Cardiocondyla batesii

Specimens have been collected from a number of anthropogenic habitats.

Identification
Seifert (2003) - A member of the Cardiocondyla batesii group. The C. batesii species complex forms a cluster of the similar taxa C. batesii, Cardiocondyla semirubra, and Cardiocondyla kushanica which are represented by specimens from remote geographic regions. The geographic sequence begins with C. batesii in Siberia, the Balearics, and N Africa, is followed by C. semirubra in Asia Minor, and is continued by C. kushanica in Afghanistan.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Algeria, Balearic Islands, Iberian Peninsula, Israel, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia.

Biology
Colonies may have more than one queen. New nests can be formed by fission.

Castes
Queens showed a remarkable variation in mesosoma size which appeared to be associated with a polymorphism in wing length (brachyptery vs. macroptery) (Heinze et al. 2002). Hundreds of young queens (both brachypterous and macropterous) were observed to leave their maternal nests, shed their wings, and disperse on foot. Both alate and dealate queens were found to be inseminated, suggesting that they had mated with ergatoid males in their maternal colonies before dispersal.

Nomenclature

 *  batesii. Cardiocondyla batesii Forel, 1894d: 17 (w.q.) ALGERIA. See also: Seifert, 2003a: 237.

Worker
Seifert (2003) - Head moderately elongated, CL/CW 1.177. Postocular index small, PoOc/CL 0.383. Occipital margin slightly concave. Eyes large, EYE 0.264. Frontal carinae slightly converging immediately posterior of FRS level. Dorsal head almost without longitudinal sculpture; weak longitudinal carinulae present on and posterior of frontal laminae. Vertex with very shallow and simple foveolae of 14 - 16 mm diameter; interspaces shining and much wider than foveolar diameter, with very fine microrugulae surrounding foveolae (Fig. 17). Mesosoma and petiole dorsally shining, but finely microreticulate. Meso- and metapleurae microreticulate-rugulose. Propodeal spines rather well-developed and with rather blunt tips. Petiole with characteristic profile: short peduncle, weakly concave anterior face, and ample node which caudal slope is much steeper than the anterior one. Petiole in dorsal view with elongated node that gradually merges with anterior peduncle. Postpetiolar sternite completely flat. Typical colour pattern bicoloured: dorsal head medium brown, mesosoma and waist light-orange brown, gaster dark brown. This distinct colour contrast is lost in rare specimens with darker brown mesosoma.

Queen
Seifert (2003) - Head relatively short, CL/CW 1.165. Postocular index small, PoOc/CL 0.386. Occipital margin slightly concave. Head dorsally almost without longitudinal sculpture; weak longitudinal carinulae present on and posterior of frontal laminae and on lateral area of clypeus. Vertex with very shallow and simple foveolae of 14 - 16 mm diameter; interspaces much wider than foveolar diameter, shining, with fine microstructures as in worker. Dorsal area of mesosoma foveolate, interspaces between foveolae shining, wider than foveolar diameter; Mesosoma laterally shining, finely reticulate-carinulate. Propodeal spines rather strong. Petiole profile with short peduncle, weakly concave anterior face, and node produced caudad. Petiole node in dorsal view slightly longer than wide and gradually merging with anterior peduncle. Postpetiolar sternite without any flat bulge. Dorsal area of head dark brown; mesosoma and waist usually light-orange brown, occasionally dark brown; gaster blackish brown.

Type Material
Seifert (2003) - 5 syntype workers labelled “C. Batesii, male type, Perregaux Algerie 29 III”, and 4 syntype gynes labelled “C. Batesii, 9 type, Perregaux Algerie 29 III”, both in Geneve.