Iberoformica subrufa

Common within favored habitats within its range. This is an ant of open areas with abundant exposure to sunlight, including forest clearings and in scrub habitats.

Identification
See the Iberoformica identification section for characters that separate this species, and the genus as a whole, from similar species in the genus Formica, e.g., Formica gerardi.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Albania, France, Gibraltar, Iberian Peninsula, Portugal, Spain.

Biology
Cavia (1990) - An endemic of the Iberian Peninsula (Bernard, 1968), although its distribution covers a wide attitudinal range, from almost sea level to 1400 meters (Haro, 1982; Tinaut, 1981). Nests are shallow (average 23 cm) with a population between 181 and 2048 workers and usually a single queen (Cavia, 1988). Workers are medium size (4.2 - 5.6 mm in length) that exhibit diurnal foraging activity, with two peaks, one in the morning and one in the afternoon with a decrease at noon. Throughout the year is active between March and November (Cavia, 1988).

The diet of the ant Formica subrufa in Sant Llorenç del Munt i Serra de l'Obac Natural Park has been studied. Prey transported to the nest are arthropod carcasses, mainly other ants, but also of other insect groups, and also some seeds. Prey collection efficacy ranges from 10 to 16%. Formica subrufa also feeds on nectar and sap from some plants, i.e. spurge flax (Daphne gnidium), pine (Pinus pinea), evergreen oak (Quercus ilex) and box (Buxus sempervirens). Liquid food collection efficacy is 46%. Globally, the percentage of ants that enter the nest with food is up to 50%.

Lepidoptera
This ant has been observed tending larvae of and has also been associated with the butterflies, , and a species that has recently been split into two species: Polyommatus icarus and Polyommatus celin (Obregon et al. 2015).

Predators
Pekár et al. (2018) - This ant is preyed upon by numerous spider species in the genus (Araneae: Zodariidae). All members of this genus are specialized ant predators that exclusively prey on ants.

Castes
Queen is brachypterous, i.e. short, non-functional wings are present at adult emergence (Tinaut & Ruano 1992).

Nomenclature

 *  subrufa. Formica subrufa Roger, 1859: 236 (w.) SPAIN. Emery, 1909b: 200 (q.m.); Tinaut, 1990a: 283 (m.). Combination in F. (Serviformica): Santschi, 1919e: 247; in F. (Iberoformica): Tinaut, 1990a: 282; in Iberoformica: Muñoz-López, et al. 2012: 36. Subspecies of fusca: Emery & Forel, 1879: 451; Wheeler, W.M. 1908g: 409. Status as species: André, 1882b: 181; Nasonov, 1889: 20; Ruzsky, 1902d: 13; Emery, 1909b: 199; Wheeler, W.M. 1913f: 531; Santschi, 1919e: 247; Bernard, 1967: 301; Collingwood, 1978: 93; Tinaut, 1990a: 282.