. Elongate, in dorsal view distinctly constricted in the middle, 1.9 times as long as wide. In lateral view pronotum convex, its surface mostly micropunctate with smooth and shiny interspaces, mesonotum at top micropunctate with shiny interspaces, on sides microreticulate and slightly dull, propodeum microreticulate and slightly dull, mesonotal groove moderately deep. Whole mesosoma surface covered with moderately long, on top sparse and on sides moderately dense appressed pubescence; pronotum with 4-5 moderately long, mesonotum 2-3 short and propodeum 1-5 very short standing setae. Abdomen. Petiolar scale thin in lateral view but broad in anterior view, widest in the middle then narrowed to base and apex, apical margin triangularly emarginate, apicolaterally with two short setae. Gaster shorter than mesosoma, slightly globular, first tergite micropunctate and with diffused microreticulation, subsequent tergites micropunctate and with more evident microreticulation but without transverse microstriation, surface shiny, covered with moderately long and moderately dense appressed pubescence, distance between hairs as large as 1/4-1/3 their length. First and second gastral tergite with 0-4 very short standing setae centrally and a row of short setae close to posterior margin, third gastral segment across the middle and close to posterior margin with a row of few short setae. Legs. Ventral surface of fore femora with 2-3, of mid and hind femora with 1-2 standing setae.

Type Material

Holotype minor worker: GREECE, The., Larissa | Olympus, Vrisopoules loc. 1 | 40.03372/22.31675, 1550 m | 15 V 2019, L. Borowiec || Collection L. Borowiec | Formicidae | LBC-GR02888 (MNHW)
Paratypes: 5 minor workers: the same data as holotype (MNHW, MHNG); 2 minor workers: GREECE, Thess., Mt. Olympus | 2.8 km W of EOCHO ski center | 40.0255 N / 22.30421 E | 9 V 2017, L. Borowiec. 1340 m || Collection L. Borowiec | Formicidae | LBC-GR02380 (MNHW); one minor and 2 major workers: Greece, Thessaly, 979 m | Mt. Olympus, 1 km N of | Kryovrysi, 32.989N/22.326E | 7 V 2017, C. Lebas || Collection L. Borowiec | Formicidae | LBC-GR02774 (MNHW).

Etymology

Dedicated to our French colleague Claude Lebas for his contribution to the knowledge of Greek species of the genus Proformica.

References