Temnothorax exilis

On Crete, this species is found in open, dry habitats, especially those overgrown by phrygana (Salata, Borowiec & Trichas, 2018) while in Greece it is considered to be a xerothermophilous species associated with rocky, open and arid habitats (Salata & Borowiec, 2019). Nests are in soil, most often under medium size rocks or in rock cleavages, and always in sunny localities. Colonies are monogamous or polygynous (Salata, Borowiec & Trichas, 2018). In Portugal, Boieiro et al. (2002) (as Temnothorax specularis) report a single colony occurring beneath a stone in an area of sclerophyllous vegetation near Tesoureira (UTM 29SMD8709) and several workers being collected by means of pitfall traps in the same area. This is a rather common species in Spain, particularly in areas throughout the Mediterranean coast.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Algeria, Balearic Islands, Croatia, France, Georgia, Gibraltar, Greece, Iberian Peninsula, Italy, Malta, Montenegro, Portugal, Republic of Macedonia, Slovenia, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey.

Nomenclature

 *  exilis. Leptothorax exilis Emery, 1869b: 15, pl. 1, fig. 9 (w.) ITALY. Emery, 1916b: 183, 186 (q.m., respectively). Combination in Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 271. Subspecies of tuberum: Emery & Forel, 1879: 459; Emery, 1891b: 6; Ruzsky, 1902d: 21; Emery, 1915h: 2. Status as species: Dalla Torre, 1893: 124; Forel, 1913d: 433; Emery, 1916b: 174; Santschi, 1923f: 331; Müller, 1923: 89; Finzi, 1924a: 13; Santschi, 1929e: 153; Baroni Urbani, 1971d: 1041. Senior synonym of ruficornis: Emery, 1916b: 174; of boccaris, creticus, darii, nitidulus and material of the unavailable name esmirensis referred here: Baroni Urbani, 1971d: 1041.
 * creticus. Leptothorax exilis subsp. creticus Forel, 1910a: 23 (w.q.) GREECE (Crete). Menozzi, 1936d: 289 (m.). Junior synonym of exilis: Baroni Urbani, 1971d: 1041.
 * darii. Leptothorax exilis var. darii Forel, 1911d: 334 (w.) TURKEY. Menozzi, 1936d: 287 (q.l.). Subspecies of exilis: Cori & Finzi, 1931: 238. Junior synonym of exilis: Baroni Urbani, 1971d: 1041.
 * ruficornis. Leptothorax tuberum subsp. ruficornis Emery, 1914d: 157 (w.) FRANCE ? [First available use of Leptothorax tuberum subsp. exilis var. ruficornis Emery, 1898c: 135; unavailable name.] Junior synonym of exilis: Emery, 1916b: 174.
 * boccaris. Leptothorax exilis var. boccaris Santschi, 1923f: 331 (w.) TUNISIA. Junior synonym of exilis: Baroni Urbani, 1971d: 1041.
 * nitidulus. Leptothorax exilis var. nitidulus Santschi, 1923f: 331 (w.q.) ALGERIA. [First available use of Leptothorax tuberum r. obscurior var. nitidulus Forel, 1894d: 39; unavailable name.] Junior synonym of exilis: Baroni Urbani, 1971d: 1041.
 * specularis. Leptothorax exilis var. specularis Emery, 1916b: 174 (w.) ITALY.
 * [First available use of Leptothorax tuberum subsp. exilis var. specularis Emery, 1898c: 135; unavailable name.]
 * Santschi, 1923a: 135 (m.).
 * Combination in Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 271.
 * Junior synonym of exilis: Baroni Urbani, 1971d: 1041; Salata, Borowiec & Trichas, 2018: 778.
 * Status as species: Collingwood, 1978: 70.