Proceratium melinum

A wide ranging Palaearctic species. In Albania (Purkart et al., 2019) it was found near a canyon of the river Lengaricës, where rocky slopes are covered with small areas of forest-steppe, from a sample of rotten wood, leaf litter and soil taken from a decaying tree, and the collected material was then heat extracted from the sample using Tullgren funnels. Carebara oertzeni was also found in this same sample. Poldi (1963, cited in Hölldobler and Wilson, 1990) described how the queen plugs the nest entrance with her rounded and unmodified first gastral segments, a behaviour seen in phragmotic species.

Identification
A member of the pergandei clade. Differing from its ingroup species, Proceratium confinium, in the worker, mainly by the frontal carinae separate instead of very close to each other, by the antennal scapes shorter and by the fore basitarsi longer than the mid basitarsi instead of subequal; and from its outgroup, Proceratium morisitai, in the worker and gyne, by the head rugosopunctate instead of granulate and by the second tarsomere of hind leg about 1/5 longcr than the pretarsus instead of about as long as the pretarsus, and, in the male, by the IGR = 0.62 instead of IGR 0.68. (Baroni Urbani and de Andrade 2003)

Distribution
Central and Southern Europe from South Spain to Russia, Turkey, and Israel.

The known distribution of this species in the Iberian Peninsula is detailed by Tinaut & Martinez-Ibanez (1998). Kugler (1988) reports this species from Israel, a country from which we did not see any specimen. The account, however, represents the southernmost record for this species and appears as biogeographically plausible. The northernmost distributional record for P. melinum appears to be from southern Poland (Cracow).

Lapeva-Gjonova & Borowiec (2022) - Proceratium melinum is rarely collected due to its subterranean lifestyle and small colonies, although it is widespread in the Palaearctic. It is known in Bulgaria in a small number of localities (Dobrudzha, Thracian Lowland (Svilengrad), Struma Valley (Petrich, Sandanski) and Burgas) (Forel 1892, Atanassov and Dlussky 1992, Lapeva-Gjonova et al. 2010).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Iberian Peninsula, Israel, Malta, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine.

Nomenclature

 * . Ponera melina Roger, 1860: 291 (w.q.m.) U.S.A. (Carolina).
 * Type-material: syntype worker, syntype queen, syntype male (perhaps only one of each).
 * [Note: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2003b: 251, found only 1 worker and 1 queen in MNHU; the male appears to be lost.]
 * Type-locality: U.S.A.: Carolina (error).
 * [Note: Brown, 1958g: 334, regarded this taxon as very dubiously present in U.S.A. Baroni Urbani, 1977d: 9, indicated that the type-locality should be Europe, adding that Carolina was certainly a labelling error.]
 * Type-depository: MNHU.
 * Combination in Proceratium: Mayr, 1886d: 438;
 * combination in Sysphincta: Emery, 1895c: 263;
 * combination in Proceratium: Brown, 1958g: 248.
 * Status as species: Mayr, 1863: 449; Mayr, 1886d: 438; Cresson, 1887: 258; Dalla Torre, 1893: 18; Emery, 1895c: 263, Wheeler, W.M. 1904e: 300; Wheeler, W.M. 1905f: 375; Wheeler, W.M. 1910g: 561; Creighton, 1950a: 42; Smith, M.R. 1951a: 784; Brown, 1958g: 248, 333; Smith, M.R. 1967: 347; Baroni Urbani, 1971c: 12; Baroni Urbani, 1977d: 91; Arnol’di & Dlussky, 1978: 524 (in key); Collingwood, 1978: 74 (in key); Smith, D.R. 1979: 1338; Schembri & Collingwood, 1981: 419; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987a: 53; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987b: 264 (in key); Kugler, J. 1988: 256; Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 64; Bolton, 1995b: 366; Poldi, et al. 1995: 2; Schembri & Collingwood, 1995: 156; Gallé, et al. 1998: 214; Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2003b: 251 (redescription); Csösz, 2003: 151; Bračko, 2006: 134; Markó, Sipos, et al. 2006: 69; Petrov, 2006: 83 (in key); Bračko, 2007: 17; Werner & Wiezik, 2007: 139; Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009: 498; Vonshak, et al. 2009: 46; Lapeva-Gjonova, et al. 2010: 6; Csösz, et al. 2011: 56; Karaman, M.G. 2011b: 15; Legakis, 2011: 4; Borowiec, L. & Salata, 2012: 531; Kiran & Karaman, 2012: 29; Borowiec, L. 2014: 149; Bračko, et al. 2014: 13; Lebas, et al. 2016: 408; Radchenko, 2016: 75; Steiner, et al. 2017: 16; Salata & Borowiec, 2018c: 22; Seifert, 2018: 151.
 * Senior synonym of europaea: Brown, 1958g: 248, 334; Baroni Urbani, 1977d: 91; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1338; Bolton, 1995b: 366; Gallé, et al. 1998: 214; Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2003b: 251; Csösz, 2003: 152; Werner & Wiezik, 2007: 139; Karaman, M.G. 2011b: 15; Legakis, 2011: 4; Radchenko, 2016: 75; Salata & Borowiec, 2018c: 22.
 * Senior synonym of fialai: Brown, 1958g: 248, 334; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1338; Bolton, 1995b: 366; Gallé, et al. 1998: 214; Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2003b: 251; Csösz, 2003: 152; Werner & Wiezik, 2007: 139; Csösz, et al. 2011: 56; Radchenko, 2016: 75.
 * Senior synonym of rossica: Brown, 1958g: 248, 334; Arnol’di & Dlussky, 1978: 524 (in key) ; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1338; Bolton, 1995b: 366; Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2003b: 251; Radchenko, 2016: 75.
 * Distribution: Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France (+ Corsica), Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine.
 * europaea. Sysphingta europaea Forel, 1886e: clxiii, fig. 2 (w.) GREECE.
 * Type-material: holotype worker.
 * Type-locality: Greece: Elide, Morée occidentale (von Oertzen).
 * [Note: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2003b: 251, state that data label on the holotype has Albanien, Avlona, 88 (von Oertzen).]
 * Type-depository: MHNG.
 * Forel, 1889: 259 (q.); Forel, 1905b: 177 (m.).
 * Combination in Proceratium: Forel, 1889: 258;
 * combination in Sysphincta: Emery, 1909c: 359.
 * Status as species: Forel, 1889: 258 (redescription); Forel, 1890a: lxviii; Emery, 1891b: 2; Dalla Torre, 1893: 18; Forel, 1905b: 177; Emery, 1909c: 358; Santschi, 1910e: 649; Emery, 1911d: 51; Emery, 1914d: 156; Emery, 1916b: 103; Bondroit, 1918: 80; Lomnicki, 1922: 4; Müller, 1923b: 29; Finzi, 1923: 2; Menozzi, 1925d: 24; Finzi, 1927a: 7; Arnol’di, 1930b: 144; Finzi, 1930d: 311; Karavaiev, 1934: 52; Grandi, 1935: 98; Zimmermann, 1935: 8; Finzi, 1939b: 86; Novák & Sadil, 1941: 70 (in key); Kratochvíl, in Kratochvíl, et al. 1944: 58 (in key); Donisthorpe, 1950d: 638; Donisthorpe, 1950e: 1058; Consani & Zangheri, 1952: 39; Ceballos, 1956: 296; Bernard, 1967: 82 (redescription); Collingwood & Yarrow, 1969: 55 (error).
 * Junior synonym of melinum: Brown, 1958g: 248, 334; Baroni Urbani, 1977d: 91; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1338; Bolton, 1995b: 366; Gallé, et al. 1998: 214; Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2003b: 251; Csösz, 2003: 152; Werner & Wiezik, 2007: 139; Karaman, M.G. 2011b: 15; Legakis, 2011: 4; Radchenko, 2016: 75; Salata & Borowiec, 2018c: 22.
 * fialai. Sysphincta fialai Kratochvíl, in Kratochvíl, et al. 1944: 54, figs. 1-4 (w.q.m.) CZECH REPUBLIC.
 * Type-material: syntype workers, syntype queens (numbers not stated), 1 syntype male.
 * Type-locality: Czech Republic: Moravia, Kroměříž, 1933 (O. Fiala).
 * Type-depository: NHMP.
 * Junior synonym of melinum: Brown, 1958g: 248, 334; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1338; Bolton, 1995b: 366; Gallé, et al. 1998: 214; Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2003b: 251; Csösz, 2003: 152; Werner & Wiezik, 2007: 139; Csösz, et al. 2011: 56; Radchenko, 2016: 75.
 * rossica. Sysphincta europaea subsp. rossica Arnol'di, 1930b: 144, figs. 1-3 (w.q.) RUSSIA.
 * Type-material: 4 syntype workers, 1 syntype queen.
 * Type-locality: Russia: Aksaj (Dongebiet), 16.vii.1927, Nr. 2537 (K.V. Arnoldi).
 * [Note: type-locality is Aksay in Rostov Oblast (Russia), not Dagestan as recorded in Kostyuk, 1976: 91.]
 * Type-depositories: SIZK, ZMUM.
 * [Also described as new by Arnol'di, 1930d: 157.]
 * Subspecies of europaea: Arnol’di, 1932b: 52; Arnol'di, 1933b: 596 (in key); Karavaiev, 1934: 52 (redescription).
 * Status as species: Kratochvíl, in Kratochvíl, et al. 1944: 58 (in key).
 * Junior synonym of melinum: Brown, 1958g: 248, 334; Arnol’di & Dlussky, 1978: 524 (in key) ; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1338; Bolton, 1995b: 366; Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2003b: 251; Radchenko, 2016: 75.

Type Material
Bezděčková et al. (2017) - Sysphincta fialai: Altogether 14 syntypes are deposited in (all dry-mounted, glued on rectangular card labels, 1 alate queen pinned):
 * SYNTYPE (1 alata queen): ‘Br H / 19 9 41 [hw] // Sysphincta / fialai /  det Krat [hw] // Collectio / J. Šnoflák / Moravské museum, Brno [p] // Transcriptio [p] / Brno – Hády / 19. 9. 1941 / J. Šnoflák leg.[hw] // Syn- / typus [p, red label] // Invent. č. [p] / 1166 / Ent. [hw] / Mor. museum, Brno [p]’.
 * SYNTYPE (1 worker): ‘Kroměříž / O. Fiala [p] // 30/8 36 [hw] / O. Fiala. [p] // Sysphincta / europaea [hw] // Collectio / J. Slavíček / Moravské museum, Brno [p] // Transcriptio [p] / Sysphincta [worker symbol] / fialai sp. n. / J. Kratochvíl det. 1944 [hw] // Syn- / typus [p, red label] // Invent. č. [p] / 1167 /Ent. [hw] / Mor. museum, Brno [p]’.
 * SYNTYPE (1 alata queen): ‘Transcriptio [p] / Kroměříž / 30. 8. 1936 / O. Fiala [hw] // Collectio / J. Slavíček / Moravské museum, Brno [p] // Transcriptio [p] / Sysphincta / europaea / O. Fiala det. // Transcriptio [p] / Sysphincta male / fialai sp. n. / J. Kratochvíl det. 1944 [hw] // Syn- / typus [p, red label] // Invent. č. [p] / 1168 / Ent. [hw] / Mor. museum, Brno [p]’.
 * SYNTYPE (1 male): ‘Transcriptio [p] / Kroměříž / 30. 8. 1936 / O. Fiala [hw] // Collectio / J. Slavíček / Moravské museum, Brno [p] // Transcriptio [p] / Sysphincta / europaea / O. Fiala det. // Transcriptio [p] / Sysphincta male / fialai sp. n. / J. Kratochvíl det. 1944 [hw] // Syn- / typus [p, red label] // Invent. č. [p] / 1169 / Ent. [hw] / Mor. museum, Brno [p]’.
 * SYNTYPES (2 workers): ‘Kroměříž / O. Fiala [p] // Collectio / J. Slavíček / Moravské museum, Brno [p] // Sysphincta / europ. europ / For. [hw] // Transcriptio [p] / Sysphincta [worker symbol] / fialai sp. n. / J. Kratochvíl det. 1944 [hw] // Syn- / typus [p, red label] // Invent. č. [p] / 1170–1171 /Ent. [respectively, hw] / Mor. museum, Brno [p]’.
 * SYNTYPES (2 workers 2 males 1 alate queen): ‘Transcriptio [p] / Kroměříž / O. Fiala [hw] // Collectio / J. Slavíček / Moravské museum, Brno [p] // Transcriptio [p] / Sysphincta / europaea europaea For. / O. Fiala det. // Transcriptio [p] / Sysphincta [worker symbol or male, respectively] / fialai sp. n. / J. Kratochvíl det. 1944 [hw] // Syn- / typus [p, red label] // Invent. č. [p] / 1172–1176 / Ent. [respectively, hw] / Mor. museum, Brno [p]’.
 * SYNTYPES (3 alate queens): ‘Transcriptio [p] / Kroměříž / O. Fiala [hw] // Collectio / J. Fiala / Moravské museum, Brno [p] // Transcriptio [p] / Sysphincta / europaea europaea For. / O. Fiala det. // Transcriptio [p] / Sysphincta  / fialai sp. n. / J. Kratochvíl det. 1944 [hw] // Syn- / typus [p, red label] // Invent. č. [p] / 1177–1179 / Ent. [respectively, hw] / Mor. museum, Brno [p]’.

Five syntypes are deposited in (dry-mounted, damaged by mould):
 * SYNTYPES (1 male 2 alate queens 1 dealate queen 1 worker; the male and the worker glued each on a small rectangular label, all females together on one small rectangular label, and all specimens together on one larger card label, ca. 40 × 16 mm): ‘Sysphincta / fialai Krat. / Paratypy [hw] -/- 04045 [hw] // Sysphincta / fialai Krat. / Kroměříž, leg. Fiala / Paratyp [hw] / Kroměříž / O. Fiala [p, on a sticker] // Syntypus / (Bezděčková et al. 2017) [p, red label]’, [IN: E26-T14–E26-T18].

Remarks. As no specimen has been designated as a holotype or a lectotype, we consider all specimens syntypes, although the specimens from coll. V. Šilhavý deposited in were originally labelled as paratypes.

Worker
Baroni Urbani and de Andrade (2003) - Head longer than broad, its sides gently convex in the two anterior thirds and weakly converging in the posterior third. Anteromedian part of the clypeus narrow, triangular and protruding anteriorly, with a variably markcd longitudinal carina dorsally. Frontal carinae diverging posteriorly, poorly raised and not close to each other. Lateral expanfions of the frontal carinae narrow. Genal carina absent. Gular area not impressed. Eyes small and represented by a dark dot below the integument. Eyes on the midline of the head. First funicular joint slightly longer than broad. Funicular joints 2-10 about as broad as long or slightly broader than long. Last funicular joint about as long as the sum of joints 7-10. Scapes much shorter than the vevtexal margin and gently thickening apically. Masticatory margin of the mandibles with 4-5 denticles before the pointed apical tooth. Palp formula 4,3.

Mesosoma as long as or slightly shorter than maximum head length (mandibles included). Propodeal suture dorsally poorly impressed in some specimens. Basal face of the propodeum gently declivous posteriorly. Area between basal and declivous faces of the propodeum superficially concave and separated laterally by a small denticle. Declivoirs face of the propodeum flat and with superficially marginate sides. Propodeal lobes subround. Propodeal spiracle round and above the mid height in lateral view.

Petiole about as long as broad, convex in side view and with the sides diverging on the anterior fourth and convex posteriorly in dorsal view. Anterior border of the petiole concave and carinate, the carina forming a denticle on each side. Ventral process of the petiole lamelliform, truncate anteriorly and pointed posteriorly. Postpetiole anteriorly broader than the petiole; its sides diverging or gently convex. Postpetiolar sternite anteromedially with a marked subtriangular projection. Posterior half of the postpetiolar sternite strongly convex. Constriction between postpetiole and fist gastral segment impressed. Gastral tergite I strongly convex on the curvature. Remaining gastral tergites and sternites curved ventrally.

Legs slender but not very elongate. All tibiae with a pectinate spur. Spurs of fore legs with basal spine. Fore basitarsi longer than the mid ones. Hind basitarsi about 1/5 shorter than hind tibiae. Second tarsomere of hind leg about 1/5 longer than the pretarsus. Pretarsal claws simple. Arolia large.

Sculpture. Head rugosopunctate. Mesosoma granulopunctate. Petiole and postpetiole granulate. Gaster superficially shining and covered by piligerous impressions. Legs punctate.

Pilosity. Body covered by hairs of three main types: (1) short, dense, subdecumbent on the whole body, sparse and suberect on the funicular joints, absent on the funiculi; (2) longer than type (1), sparse and suberect on the whole body; (3) shorter than hair type (1), dense and decumbent on the funicular joints only. In addition the funicular joints bear whitish, thick, appressed, short, sparse hairs, and the scapes with sparse hairs shorter than hair type (2).

Colour yellowish to light brown.

Measurements in mm and Indices: TL 3.30-4.15; HL 0.76-0.91; HW 0.69-0.82; EL 0.03-0.05; SL 0.53-0.69; WL 0.93-1.15; PeL 0.28-0.37; PeW 0.29-0.35; HFeL 0.58-0.73; HTiL 0.51-0.67; HBaL 0.40-0.56; LS4 0.30-0.45; LT4 0.68-1.01; CI 88.6-91 .O; SI 69.2-74.4; IGR 0.42-0.44.

Queen
Baroni Urbani and de Andrade (2003) - Differing from the worker in the following details: eyes large, about 1/4 of the head length and with well defined ommatidia. Ocular pilosity present. Ocelli developed. Mesosoma robust. Scutellum large, slightly longer than the length of the basal face of the propodeum; its sides gently converging into a convex posterior border. Metanotum with or without traces of a minute denticle. Spiniform ventral process of the petiole longer.

Fore wings of our type 2, hind wings of our type 1 as defined in the description of the genus.

Measurements in mm and Indices: TL 4.37-4.64; HL 0.87-0.90; HW 0.79-0.83; EL 0.21-0.22; SL 0.61-0.64; WL 1.24-1.30; PeL 0.37-0.38; PeW 0.36-0.38; HFeL 0.78; HTiL 0.67; HBaL 0.52-0.53; LS4 0.45-0.50; LT4 1.08-1.16; GI 91.0-92.2; SI 70.1-71.1; IGR 0.42-0.43.

Male
Baroni Urbani and de Andrade (2003) - Head slightly broader than long. Vertex in full face view convex. Vertexal margin carinate. Clypeus subround or triangular; its dorso-median part with a superficial longitudinal carina. Frontal carinae thin, low, parallel or slightly diverging posteriorly. Frontal area with a sulcus. Ocelli large. Compound eyes large and placed mostly on the anterior part of the head sides. Scapes reaching the vertexal margin. First funicular joint about 1/4 longer than broad, thicker and about 1/4 shorter than second joint. Joints 2-11 longer than broad. Last funicular joint as long as the sum of joints 10-11. Mandibles with a minute, median denticle before a pointed apical tooth. Palp formula 4,3.

Mesosoma robust. Pronotum and anterior third of mesonotum almost perpendicular to the posterior two thirds of the mesonotum. Posterior two thirds of mesonotum almost flat. Parapsidal furrows marked. Scutellum about as high as the mesonotum; posterior border of scutellum round. Basal face of the propodeum declivous posteriorly. Sides of the basal face of the propodeum gently converging posteriorly. Sides between basal and declivous face of the propodeum subangulate. Declivous face of propodeum flat. Metanotum with a median, minute, carinate denticle. Propodeal lobes round. Propodeal spiracles small.

Petiole about as long as broad, declivous in the anterior third and convex in the two posterior thirds in profile. Sides of the petiole in dorsal view subparallel in the anterior third and convex posteriorly. Anterior border of the petiole concave, carinate and laterally angulate. Subpetiolar process as in the worker. Postpetiole anteriorly broader than the petiole; postpetiolar sides diverging posteriorly or gently convex. Anterior border of the postpetiolar sternite with a superficial triangular "lip". Posterior half of the postpetiolar sternite gently convex. Gastral tergite 1 slightly round. Gastral sternite I large. Remaining gastral tergites and sternites slightly curved ventrally. Legs slender and elongate. Spurs of fore legs with a basal spine. Fore basitarsi as long as the mid ones. Hind basitarsi about 1/7 shorter than hind tibiae. Second tarsomere of hind legs 1/5 longer than the pretarsus. Pretarsal claws simple. Arolia present.

Fore wings of our type 2, hind wings of our type 1 as defined in the description of the genus.

Sculpture. Head, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole minutely granulopunctate, the punctation less marked and sparser on the postpetiole. In addition thin, irregular rugosities may be present on the head, scutellum, propodeum and metapleurae. Gaster smooth and with sparse, minute piligerous impressions. Legs superficially smooth and minutely punctate.

Pilosity similar to the one of the worker.

Colour. Black with lighter antennae and legs.

Measurements in mm and Indices: TL 3.53-4.00; HL 0.61-0.67; HW 0.66-0.72; EL 0.29-0.30; SL 0.47-0.52; WL 1.22-1.36; PeL 0.3 1-0.33; PeW 0.32-0.33; HFeL 0.68-0.79; HTiL 0.65-0.70; HBaL 0.55-0.60; LS4 0.50-0.60; LT4 0.81-0.97; CI 107.5 -108.2; SI 77.0-77.6; IGR 0.62.

Type Material
Baroni Urbani and de Andrade (2003):

Worker, gyne and male. Type locality: Carolina (probably a labelling error, see Brown, 1958a). Type material a worker and a gyne (syntypes) labeled: "Carolina, Proceratium melinum Rog., Type, melina Roger, Zool. Mus. Berlin" in ZMBC, examined.

Sysphingta (sic) europaea Type locality: Greece. Type material: holotype worker labelled "Albanien, Avlona, v Oertzen., 88, Sysphincta, P. europaeum, Forel, Typus" in, examined.

Sysphincta europaea rossica Type locality: Don steppe, Russia. Type material: not available for the piesent study.

Sysphincta fialai Type locality: Mohelno Reserve, Czech Republic. Type material: not available for the present study.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Aldawood AS, Sharaf MR (2011) Monomorium dryhimi sp. n., a new ant species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of the M. monomorium group from Saudi Arabia, with a key to the Arabian Monomorium monomorium-group. ZooKeys 106: 4754. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.106.139
 * Andoni V. 1977. Kontribut mbi Himenopteret e familjes Formicidae te vendit tone. Buletini I Shkencave te Natyres 31(2): 93-101.
 * Baroni Urbani C. 1977. Les espèces européennes du genre Proceratium Roger (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Mitt. Schweiz. Entomol. Ges. 50: 91-93.
 * Baroni Urbani C., and M.L de Andrade. 2003. The ant genus Proceratium in the extant and fossil record (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Monografie 36: 1-480.
 * Baroni Urbani, C., and M. L. de Andrade. "The ant genus Proceratium in the extant and fossil record." Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali-Torino Monografie (2003): 1-492.
 * Bernard F. 1967. Faune de l'Europe et du Bassin Méditerranéen. 3. Les fourmis (Hymenoptera Formicidae) d'Europe occidentale et septentrionale. Paris: Masson, 411 pp.
 * Bezdecka P. 1996. The ants of Slovakia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Entomofauna carpathica 8: 108-114.
 * Blanco J. L., D. Carpi, and X. Espadaler. 2012. Tres nuevas adiciones a las hormigas de Aragón (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) Boletín de la Sociedad entomológica Aragonesa 50: 563-564.
 * Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
 * Borowiec L., and S. Salata. 2012. Ants of Greece - Checklist, comments and new faunistic data (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus 23(4): 461-563.
 * Borowiec L., and S. Salata. 2017. Ants of the Peloponnese, Greece (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Polish Journal of Entomology 86: 193-236.
 * Bracko G., H. C. Wagner, A. Schulz, E. Gioahim, J. Maticic, and A. Tratnik. 2014. New investigation and a revised checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Republic of Macedonia. North-Western Journal of Zoology 10(1): 10-24.
 * Bracko, G. 2006. Review of the ant fauna (Hymenoptera:Formicidae) of Croatia. Acta Entomologica Slovenica 14(2): 131-156.
 * Casevitz-Weulersse J., and C. Galkowski. 2009. Liste actualisee des Fourmis de France (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Bull. Soc. Entomol. Fr. 114: 475-510.
 * Collingwood, C. A. "A provisional list of Iberian Formicidae with a key to the worker caste." EOS (Revista española de entomología) Nº LVII (1978): 65-95.
 * Consani M., and P. Zangheri. 1952. Fauna di Romagna. Imenotteri - Formicidi. Memorie della Societa Entomologica Italiana 31: 38-48.
 * Csősz S. 2003. A key to the Ponerinae species of the Carpathian Basin (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Annales Historico-Naturales Musei Nationalis Hungarici 95: 147-160.
 * Csősz S., B. Markó, and L. Gallé. 2011. The myrmecofauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Hungary: an updated checklist. North-Western Journal of Zoology 7: 55-62.
 * Cuesta-Segura A. D., and F. Garcia garcia. 2012. First inventory of the ants of the province of Burgos (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Iberomyrmex 4: 4.
 * Czechowski W., A. Radchenko, W. Czechowska and K. Vepsäläinen. 2012. The ants of Poland with reference to the myrmecofauna of Europe. Fauna Poloniae 4. Warsaw: Natura Optima Dux Foundation, 1-496 pp
 * Dietrich C. O. 2004. Die Krummameise, Proceratium melinum (Roger, 1860), ein unauffaliger und bemerkenswerter Einwanderer in Osterreich (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Wiss. Mitt. Niederösterr. Landesmuseum 16: 7-32.
 * Donisthorpe H. 1950. Two new species of ants, and a few others from Turkey. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (12)3: 638-640.
 * Donisthorpe, H. "A first instalment of the ants of Turkey." Annals and Magazine of Natural History (12)3 (1950): 1057-1067.
 * Dubovikoff D. A., and Z. M. Yusupov. 2018. Family Formicidae - Ants. In Belokobylskij S. A. and A. S. Lelej: Annotated catalogue of the Hymenoptera of Russia. Proceedingss of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences 6: 197-210.
 * Emery C. 1911. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Ponerinae. Genera Insectorum 118: 1-125.
 * Emery C. 1914. Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der Bearbeitung von O. Leonhard's Sammlungen. 5. Südeuropäische Ameisen (Hym.). Entomologische Mitteilungen. Berlin-Dahlem 3: 156-159.
 * Emery C. 1916. Fauna entomologica italiana. I. Hymenoptera.-Formicidae. Bullettino della Società Entomologica Italiana 47: 79-275.
 * Emery, C. "Beiträge zur Kenntniss der palaearktischen Ameisen." Öfversigt af Finska Vetenskaps-Societetens Förhandlingar (Helsinki) 20 (1898): 124-151.
 * Emery, C. "Beiträge zur Monographie der Formiciden des paläarktischen Faunengebietes. (Hym.) Teil VIII. Ponerinae." Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 1909 (1909): 355-376.
 * Emery, C. "Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Ponerinae." en Wytsman, P. "Genera Insectorum" 118 (1911): 1-124.
 * Espadaler, X. "Catàleg de les formigues del països catalans." Ses. Entomol. ICHN-SCL IX (1997): 23-42.
 * Finzi B. 1939. Quinto contributo alla conoscenza della fauna mirmecologica della Venezia Giulia. Bollettino della Società Entomologica Italiana 71: 86-90.
 * Forel A. 1890. Fourmis de Tunisie et de l'Algérie orientale. Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique 34: lxi-lxxvi.
 * Forel, A. "Ameisen aus den Sporaden, den Cykladen und Griechenland, gesammelt 1887 von Herrn von Oertzen." Berliner Entomologische Zeitschrift 32 (1889): 255-265.
 * Forel, A. "Miscellanea myrmécologiques II (1905)." Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique 49 (1905): 155-185.
 * Forel, A. "Nouvelles fourmis de Grèce récoltées par M. E. von Oertzen." Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique 30 (1886): clix-clxviii.
 * Garcia F., X. Espadaler, and K. Gomez. 2009. First record of Amblyopone impressifrons (Emery, 1869) from the Iberian Peninsula and of Proceratium melinum (Roger, 1860) from Catalonia (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Boletín Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa 45: 357-360.
 * Garcia Garcia F., and A. D. Cuesta-Esgura. 2017. First catalogue of the ants of Burgos province, Spain (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Boletín de la Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa 60: 245–258.
 * Gomez K. 2017. Two species of exotic ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) new to Malta. Boletin de la Sociedad Entomologica Aragonesa (S.E.A.) 61: 233-235.
 * Grandi G. 1935. Contributi alla conoscenza degli Imenotteri Aculeati. XV. Boll. R. Ist. Entomol. Univ. Studi Bologna 8: 27-121.
 * IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection
 * Karaman M. G. 2001. Contribution to the knowledge of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Demir Kapija Crag (Vardar River, Macedonia), second contribution. Protection of nature 53(2): 49-61.
 * Karaman M. G. 2009. An introduction to the ant fauna of Macedonia (Balkan Peninsula), a check list (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Natura Montenegrina 8(3): 151-162.
 * Karaman M. G. 2011. A catalogue of the ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Montenegro. Podgorica: Catalogues 3, Volume 2, Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts, 140 pp.
 * Kugler J. 1988. The zoogeography of Israel. 9. The zoogeography of social insects of Israel and Sinai. Monographiae biologicae 62: 251-275.
 * Markó B., B. Sipos, S. Csősz, K. Kiss, I. Boros, and L. Gallé. 2006. A comprehensive list of the ants of Romania (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecologische Nachrichten 9: 65-76.
 * Paraschivescu D. 1978. Elemente balcanice in mirmecofauna R. S. Romania. Nymphaea 6: 463- 474.
 * Purkart A., D. Jablonski, and J. Christophoryova. 2019. First record of Carebara oertzeni Forel, 1886 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Albania. Nat. Croat. 28(1): 173-176.
 * Salata S., and L. Borowiec. 2018. Taxonomic and faunistic notes on Greek ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Annals of the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom Entomology 27: 1-51.
 * Santschi F. 1910. Contributions à la faune entomologique de la Roumanie. Formicides capturées par Mr. A. L. Montandon. Buletinul Societatii Române de Stiinte 19: 648-652.
 * Schembri, Stephen P. and Cedric A. Collingwood. A Revision of the Myrmecofauna of the Maltese Islands. 417-442.
 * Steiner F. M., S. Schödl, and B. C. Schlick-Steiner. 2002. Liste der Ameisen Österreichs (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Stand Oktober 2002. Beiträge zur Entomofaunistik 3: 17-25.
 * Tausan I., and I. A. Radac. 2014. Proceratium melinum (Roger, 1860) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Romania: a new record of the species after a century. Halteres 5: 3-10.
 * Tinaut A. 2016. Ants of the Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama Mountains Natural Park (Andalusia, Spain) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Boln. Asoc. esp. Ent., 40 (1-2): 125-159.
 * Tinaut, A., J. Jiménez Rojas, and R. Pascual. "Estudio de la mirmecofauna de los bosques de Quercus Linneo 1753 de la provincia de Granada." Ecología 8 (1995): 429-438.
 * Vonshak M., and A. Ionescu-Hirsch. 2009. A checklist of the ants of Israel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Israel Journal of Entomology 39: 33-55.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1904. The ants of North Carolina. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 20: 299-306.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1905. An annotated list of the ants of New Jersey. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 21: 371-403.
 * Zimmermann, S. "Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Ameisenfauna Süddalmatiens." Verhandlungen der Zoologisch-Botanisch Gesellschaft in Wien 84 (1935): 1-65.