Temnothorax vivianoi

Found from 75 to 1080 m a.s.l. (see Fig. 82). Most of our sites are characterized by forest or shrubs of Quercus ilex/Fraxinus ornus L. growing on rocky landslides or very rocky substrates, usually at the base of hundred meters-high north-facing cliffs hosting relatively wet and cool conditions compared to the surroundings. At least twice it was found in more open habitats characterized by rocky outcrops with sparse shrubs, in one case surrounded by agricultural areas. Populations may be fragmented due to anthropogenic fragmentation of forested areas and shrublands, but further assessment are required.

Nests are small, monogynous, and found in the soil, probably opportunistically exploiting several kinds of microhabitats when available. The large number of the samples we examined consisted of colonies living entirely within abandoned shells of gastropods. In Monte Pellegrino, on several occasions entire colonies were found inside the abandoned shells of Marmorana (Murella) sicana (Férussac, 1822), a short-range endemic species which is locally very abundant. In Monte Pecoraro, a colony was found under a stone inside an abandoned shell of another short-range endemic of Palermo mountains, Chilostoma macrostoma (Rossmässler, 1837). It has also been found within shells of Rumina decollata (Linnaeus, 1758). However, these repeated findings may not indicate a true specialization in the use of abandoned gastropod shells, but a reflection of the nesting opportunities offered by many of the collecting sites, as well as the malacological nature of the sampling efforts during which it was found.

Nuptial flights observed in late August in Mondello (Palermo), where queens were attracted by artificial lights.

Identification
Antennal clubs concolorous yellowish, antennae 12-segmented in females and 13 in males, eyes normal, metanotal groove absent, worker propodeal spines short, male propodeal spines absent, petiole upper profile usually without a horizontal component, subpetiolar process carina-like, sculpturing mostly areolate and weak.

Distribution
Restricted to NW Sicily and neighboring Aegadian Islands in the drepano-panormitan biogeographic sector that is constituted by a very old carbonatic platform. The area is known to have a significant zoogeographic relevance for ants, hosting some species that are either unique or absent from the rest of Sicily, as discussed by Schifani et al. (2020).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Italy.

Nomenclature

 * . Temnothorax vivianoi Schifani, Alicata & Prebus, in Schifani et al., 2022: 164, figs. 64-74 (w.q.m.) ITALY (Sicily).

Type Material

 * Holotype: ITALY • 1 ☿; Monte Pellegrino; 38.1866° N, 13.3539° E; 9 Oct. 2016; R. Viviano leg.; MSNG.
 * Paratypes: (30 ☿☿, 2 ♀♀) ITALY • 10 ☿☿; same collection data as for holotype; MSNG • 10 ☿☿, 1 ♂; Monte Pellegrino; 38.1580° N, 13.3664° E; 15 Mar. 2016; R. Viviano leg.; MSNG • 5 ☿☿, 1 ♀; Monte Pellegrino; 38.1641° N, 13.3466° E; 20 May 2016; R. Viviano leg.; MSNG • 5 ☿☿; Monte Pellegrino, 38.1558° N, 13.3544 ° E; 6 May 2018; R. Viviano leg.; MSNG.

Taxonomic Notes
Specimens from Favignana (Aegadian Islands) mentioned as unidentified or related to Temnothorax lagrecai by Mei (1995) and Scupola (2009) represent T. vivianoi based on our investigation of vouchers at the MSNG.