Cardiocondyla gibbosa

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
Seifert (2003) - A member of the Cardiocondyla stambuloffii group. Closely related to Cardiocondyla stambuloffii. The unique type of head sculpture, the much longer pubescence, and the more elongated head are sufficient arguments for heterospecifity. Cardiocondyla gibbosa is superficially similar to Cardiocondyla tibetana but the shorter scape, the smaller eye, the much smaller dFOV, the larger postocular index, the wider postpetiole, and the longer pubescence enable a clear separation.

Seifert (2023) - Smaller than Cardiocondyla koshewnikovi (CS 518 µm) and head longer (CL/CW 1.191). Postocular index large, PoOc/CL 0.458. Anterior clypeal margin convex to straight. Hind margin of head convex, sometimes with a weak concavity in the median level. Scape short, SL/CS 0.800. Eye very small, EYE/CS 0.218. Frons broad (FRS/CS 0.311), frontal carinae not or weakly converging immediately caudal of FRS level (FL/FR 1.052). Dorsal profile of promesonotum strongly convex, metanotal depression deep (Mgr/CS 4.02 %), dorsal profile of propodeum posterior of metanotal depression rather linear. Propodeal spines short, reduced to obtusely-angled dents (SP/CS 0.058), the distance of their bases is rather low (SPBA/CS 0.244). Petiole less than half as wide as postpetiole and much higher than wide (PeW/CS 0.282, PeH/CS 0.374), in profile with a rather long peduncle and the node with the anterior slope less inclined than the posterior slope—as result the node profile is slightly asymmetric. Petiole node in dorsal view slightly narrower than long. Postpetiole wide, less than twice as wide as high (PpW/CS 0.570, PpW /PeW 2.02, PpH/CS 0.306), in dorsal aspect with a moderately concave anterior margin, its width less than twice its length, postpetiolar sternite rather flat. Clypeus, frontal laminae, and anterior vertex (about 60 % of total vertex surface) longitudinally carinulate-rugulose; the strongest rugae mediad and mediofrontad of the eyes. The interspaces between rugae relatively smooth, foveolae of any size are completely absent; tiny pits around the bases of pubescence hairs are occasionally just visible with high-resolution stereomicroscopy; tiny pits of 4–5 µm diameter are well-visible on the perfectly smooth posterior 40 % of vertex surface. Mesosoma in overall impression shining, with more profuse pubescence than in most other species. Frontal and dorsolateral pronotum and dorsal propodeum glabrous. ventrolateral pronotum, whole mesonotum, ventrolateral propodeum, mesopleurae, and metapleurae to a differing degree longitudinally rugulose with shining interspaces; the strongest rugae on meso- and metapleurae. Waist segments entirely smooth. Pubescence on gaster tergites longer than in related species and less dense, PLg/CS 7.62 %, sqPDg 3.74. More or less concolorous medium to dark brown.

Cardiocondyla gibbosa is similar to C. koshewnikovi and intraspecific variability in the latter is not known very well. However, the unique type of head sculpture, the much longer pubescence, the more elongated head and a separate clustering in a PCA considering the characters CS, CL/CW, SL/CS, PoOc/CS, EYE/CS, dFOv, SP/CS, PeW/CS, PpW/CS, PeH/CS, PpH/CS, sqPDg, PLg/CS and Mgr/CS (Fig. 144) are arguments against a synonymization.

Distribution
Seifert (2023) comments that this species is only known from the type locality (44.140°N, 68.467°E, 322 m), but does not comment on records from other countries.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan.

Nomenclature

 * . Cardiocondyla elegans subsp. gibbosa Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1927d: 37, figs. 13-15 (w.) KAZAKHSTAN.
 * Type-material: lectotype worker (by designation of Seifert, 2003a: 268), 3 paralectotype workers.
 * Type-locality: lectotype Kazakhstan: Perovsk (Kizil-Orda), Suzak, 3.vii.1923 (N.N. Kusnetzov-Ugamskij), paralectotypes with same data.
 * Type-depository: NHMB.
 * Subspecies of elegans: Tarbinsky, 1976: 73.
 * Junior synonym of koshewnikovi: Dlussky, Soyunov & Zabelin, 1990: 195; Bolton, 1995b: 132; Radchenko, 1995b: 450.
 * Status as species: Seifert, 2003a: 268 (redescription); Schultz, R. et al. 2006: 206.
 * Distribution: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan.

Type Material
Seifert (2003, 2023) - Lectotype worker (designated by Seifert, 2003) and 2 paralectotype workers labelled “Cardiocondyla elegans gibbosa nov. 1927, Suzak 3.VII.1923” and “Turkestan Suzak Kusnezov”,. Suzak is situated at 44.07 N, 63.27 E and belongs now to Kazakhstan. One paratype worker labelled only “Turkestan Suzak Kusnezov”, depository not recorded (NHM genève?) (Seifert, 2023).

Worker
Seifert (2003) - Head relatively long, CL/CW 1.195. Postocular distance large, PoOc/CL 0.458. Eye small, EYE 0.220. Anterior clypeal margin convex to straight. Clypeus, frontal laminae, and anterior area of vertex (about 60 % of total vertex surface) longitudinally carinulate-rugulose; strongest rugae mediofrontally of eyes. Interspaces between rugae relatively smooth, foveolae completely absent; tiny pits around bases of pubescence hair only visible with high-resolution stereomicroscopy (objective with numeric aperture 0.23, magnification 250 - 320x); tiny pits of 4 - 5 mm diameter well-visible on perfectly smooth posterior 40 % of vertex surface. Mesosoma in overall impression shining, with more profuse pubescence than in most other species. Frontal and dorsolateral areas of pronotum and propodeum dorsally glabrous. Ventrolateral area of pronotum, whole mesonotum, ventrolateral area of propodeum, mesopleurae, and metapleurae to a varying degree longitudinally rugulose with shining interspaces; the strongest rugae on meso- and metapleurae. Propodeal spines reduced to obtusely-angled corners. Waist segments entirely smooth, their shape as in Cardiocondyla stambuloffii, though postpetiole less than twice as wide as long. Gaster pubescence longer than in related species, PLG/CS 7.73 %. More or less concolorous medium to dark brown.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Gulzar A. 2014. Classification and Distribution of ants in Kashgar, Xinjiang. Master's Thesis Shaanxi Normal University, 75 pages.
 * Gulzar A., Y. Tang, P. Zhang, and S. Q. Xu. 2014. A new record ant species of the genus Cardiocondyla Emery from China (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zoological Systematics, 39(3): 455458
 * Guénard B., and R. R. Dunn. 2012. A checklist of the ants of China. Zootaxa 3558: 1-77.
 * Schultz, R., A. G. Radchenko, and B. Seifert. "A critical checklist of the ants of Kyrgyzstan (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)." Myrmecologische Nachrichten 8 (2006): 201-207.