Cardiocondyla nigra

One databased worker specimen was collected from a thorn bush. Nothing else is know about the biology of .

Identification
Seifert (2003) - Differs from Cardiocondyla batesii by the steeper, more acute, and in lateral view more narrow based spines and the lower SPBA/CS with 0.257 ± 0.009 [0.242, 0.271] in C. batesii and 0.231 ± 0.013 [0.199, 0.257] in nigra. The pigmentation contrast between head and mesosoma is significantly larger in C. batesii, but is no reliable discriminator because of the occasional occurrence of homogeneously dark specimens.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Algeria, Bulgaria, China, Egypt, Greece, Iberian Peninsula, Israel, Morocco, Portugal, Republic of Macedonia, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey.

Nomenclature

 *  nigra. Cardiocondyla batesii var. nigra Forel, 1905b: 174 (w.q.) TUNISIA. Santschi, 1907: 324 (m. ergatoid m. and gynandromorph). Raised to species: Schembri & Collingwood, 1981: 428. Junior synonym of batesii: Radchenko, 1995b: 451. Revived from synonymy and senior synonym of torretassoi: Seifert, 2003a: 240.
 * torretassoi. Cardiocondyla elegans var. torretassoi Finzi, 1936: 167 (w.) EGYPT. Raised to species: Radchenko, 1995b: 451. Junior synonym of nigra: Seifert, 2003a: 240.

Worker
Seifert (2003) - Head of medium length, CL/CW 1.172. Postocular distance very small, PoOc/CL 0.366. Occipital margin slightly excavated. Eyes large, EYE 0.266. Frontal carinae immediately posterior of FRS level converging. Lateral clypeus longitudinally carinulate. Dorsal area of head almost without longitudinal sculpture; weak longitudinal carinulae present on and posterior of frontal laminae. Vertex with very shallow and simple foveolae of 14 - 19 mm diameter, their internal surface micro-corrugated; foveolar interspaces wider than foveolar diameter, moderately shining, and with fine cross-branched or semi-reticulate microstructures. Dorsum of mesosoma and waist moderately shining and finely microreticulate. Propodeal spines rather short, steep, and acute. Petiole profile with relatively long peduncle and relatively small node, which is in dorsal view about as long as wide. Postpetiolar sternites without any flat bulge. Whole body usually concolorous dark to blackish brown, specimens with distinctly lighter mesosoma occasionally occur.

Queen
Seifert (2003) - Head of medium length, CL/CW 1.170. Postocular index very small, PoOc/CL 0.376. Occipital margin straight or weakly concave. Dorsal area of head almost without longitudinal sculpture; very weak longitudinal carinulae present on and posterior of frontal laminae. Vertex with very shallow and simple foveolae of 16 - 18 mm diameter; interspaces as wide as foveolar diameter, shining, with fine cross-branched microstructures. Dorsal area of mesosoma foveolate; interspaces between foveolae shining, wider than foveolar diameter and with fine cross-branched microstructures. Lateral area of mesosoma shining, finely reticulate-carinulate, lateral metapleuron longitudinally rugulose. Propodeal spines rather short. Petiole node in dorsal view as wide as long, usually circular; dorsal and lateral petiole shape frequently as depicted for the type of Cardiocondyla nigra, but conditions similar to that of the Cardiocondyla batesii type do occur. Whole body concolorous dark brown. Gynes from Tunisia: Lac Kelbia- 1935.03 brachypterous, with forewing length 1350 - 1400 mm.

Type Material
Tunisia [types investigated]. Cardiocondyla nigra: 5 syntype workers and 5 syntype gynes labelled “C. Batesii For. var. nigra, Kairouan (Santschi) 159”,.