Aphaenogaster olympica

The habitat preferences are as in Aphaenogaster cecconii. The foraging workers are found in small caverns, at entries to large caves, cracks in rock walls of northern exposure, and inside large porous limestone rocks in shady parts of mountain streams. (Borowiec and Salata 2014)

Identification
Borowiec and Salata (2014) - Aphaenogaster olympica, Aphaenogaster jolantae. and Aphaenogaster equestris are together easily distinguished from the other three species of the A. cecconii group by the head lacking a narrowed neck with flared collar. Aphaenogaster equestris differs in having the body mostly rusty-yellow and the sculpture of the head stronger, with the head surface partly dull. Aphaenogaster jolantae is very similar and differs by the characters outlined in the key.

Key to Mediterranean Aphaenogaster cecconii group species

Distribution
Greece, Dodecanese, Karpathos island.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Greece.

Nomenclature

 *  olympica. Aphaenogaster olympica Borowiec & Salata, 2014: 52, figs. 9-10, 19, 25, 27 (w.) GREECE.

Worker
(n=11): HL: 1.342 ± 0.078 (1.117–1.420) ; HW: 0.888 ± 0.093 (0.704–1.016); TL: 0.621 ± 0.04 (0.536–0.693); NW: 0.381 ± 0.021 (0.341–0.413); GL: 0.482 ± 0.03 (0.425–0.52); CW: 0.173 ± 0.019 (0.131–0.201); FLW: 0.307 ± 0.027 (0.257–0.346); SL: 1.686 ± 0.085 (1.457–1.763); EL: 0.246 ± 0.012 (0.218–0.257); EW: 0.186 ± 0.016 (0.145–0.201); ML: 1.928 ± 0.118 (1.605–2.092); PSL: 0.241 ± 0.027 (0.179–0.279); SDL: 0.197 ± 0.017 (0.168–0.235); HTL: 1.529 ± 0.096 (1.280–1.661); PL: 0.538 ± 0.040 (0.487–0.575); PPL: 0.377 ± 0.03 (0.324–0.419); PH: 0.32 ± 0.029 (0.279–0.357); PPH: 0.306 ± 0.028 (0.251–0.351); PNW: 0.658 ± 0.043 (0.553–0.704) ; DPSB: 0.223 ± 0.025 (0.167–0.246); DPST: 0.246 ± 0.038 (0.207–0.313); PW: 0.232 ± 0.018 (0.187–0.251); PPW: 0.287 ± 0.024 (0.234–0.335); CI: 66.1 ± 5.1 (52–71.8); CL: 19.5 ± 1.9 (17.8–24.4); FLI: 56.4 ± 6.1 (50–72.8); SI1: 125.7 ± 2.7 (122.3–130.4); F2: 191.6 ± 19.6 (171–246); PI1: 167.9 ± 16.9 (149.6–204.3); PI2: 61.5 ± 7.1 (53.4–77); PPI1: 123.3 ± 7.5 (109.7–133.9); PPI2: 35.7 ± 3.4 (33.1–43.6); SPI1: 27.3 ± 3.3 (24.6–34.9); SPI2: 122.2 ± 7.6 (106.5–129.5); HTI: 173.5 ± 16.1 (158.9–217.6) MI: 293.4 ± 11.1 (271.2–312.1); PSI: 142.4 ± 12.4 (127.2–162.2); TGI: 129.1 ± 9.4 (115.4–144.4); ; NI: 228.9 ± 8.2 (213.2–243.6).

Head, thorax and abdomen dark brown, first abdominal tergite without paler basal spot. Legs mostly brown with tarsi yellowish to yellowish-brown, often trochanters, knee and apices of tibiae paler colored, yellowish-brown. Antennal scapes brown, pedicle yellowish brown.

Head posterior to eyes gently, regularly convex, without constriction at base, basal margin margined by sharp carina. Anterior margin of clypeus shallowly emarginate. Eyes small, 0.39 times as long as length of tempora. Scapes elongate and slim, 1.75 times as long as width of head, at base 0.56 times as wide as in apex, gradually widened, mostly straight, only apex slightly bent down without preapical constriction. Funicle elongate and thin, 1.37–1.39 times as long as scape, first segment elongate, 3.2 times as long as width at apex, 1.47 times as long as second segment, length ratio of segments 100:68:72:72:79:75:79:107:96:96:158, apical segments 1.64 times as wide as basal segments. Surface of scape finely microreticulate but shiny, in basal half covered with short and sparse adherent setae, from midlength to apex pubescence gradually raised from the ground.

Promesonotum 1.88 times as long as wide, pronotum gently, regularly convex in profile without cleft between pronotum and mesonotum. Propodeum elongate, 1.39 times as long as wide, propodeal spines short, needle-like, sloping obliquely upwards. Petiole elongate with long peduncle, its anterior face deeply concave, node rounded in profile. Posterior face straight in anterior 3/4 length then shallowly concave. Ventral margin of petiole straight, without spine or distinct angulation. In dorsal view, petiole almost parallel sided anterior to petiolar node, then gently widened posteriorly. Postpetiole in profile regularly rounded. In dorsal view postpetiole 1.47 times as long as wide, regularly widened posteriorly, apical half with gently rounded sides.

Mandibles elongate, with outer edges straight, dorsal surface with distinct striation and several setose punctures, shiny, inner margin with one larger and 6–7 smaller teeth. Clypeus on whole surface with fine longitudinal rugae, interspaces microreticulate but shiny. Frontal carinae short, not extending to the line connecting anterior margin of eyes, subparallel, interantennal area deeply impressed, shiny, without or with only one short median, fine carina, frontal triangle with very thin longitudinal rugae appearing as striation, microreticulate but shiny. Frons on sides with thin longitudinal rugae, in central part with distinct microsculpture but shiny. Area between eyes distinctly microreticulate but appears shiny, microreticulation gradually diffused from anterior to posterior; gena, tempora and vertex microreticulate, on occipital part of head microreticulation more or less diffused but visible, surface shiny. Pronotum with microreticulation diffused dorsally, distinct on sides. Dorsum of pronotum shiny, sides more or less shiny, with rows of 4+1+2 setae. Mesonotum on whole surface microreticulate and partly microgranulate, sides microgranulate with 3–4 short, transverse rugae, propodeal dorsum microreticulate, on sides with slightly granulate sculpture, below spiracles with few fine longitudinal rugae, dorsal part of propodeum in anterior part with fine transverse wrinkles but surface of both mesonotum and propodeum appears slightly shiny. Mesonotum dorsally with 6 + 2 setae, propodeum anteriorly with a pair of short setae, as long as or slightly shorter than propodeal spines. Stem of petiole and postpetiole microreticulate but without wrinkles, nodes smooth and shiny, covered with several sparse, long setae. Gaster shiny, first tergite at base with short longitudinal grooves and with more or less distinct microreticulation, tergites with sparse, long, erect setae from as long as to 1.5 times as long as propodeal spines.

Legs very long, hind femora 1.1 times as long as thorax, hind tibiae 0.81 times as long as hind femora, hind tarsi 1.1 times as long as hind femora. Dorsal surface of femora with short, sparse, adherent pubescence, inner margin with row of sparse, moderately long setae, tibiae on whole surface covered with very short, adherent pubescence, only inner, apical margins with row or slightly longer and semierect setae.

Type Material
Holotype worker: GREECE, Dodecanese, Karpathos, Olympos, 429 m, 35,72448 N/27,16972 E, 19 V 2014, S. Salata, Collection L. Borowiec, Formicidae, LBC-GR01334 ; 6 paratype workers: the same data as holotype (DBET); 4 paratype workers: GREECE Dodecanese, Karpathos, Olympos 351 m, 35°43’N 27°10’E, 19.05.2014 S. Salata (SSC); 15 paratype workers: GREECE, Dodecanese, 399 m, Karpathos, Spoa- Mesochori rd., 35,62784 N/27,12748 E, 21 V 2014, S. Salata, Collection L. Borowiec, Formicidae, LBCGR01335 (DBET, SMNG,, MLBC); 1 paratype worker: GREECE Dodecanese, Karpathos, Spoa, —Mesochori rd., 384 m, 35°37’N 27°07’E, 21.05.2014 S. Salata (SSC); 7 paratype workers: GREECE, Dodecanese, Karpathos, Flaskia Gorge, 67 m, 35,5597 N/27,10981 E, 21 V 2014, S. Salata, Collection L. Borowiec, Formicidae, LBC-GR01336 (DBET); 2 paratype workers: GREECE Dodecanese, Karpathos, Flaskia Gorge, 23 m 35°33’N 27°06’E, 21.05.2014 S. Salata (SSC); 4 paratype workers: GREECE Dodecanese, Karpathos, Ag. Andreas, Gorge, 73 m 35°33’N, 27°11’E 23.05.2014 S. Salata (SSC).

Etymology
Named after its locus typicus, Olympos village.