Temnothorax solerii

Temnothorax solerii was described from two workers collected in Karpathos. More recently it has been recorded from 11 coniferous forest localities on Karpathos island (Salata & Borowiec 2015b, Salata and Borowiec 2018b).

Identification
A member of the Temnothorax recedens group.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Greece.

Nomenclature

 *  solerii. Leptothorax (Temnothorax) solerii Menozzi, 1936d: 291, fig. 13 (w.) GREECE. Combination in Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 271.

Queen
Salata and Borowiec (2018) - Specimen from nest sample collected in Agnondia (35.59422 N/27.16741 E), 292 m, 18 V 2014, leg. S. Salata (DBET), n=1: HL: 0.82; HW: 0.72; SL: 0.63; EL: 0.23; EW: 0.18; ML: 1.44; PSL: 0.26; SDL: 0.16; PEL: 0.41; PPL: 0.23; PEH: 0.3; PPH: 0.3; PNW: 0.84; PEW: 0.25; PPW: 0.36; HI: 88. 0; SI1: 77. 0; SI2: 87.5; MI: 58.0; EI1: 78.6; EI2: 22.0; PI: 125.0; PPI: 77.8.

Colour. Whole body dark brown; antennae, mandibles and legs brown. Head. Oval, lateral surfaces below eyes straight, gently rounded on the posterior edges, occipital margin of head convex. Anterior margin of the clypeus gradually convex. Eyes big, oval, 0.3 times as long as length of the head. Antennal scape long, slightly curved, 0.8 times as long as length of the head, almost reaching occipital margin of head, in apex gradually widened, its base without teeth. Pedicel more than 2 times longer than wide; average 1.2 times longer than second segment of funiculus. Other funicular segments more than 1 ½ times longer than wide. Surface of scape with very fine and sparse punctation; covered with thin, dense, suberect to erect setae, shorter than 1/2 of scape width. Mandibles triangular, with sparse, longitudinal striae, shiny. Clypeus shiny with a few thick, longitudinal striae, area between striae smooth, shiny. Frontal carinae long, slightly extending across the eyes. Antennal fossa deep, smooth and shiny. Frontal lobes narrow, smooth with thick longitudinal striae. Frons and malar area with sparse, longitudinal and interrupted striae; genae, temples and vertex smooth and shiny. Entire head bearing sparse, thick, erect setae. Mesosoma. Short and low, square, 1.8 times as long as head; in lateral view its dorsum convex; propodeal spines moderate, triangular, short, with wide base and acute apex; dorsal surface of propodeum inclined towards its posterior surface. Pronotum, scutum, axilla, scutellum, anepisternum and katepisternum smooth and shiny; with single, short striae on lateral sides; propodeum shiny, with sparse, thick reticulation on dorsum and weaker and denser sculpture on lateral sides. Mesosoma dorsum with sparse, thick, erect setae. Petiole. Peduncle short, node moderate and narrow, with anterior and posterior faces straight, its dorsal surface narrow and convex. On the whole surface covered by dense reticulation and long, thick erect setae. Postpetiole. In lateral view, regularly rounded, 0.6 times as long as wide, apical half with gently rounded sides. On the whole surface covered by dense reticulation and long, thick erect setae. Gaster. Smooth and shiny, bearing sparse, long, suberect to erect, pale setae.

Type Material
Types studied by Salata et al. (2018): Temnothorax solerii: Syntypes (2w.): [L. (Temnothorax) | Solerii | Typus! Menoz. | Menozzi deter. || Otos | Scarpanto | 23.IV.1934 | C. Menozzi] (DSAB).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
 * Borowiec L., and S. Salata. 2012. Ants of Greece - Checklist, comments and new faunistic data (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus 23(4): 461-563.
 * Czechowski W., A. Radchenko, W. Czechowska and K. Vepsäläinen. 2012. The ants of Poland with reference to the myrmecofauna of Europe. Fauna Poloniae 4. Warsaw: Natura Optima Dux Foundation, 1-496 pp
 * Mei, M. "Lasius (Cautolasius) myrmidon n. sp.: A new hypogaeic ant from Greece (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)." Bollettino della Societa Entomologica Italiana 130 (1998): 177-182.
 * 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.