Temnothorax kraussei

Temnothorax kraussei is a social parasite of Temnothorax species. On Crete it has been collected in nests of Temnothorax recedens (Salata, Borowiec & Trichas, 2018).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Croatia, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Iberian Peninsula, Italy, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey.

Biology
Temnothorax (= Myrmoxenus) kraussei is a slavemaking ant with Temnothorax recedens as slaves. As in all species of the former genus Myrmoxenus the mated young queen penetrates a nest of the host species where she throttles the host queen and is eventually accepted by the adult workers of the colony.



Most colonies of T. kraussei comprise only a small number of slavemaker workers (often less than five, rarely up to a dozen). One population on the island of Crete (Greece) has been found to be completely workerless. Colonies with a small number of kraussei workers nevertheless may try to conduct slave raids on neighboring host species colonies (cf. Temnothorax ravouxi).

Nomenclature

 *  kraussei. Epimyrma kraussei Emery, 1915a: 262, pl. 4, figs. 14-16 (w.q.) ITALY (Sardinia). Combination in Temnothorax: Ward et al., 2014: 15. Senior synonym of foreli, vandeli: Buschinger, Fischer, et al. 1987: 272. See also: Menozzi, 1931c: 39; Kutter, 1973e: 281.
 * foreli. Epimyrma foreli Menozzi, 1921: 29, fig. 2 (w.q.) ITALY. Junior synonym of kraussei: Buschinger, Fischer, et al. 1987: 272. See also: Menozzi, 1931c: 45; Kutter, 1973e: 281.
 * vandeli. Epimyrma vandeli Santschi, 1927b: 126 (q.m.) FRANCE. [m. described but not named: Vandel, 1926: 198.] See also: Menozzi, 1931c: 47; Kutter, 1973e: 281. Junior synonym of kraussei: Buschinger, Fischer, et al. 1987: 272.