Cardiocondyla stambuloffii

Pashaei Rad et al. (2018) found this species in Iran on parkland soil and plant in a Caspian moist littoral area.

Identification
A member of the Cardiocondyla stambuloffii group.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Armenia, Bulgaria, China, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Turkey, Ukraine.

Nomenclature

 *  stambuloffii. Cardiocondyla stambuloffii Forel, 1892i: 310, pl. 5, fig. 1 (w.q. ergatoid m.) BULGARIA. Kugler, J. 1984: 8 (ergatoid m.). Senior synonym of montandoni: Pisarski, 1962a: 331; of taurica: Arnol'di & Dlussky, 1978: 538; of bogdanovi: Seifert, 2003a: 262. See also: Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 174; Radchenko, 1995b: 450.
 * bogdanovi. Cardiocondyla bogdanovi Ruzsky, 1905b: 630, figs. 155, 157, 158 (w.q.) CAUCASUS. Junior synonym of stambuloffii: Seifert, 2003a: 262.
 * montandoni. Cardiocondyla montandoni Santschi, 1912g: 657, figs. 1, 3 (w.) ROMANIA. Junior synonym of stambuloffii: Pisarski, 1962a: 331; Radchenko, 1995b: 450.
 * taurica. Cardiocondyla stambuloffi subsp. taurica Karavaiev, 1927a: 288, fig. 2 (w.) UKRAINE. Junior synonym of stambuloffii: Arnol'di & Dlussky, 1978: 538; Radchenko, 1995b: 450.

Worker
Seifert (2003) - Head relatively short, CL/CW 1.157. Postocular distance large, PoOc 0.444. Scape relatively short, SL/CS 0.783. Eye small, EYE 0.225. Frons broad, FRS/CS 0.325. Occipital region with reduced sculpture, shining. Vertex strongly longitudinally rugulose; interspaces between carinulae shining, with small flat tubercles of 7 - 10 mm diameter around bases of pubescence hairs. Foveolae or reticular structures on vertex completely lacking; occasionally (as in type of Cardiocondyla taurica) semireticular structures present on paramedian area of vertex. Frontal laminae and clypeus longitudinally carinulate. At least pronotum, but usually whole dorsal area of mesosoma glabrous. Lateral area of mesosoma in overall impression shining, meso- and metapleurae longitudinally rugulose-carinulate. Propodeal spines reduced to blunt dents. Petiole very narrow, less than half as wide as postpetiole (PEW/PPW 0.485), much higher than wide. Petiole node with small and very shining dorsal surface that is almost circular in dorsal view. Postpetiole in dorsal aspect with concavity in anterior margin, nearly twice as wide as long, ratio PPW/PPL in 21 measured specimens 1.806 ± 0.065 [1.666, 1.919]; postpetiolar sternite flat, with very weak anteromedian bulb. Whole body concolorous brown, dark brown, or blackish brown.

Queen
Seifert (2003) - Much larger than worker, CS 676 ± 5. Head short, CL/CW 1.145. Postocular index very large, PoOc/CL 0.464. Postocular head significantly wider than preocular head. Occipital margin straight. Frontal carinae immediately caudal of FRS level diverging. Mesosoma very massive, MW 542 ± 5. Occipital region shining, rather smooth except for small punctures around hair bases. Vertex longitudinally rugulose; interspaces between carinulae shining, with small punctures of 8 - 10 mm diameter around bases of pubescence hairs (at magnifications above 400 x, these punctures appear usually as flat tubercles). Foveolae or reticular structures on vertex completely lacking. Frontal laminae and clypeus strongly longitudinally carinulate. Pronotum shining, rather smooth except for punctures at hair bases and weak transverse rugulae. Mesonotum shining, with small punctures of 10 - 11 mm diameter at hair bases, anterior part more smooth, posterior part with shallow longitudinal carinulae. Praescutellum with similar punctures. Scutellum longitudinally carinulate. Lateral area of propodeaum, mesopleuron and metapleuron more strongly, anepisternite more weakly longitudinally rugulose. Propodeal spines reduced to blunt dents. Petiole very high; dorsal plane glabrous, ending in a caudal corner. Postpetiole more than twice as wide as long, PPW/CS 0.866, almost twice as wide as petiole; postpetiolar sternite with a strong anteromedian process. Pubescence on first gaster tergite sub decumbent (30°) and extremely dense, sqrtPDG 2.72. Whole body more or less concolorous medium to dark brown, mesosoma sclerites occasionally with lighter patches.

Type Material
Seifert (2003) - Bulgaria [types investigated].

3 syntype workers and 3 syntype gynes labelled “C. stambuloffii Forel, type, 17 VIII, Anchialo (Bulgarien)”, ; 1 gyne, 3 worker syntypes labelled “Anchialo, 17 VIII”, ; 2 syntype workers labelled “Anchialo 17 VIII, type stambuloffii”, ; 1 syntype gyne labelled “Bulgarien. Anchialo.” and “Cardiocondyla stambuloffii FOL”,.