Myrmica slovaca

M. slovaca is a rather thermophilous species that builds its nests directly into the soil. In central Europe it is frequently found in dry meadows but in the eastern part of its range, M. slovaca mainly inhabits intrazonal, relatively wet and often salted habitats in the steppe zone. Thus it could be a relict steppe species in central Europe. (Radchenko and Elmes 2010)

Identification
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - A member of the specioides-complex of the scabrinodis species group. It is easily distinguished from any other species from this group by its very narrow frons (worker PI ::; 0.30). However, the males have short standing hairs on the legs and scape and are hard to distinguish from males of Myrmica specioides and some other species.

Key to Myrmica of West Europe and North Africa

Distribution
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Belarus, Ukraine, southern part of European part of Russia (to the north up to Nizhniy Novgorod; see Zrianin and Zrianina, 2007), south of West Siberia, Kazakhstan, Altai Mts.; Spain

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine.

Nomenclature

 *  slovaca. Myrmica (Myrmica) slovaca Sadil, 1952: 259, figs. VI, 8-14; VIII, 35, 36; IX, 35; X, 10, XI, 13 (w.q.m.) CZECHIA, SLOVAKIA, UKRAINE, BULGARIA. Junior synonym of salina: Seifert, 1988b: 25. Revived from synonymy: Radchenko, 1994e: 80. Junior synonym of salina: Seifert, 1994: 13; Seifert, 2002a: 96. Revived from synonymy: Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 272. See also: Kutter, 1977c: 71; Arnol'di & Dlussky, 1978: 534; Radchenko & Elmes, 2004: 228.

Etymology
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - named to indicate that this species was found in the central European Republic of Slovakia.