Cataglyphis cretica

A species associated with open, sunny and arid habitats with sandy soil. Nesting under stones or in soil. Very often located on dirty roads, seaside or in alpine zone. Monogynous colonies. Workers active during the day. (Salata & Borowiec, L., 2018)

Identification
Salata and Borowiec (2018) - Cataglyphis cretica is a member of the C. cursor group characterized by uniformly dark body colouration and nodiform scale. From most of Mediterranean species it differs in lack of erect setae on scape and presence of at most 3-5 erect setae on the occipital margin of head and first gaster tergite (in most specimens erect setae are absent). The only known species with similar set of characters is Cataglyphis aenescens. Workers and gynes of C. cretica differ from C. aenescens in bigger body size and dull body sculpture. There also distinct differences in male genitalia between those two species. In C. aenescens median appendix of squamula is big and has a shape of widening distally shovel, while C. cretica has median appendix of squamula small and spherical.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Greece.

Queen
Queen is brachypterous, i.e. short, non-functional wings are present at adult emergence. This implies that she mates close to her natal colony, and dispersal distance is limited (Peeters & Aron 2017)



Nomenclature

 * . Myrmecocystus cursor var. cretica Forel, 1910a: 23.
 * [First available use of Myrmecocystus cursor subsp. aenescens var. cretica Emery, 1906d: 48, fig. 4 (w.m.) GREECE (Crete I.); unavailable (infrasubspecific) name (Agosti & Collingwood, 1987a: 61).]
 * Salata & Borowiec, 2018c: 19 (q.).
 * Combination in Cataglyphis: Emery, 1925b: 264.
 * As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Emery, 1925b: 264; Santschi, 1929b: 54.
 * Subspecies of cursor: Agosti, 1990b: 1482; Bolton, 1995b: 135; Legakis, 2011: 34.
 * Junior synonym of aenescens: Borowiec, L. & Salata, 2013: 384 (in text).
 * Status as species: Salata & Borowiec, 2018c: 13 (redescription).
 * Material of the unavailable name dorica referred here by Salata & Borowiec, 2018c: 13.

Salata and Borowiec (2018) - Cataglyphis cretica, based on limited material, was synonymized with C. aenescens by Borowiec & Salata (2013). After re-examination of collected material, supplemented by further expeditions, and study on type specimens we discovered features that allow us to consider this taxon as a good species.

Description
Salata and Borowiec, 2018:

Worker
(n=15): HL: 1.717 ± 0.211 (1.202-1.927); HW: 1.437 ± 0.203 (0.968-1.661); SL: 2.1 ± 0.243 (1.516-2.581); EL: 0.446 ± 0.05 (0.339-0.516); EW: 0.326 ± 0.035 (0.258-0.355); ML: 2.716 ± 0.302 (1.984-3.0); PNW: 1.258 ± 0.18 (0.911-1.478); HI: 83.5 ± 3.0 (76.7-86.4); SI1: 123.3 ± 16.7 (111.9-186.1); SI2:148.0 ± 21.2 (129.4-222.3); MI: 113.8 ± 3.6 (107.3-119.3); EI1: 73.3 ± 3.5 (68.8-80.9); EI2: 19.0 ± 0.8 (18.3-21.5).

Colour. Head, mesosoma and gaster bright brown to black. Antennae and legs bright brown, sometimes femora with darker centre. Head. Square, 1.2 times as long as wide, lateral surfaces below and above eyes gently convex, posterior edges convex, occipital margin of head convex. Anterior margin of the clypeus convex with shallow impression in central part. Eyes big, oval, 1.4 times as long as wide. Antennal scape long, in lateral view straight, 1.2 times as long as length of the head, in apex gradually widened, its base without tooth, funiculus long. Surface of scape with very dense microsculpture, opalescent, covered with thin, moderate dense, adpressed setae. Mandibles rounded with thick sparse, longitudinal striae, shiny. Clypeus opalescent, with dense, fine microreticulation. Frontal carinae short, not extending beyond frontal lobes. Antennal fossa shallow, opalescent, with dense, fine microreticulation. Whole head opalescent, with dense, fine microreticulation. The whole head surface covered by short, adpressed setae; sometimes occipital margin with a few (<3) long, thin erect setae. Mesosoma. Long, 2.2 times as long as wide; metanotal groove shallow. Pronotum convex on sides. In lateral view promesonotum slightly arched in profile, propodeum positioned lower than promesonotum, its dorsum and posterior side slightly convex. Whole mesosoma opalescent, with dense, fine microreticulation. Whole mesosoma covered by dense, short, adpressed microsetae. Scale. Squamiform, its anterior and posterior sides slightly convex, apex wide and convex, its surface opalescent, with dense, fine microreticulation and covered by dense, short, adpressed microsetae. Gaster. Shiny to slightly dull, with sparser microreticulation, bearing at most 5 erect, long setae and covered by sparse, short, adpressed microsetae.

Queen
(n=1). HL: 1.92; HW: 1.70; ML: 3.20; PNW: 1.48.

Colour. Head, mesosoma and gaster bright brown, centre of head reddish brown with diffused borders. Antennae, femora and legs tibiae bright brown, apex of tibiae yellowish, tarsi yellowish. Body sculpture and setosity. The same as in worker. Head. Square, 1.1 times as long as wide, lateral surfaces below and above eyes gently convex, posterior edges convex, occipital margin of head convex. Eyes big, oval, 1.5 times as long as wide. Antennal scape long, in lateral view straight, approximately as long as head, in apex gradually widened, its base without tooth, funiculus long. Frontal carinae short, not extending beyond frontal lobes. Antennal fossa shallow. Mesosoma. Long, 2.2 times as long as wide; metanotal groove shallow. Pronotum convex on sides. In lateral view pronotum together with scale slightly arched in profile, scutellum slightly arched, propodeum positioned lower than promesonotum, its dorsum and posterior side slightly convex. Scale. Squamiform, its anterior and posterior sides slightly convex, apex narrow and convex Gaster. Lacking setosity.

Male
(n=1). HL: 1.55; HW: 1.37; ML: 3.12; PNW: 1.81.

Colour. Head, mesosoma, gaster, antennal scapi, and femora black, tibiae brown with yellowish apex, antennal funiculus yellowish (Fig. 24). Body sculpture and setosity. The same as in worker. Head. Square, 1.1 times as long as wide, lateral surfaces below and above eyes gently convex, posterior edges convex, occipital margin of head convex. Eyes big, oval, 1.2 times as long as wide. Antennal scape moderate, in lateral view straight, approximately as long as head, in apex gradually widened, its base without tooth, funiculus long. Frontal carinae short, not extending beyond frontal lobes. Antennal fossa shallow. Mesosoma. Long, 1.7 times as long as wide; metanotal groove shallow. Pronotum convex on sides. In lateral view mesosoma arched in profile, only scutellum positioned above scutum and arched, propodeum positioned lower than promesonotum, its dorsum and posterior side slightly convex. Scale. Squamiform, its anterior and posterior sides slightly convex, apex wide and convex Gaster. Lacking setosity. Male genitalia as in images.

Type Material
Salata and Borowiec (2018) - Type material. Syntype (w): Myrmecocustus, cursor, aenescens, ver. cretica Em.; Creta, (Cecconi), Kufor,, CASENT0102116, ANTWEB (MSNG).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Salata S., and L. Borowiec. 2018. Taxonomic and faunistic notes on Greek ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Annals of the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom Entomology 27: 1-51.