Temnothorax aeolius

This species is associated mostly with moderately humid to arid deciduous forests or mediterranean bushes and has been collected on rocks and stones (Salata & Borowiec, 2019). Salata et al. (2023) report it as a lowland species known from sites at an altitude 4–50 m in Greece. Workers were shaken off from maguis bushes to entomological umbrella in suburban area and from saline plants close to seacoast.

Identification
Temnothorax aeolius differs from all remaining members of the graecus species-group by a combination of the following characters (Salata et al., 2023):
 * very low and regularly rounded petiolar node
 * short and stout mesosoma
 * indistinctly darkened antennal club
 * medial frons and vertex shiny with sparse and thin rugulae and indistinct costulae
 * short propodeal spines, in form of triangular denticles
 * mesosoma laterally with dense rugulae and indistinct costulae with smooth interspaces
 * dorsally with sparser and thicker rugocostulae (dorsal pronotum often only with sparse and thick costulae and shiny interspaces)

Temnothorax aeolius and Temnothorax smyrnensis differ from remaining members of the graecus species group in presence of low to very low and regularly rounded petiolar node. While Temnothorax aeolius differs from T. smyrnensis in presence of short and stout mesosoma, predominantly smooth medial frons and vertex with sparse and thin rugocostulae, and entire mesosoma rugocostulate. (Salata et al., 2023)

Distribution
Recently recorded for Bulgaria (Lapeva-Gjonova & Borowiec, 2022). A rarely collected ant that is a member of the Temnothorax graecus species group (Salata and Borowiec 2019b). This species is known from Turkey, its type locality, as well as from Israel and the Greek islands (Borowiec and Salata 2012). It was recently recorded in Greek Thrace (Bračko et al.2016).

Salata et al. (2023) found the majority records of Temnothorax aeolius come from the Aegean Region: Greece (Kos, Rhodes, Samos) and Türkiye (İzmir Province). But it was also recorded from Greek mainland (Halkidiki) and Bulgaria (Lapeva-Gjonova & Borowiec 2022). Its presence in Israel (Borowiec 2014) needs confirmation as this record has no confirmation in literature.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey.

Nomenclature

 *  aeolius. Leptothorax bulgaricus subsp. aeolius Forel, 1911d: 334 (w.) TURKEY.
 * Subspecies of bulgaricus: Forel, 1913d: 432; Emery, 1924d: 253; Menozzi, 1936d: 291; Bolton, 1995b: 235; Legakis, 2011: 17.
 * Status as species: Borowiec, L. & Salata, 2012: 539; Borowiec, L. 2014: 170.

Type Material

 * Lectotype worker (designated by Salata et al., 2023): L. bulgaricus | For. | v. aeolius | type Forel | Cordelio pr. Smyrne | (Forel) || Typus || v. L. aeolius | Forel || Coll. | A. Forel || ANTWEB | CASENT0909016 (MHNG), examined.

Type locality: Türkiye: Cordelio near Smyrna (= İzmir). The original description lists also syntypes collected from Coccarinali but after the lectotype designation this locality should not be considered as locus typicus.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * 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. 2018. Notes on ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Samos Island, Greece. Annals of the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom Entomology 27: 1-13.
 * Bracko G., K. Kiran, C. Karaman, S. Salata, and L. Borowiec. 2016. Survey of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Greek Thrace. Biodiversity Data Journal 4: e7945. doi: 10.3897/BDJ.4.e7945
 * Collingwood, C. A. 1993. A Comparitive Study of the Ant Fauna of Five Greek Islands. Biologia Gallo-hellenica. 20,1:191-197
 * Collingwood, C. A. "A comparative study of the ant fauna of five Greek islands." Biologia Gallo-Hellenica 20 (1993): 191-197.
 * 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.