Myrmica hellenica

Identification
M. hellenica belongs to the rugulosa-complex of the scabrinodis species group (see Radchenko and Elmes 2004) and might be confused with Myrmica specioides and Myrmica constricta. It differs from M. specioides by its less curved frontal carinae and wider frons. The Caucasian and Turkish populations of this species have mean FI 0.43 and FLI 1.15, and the Crimean populations have mean FI 0.41 and FLI 1.20, while mean FI in M. specioides is 0.38, and FLI 1.32. Although the scape of M. hellenica is clearly angled at its base, it has at most a narrow longitudinal ridge on the bend rather than the distinct lobe of M. specioides.

M. hellenica separates from M. constricta first by the sculpture of the head, its frons is completely longitudinally rugulose whereas the upper (rear) third of that of M. constricta has distinct reticulation, and secondly its propodeal spines are distinctly longer than those of M. constricta. Queens of M. hellenica are distinctly larger than those of M. constricta (and M. rugulosa), which are quite small (HW > 1 mm vs. HW < 1 mm respectively). Males of M. constricta well differ from those of M. hellenica by much shorter standing hairs on the mid and hind tibiae and tarsi.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Armenia, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iran, Italy, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Ukraine.

Nomenclature

 *  hellenica. Myrmica rugulosa var. hellenica Finzi, 1926: 93 (w.q.m.) GREECE. [First available use of Myrmica scabrinodis r. rugulosa var. hellenica Forel, 1913d: 431; unavailable name.] Finzi, 1926: 93 (m.). Raised to species: Agosti & Collingwood, 1987b: 267; Seifert, 1988b: 13. Senior synonym of caucasica, rugulososcabrinodis, striata: Seifert, et al. 2009: 68. See also: Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 145.
 * rugulososcabrinodis. Myrmica (Myrmica) rugulosa var. rugulososcabrinodis Karavaiev, 1929b: 205, fig. 1 (w.m.) GEORGIA, ARMENIA. Junior synonym of bessarabica: Dlussky, Soyunov & Zabelin, 1990: 182; Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 93. Revived from synonymy and senior synonym of caucasica: Radchenko & Elmes, 2004: 231. Junior synonym of hellenica: Seifert, et al. 2009: 68.
 * caucasica. Myrmica rugulosa subsp. caucasica Arnol'di, 1934: 165, figs. 17-20 (w.m.) CAUCASUS. [Unnecessary replacement name for rugulososcabrinodis Karavaiev.] Seifert, 1988b: 19 (q.). Raised to species: Seifert, 1988b: 19. Junior synonym of bessarabica: Dlussky, Soyunov & Zabelin, 1990: 182; Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 93; of rugulososcabrinodis: Radchenko & Elmes, 2004: 231; of hellenica: Seifert, et al. 2009: 68.