Lasius carniolicus

Identification
Worker yellow to reddish yellow. Funiculus segments broad; scape oval in section; maxillary palps with segments 5 and 6 subequal, distinctly shorter than 4. Petiole in profile nodal with both anterior and posterior faces convex; in front view with rounded dorsal surface. Sides of head curving forward into close set mandibles; head cordate with rounded occipital corners, posterior margin slightly concave. Body pubescence long and thick, merging into short suberect hairs on all surfaces. Length: 3.5-3.7 mm (Collingwood 1979).

Distribution
Pyrenees to Siberia, ltaly to Poland and South Sweden, also Afghanistan, Karakorum and Himalayas (Faber, 1967).

This taxon was described from Yugoslavia.

Biology
Collingwood (1979) - This species has a wide but scattered occurrence, rather local but sometimes abundant in the restricted areas where it occurs. Nests are found under stones in sandy soil in open dry woodland or pasture. The queens which are no larger than the worker start colonies by adoption in nests of Lasius alienus or Lasius flavus. Flight period September/October. Faber (1967) records extreme physogastry in the mature egg laying queen of the related species Lasius reginae Faber.

Nomenclature

 *  carniolicus. Lasius carniolicus Mayr, 1861: 51 (diagnosis in key) (q.) YUGOSLAVIA. Forel, 1886f: 206 (w.m.). Combination in Formicina: Emery, 1916b: 242; in Acanthomyops: Ruzsky, 1925b: 45; in Lasius (Chthonolasius): Ruzsky, 1914a: 59; Müller, 1923: 132; Wilson, 1955a: 189; in L. (Austrolasius): Faber, 1967: 74. Senior synonym of kusnezovi: Wilson, 1955a: 189. See also: Bernard, 1967: 365; Kutter, 1977c: 230; Collingwood, 1982: 292; Kupyanskaya, 1990: 221; Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 252.
 * kusnezovi. Lasius (Chthonolasius) carniolicus var. kusnezovi Karavaiev, 1929b: 212, fig. 5 (w.) RUSSIA. Junior synonym of carniolicus: Wilson, 1955a: 189.