Myrmica anatolica

M. anatolica has been found only on mountains in Anatolia at altitudes between 1800 and 2400 m, where it is fairly common on both intensively grazed and more natural alpine meadows. It is also found in damper, shaded hay meadows at slightly lower altitudes and on steep slopes at the edge of mixed and pine forests. It nests in the soil, usually under stones. M. anatolica frequently lives sympatrically with M. lobicornis, and in the field (using a hand lens), it could be mistaken for a species from the scabrinodis-group. Sexuals were found in nests in mid-August indicating late summer swarming. (Radchenko and Elmes 2010)

Identification
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - A member of the lobicornis species group and well differs from Myrmica lobicornis by its much smaller lobe at the scape base, wider frons and more rounded petiole node (seen in profile).

Distribution
Anatolian part of Turkey.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Turkey.

Nomenclature

 *  anatolica. Myrmica anatolica Elmes, Radchenko & Aktaç, 2002: 167, figs. 44-60 (w.q.m.) TURKEY. See also: Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 87.

Worker
Head longer than broad, with weakly convex sides, slightly concave medially occipital margin and broadly rounded occipital corners. Anterior clypeal margin rounded and shallowly notched medially. Frontal carinae not strongly curved, frons relatively wide (much wider than in M. lobicornis Nylander). Antenna! scape relatively short, angulate at its base and with small vertical dentiform lobe (this lobe is very variable in size though never large, it can be reduced to a very small dentiform ridge). Mandibles with 6-8 teeth.

Alitrunk with more or less flattened promesonotal dorsum; promesonotal suture indistinct from above; metanotal groove distinct but not very deep. Propodeal spines wide at base, relatively long and acute, straight, not curving downwards, projecting backwards at an angle less than 45° and slightly divergent (seen from above). In profile, petiole with distinct peduncle, its anterior surface concave, petiolar node with slightly flattened or convex dorsum. Postpetiole higher than long, with convex dorsum. Spurs on middle and hind tibiae well developed and distinctly pectinate.

Frons rugose, rear (upper) half oh head dorsum with reticulation; clypeus with longitudinal rugae. Antennal sockets surrounded by rugae. Alitrunk mainly longitudinally rugose, only pro- and mesonotal dorsum with sinuous rugae and reticulation. Petiolar node with lateral sinuous longitudinal rugosity and with irregular short rugae on its dorsum; postpetiole with longitudinally-concentric rugae. Surfaces between rugae on the body smooth and shiny.

Head margins and alitrunk dorsum with abundant, slightly curved, erect to suberect hairs; antennal scape and tibiae with short suberect hairs. The overall colour dark brownish-red, appendages somewhat lighter.

Queen
Generally like workers in shape of the head and body sculpture, colour and pilosity of the body except for a relatively wider head, coarser sculpture of head dorsum, petiole with relatively shorter peduncle, dorsal surface more declined backwards, and alitrunk with no reticulation, only longitudinal rugosity.

Male
Although head is usually slightly longer than broad, in some specimens it can be shorter, with a slightly convex anterior clypeal margin, convex sides and occipital margin, and widely and gradually rounded occipital corners. Frontal carinae very feebly curved. Antennal scape relatively long (similar to species of lobicornis-group, see Radchenko 1994b,c), curved at the base, but not distinctly angulate; antennae 13-jointed, antennal club 4-jointed. Masticatory margin of mandibles distinct, with 7-8 acute teeth.

Alitrunk relatively short and wide, scutum convex, and scutellum does not project dorsally above scutum when seen in profile. Propodeum with blunt rounded denticles, which sometimes reduced to simple rounded angles. In profile, petiole somewhat longer than high, with very short peduncle; its anterior surface very slightly concave, dorsum of node rounded; postpetiole subglobular.

Sculpture quite variable, especially on alitrunk. Only central part of head dorsum with short longitudinal rugae, surface of head densely punctured, appears dull; clypeus with finer punctures, especially on the central part, which appears shiny. Usually fine longitudinal striation on part or all of scutum; that can be coarser, or more sinuous, or sometimes concentric (more unusually scutum can appear smooth and shiny, with only very fine and short striae on its central part); surface between striations usually smooth and shiny, but can be finely, or more densely punctured. Scutellum usually with longitudinal rugulae or with longitudinally-concentric rugae, but sometimes reticulated; surface between sculpture smooth, or finely punctured, but appears more or less shiny. Pro- and mesopleurae usually smooth and shiny, with fine longitudinal striation, sometimes more coarsely striate with surfaces punctured, appearing somewhat dull. Propodeum with longitudinal rugosity developed to a variable degree, surface smooth and shiny. Petiole usually with very finely punctured dorsum node (or sometimes totally smooth and shiny), with more dense punctures and short fine rugulae surrouning the node. Postpetiole usually smooth and shiny, or very finely punctured (even so appears more or less shiny).

Head margins, alitrunk, waist and gaster with subdecumbent to suberect hairs. Antennal scape and first 8 funicular joints with short suberect hairs, antennal club with very short hairs. Legs with short subdecumbent hairs. Colour of body blackish-brown to black, appendages somewhat lighter.

Type Material
Holotype worker, NE Turkey, Trabzon Region, nr. Uzungol, 40°34'29" N, 40°17'47" E, alt. 2372 m, 15.viii.1999, TR-27 (leg. J. E. & G. W Elmes) (TU); paratypes: 12 workers, 4 gynes, 3 males from the nest of holotype; 30 workers, same locality, site, date and collectors, TR-26; 320 workers, 1 queen, 3 gynes, 36 males (12 colonies), same locality, date and collectors, but co-ordinate 40°38'33" N, 40°16'21" E, alt. 2397 m, TR-10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 23; 72 workers (4 colonies), NE Turkey, Trabzon Region, ca 5 km S Uzungol, up mountain, alt. 1800 m, 17.viii.2000, TR-154, 155, 156, 157 (leg. G. W Elmes); 13 workers, NE Turkey, Trabzon Region, ca 5 km S Uzungol, up mountain, alt. 1800 m, 17.viii.2000, No. 00/171a (leg. K. Kiran); 4 workers, NE Turkey, Trabzon Region, Hamsikoy, 41 km S Trabzon, alt. 1400 m, 25.v.1974, No. 42, 61 (leg. N. Aktac); 8 workers, same locality and collector, 8.vi.1975, No. 117; 2 workers, N Turkey, Erzurum Region, 113 km NE Erzurum, Oltu-Uzunoluk, alt. 1900 m, 23.ix.1979, No. 2122 (leg. N. Aktac); 10 workers, NE Turkey, Rize Region, S of Madenli (S of Cayeli), S of Kaptanpasa, between Cataldere and Incesu, alt. 1800 m, 12.viii.2000, TR-86 (leg. G. W Elmes); 53 workers, 4 males (3 colonies), NE Turkey, Rize Region, S of Madenli (S of Cayeli) ca. between Incesu and Baltas/Balikli Golu mts., alt. 2400 m, 12.viii.2000, TR-88, 89, 90 (leg. G. W Elmes); 83 workers (5 colonies), NE Turkey, Rize Region, S of Madenli (S of Cayeli), ca. east of Baltas/Balikli Gulu mts., nr. Baskoy, alt. 2300 m, 12.viii.2000, TR-91, 93, 94, 95, 96 (leg. G. W Elmes); 18 workers, NE Turkey, Rize region, Casiran yaylasi, alt. 1850m, 11.viii.2000, No. 00/4, (leg. K. Kiran); 1 worker, NE Turkey, Rize region, Yenisu, alt. 1850m, 12.viii.2000, No. 00/39 (leg. K. Kiran); 2 queens, NE Turkey, Rize region, Baskoy, alt. 2300m, 12.viii.2000, No. 00/41 (leg. K. Kiran); 79 workers, 1 gyne (9 colonies), NE Turkey, Rize region, Incesu, alt. 2300m, 12.viii.2000, No. 00/42, 44, 46, 47, 48, 50, 54, 55, 56 (leg. K. Kiran); 2 workers, NE Turkey, Rize region, Ruzgarli Koyu, alt. 2300m, 13.viii.2000, No. 00/88 (leg. K. Kiran); 44 workers, N Turkey, Erzincan- Refahiye, 50 km W Erzincan Gulendag, alt. 1800 m, 14.vi.1982, No. 2225 (leg. N. Aktac); 14 workers, Central Turkey, 130 km N Ankara, Cankir, 18.vi.1985, No. 103 (leg. N. Aktac) (TU, MIIZ, IZK, ELMES).

Etymology
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - from the name Anatolia (a region of Turkey) with the adjective suffix for nouns ica (from the Greek ικο) = belonging to, from, to indicate that it is probably an endemic of that region.