Proformica nasuta

Distribution
Southern France.

Recent material suggests that this taxon is distributed only in the western part of the Mediterranean basin and thus records from Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Macedonia and Romania are based on misidentifications (Borowiec, 2014).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, China, France, Georgia, Iberian Peninsula, Portugal, North Macedonia, Romania, Spain.

Biology
Galkowski et al. (2017) - Localities for P. nasuta can be divided into two subgroups. One is composed of lowland localities that can be close to each other and form an almost continuous distribution in the plain of the Languedoc and the Rhône valley (Montpellier, Sauteyrargues, Pompignan, Grospierres, Collias, Beaucaire, Jonquières, Tarascon, Plaine de la Crau, Aurons and Bonnieux). The other subgroup is composed of localities isolated on the summits of medium-sized mountains (Sumène, Sainte-Baume, Grand Luberon and Montagne de Lure). Beyond ecological differences (mountain vs lowland), the distinction between the two groups is supported by the analysis of morphological characters, DNA and cuticular hydrocarbons. Except for Sumène, individuals from mountain localities have some erect hairs on the mesosoma, whereas hairs are lacking in most lowland individuals.

Queen
Galkowski et al. 2017. Fig. 7. Proformica nasuta Nylander, 1856, queen from colony Beaucaire 1, France. A. Lateral view. B. Dorsal view. C. Head in full face view. Scale bars = 1 mm. Automontage: Claude Lebas.

Male
Galkowski et al. 2017. Fig. 8. Proformica nasuta Nylander, 1856, male from colony Tarascon 1, France. A. Lateral view. B. Head in full face view. C. Genitalia in dorsal view. Scale bars = 1 mm. Automontage: Claude Lebas.

Nomenclature

 *  nasuta. Formica nasuta Nylander, 1856b: 66 (w.) FRANCE. Forel, 1886f: 205 (q.); Ruzsky, 1903b: 304 (m.). Combination in Myrmecocystus: Emery & Forel, 1879: 449; in Formica (Proformica): Ruzsky, 1902d: 13; in Proformica: Emery, 1912f: 100; Ruzsky, 1915a: 433 (footnote); Bondroit, 1918: 40. Senior synonym of aerea: Mayr, 1863: 402; of depilis: Espadaler & Cagniant, 1987: 136. Current subspecies: nominal plus metalica, syrdariana. See also: Emery, 1909b: 201; Wheeler, W.M. 1913f: 543; Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1928a: 18; Stumper, 1957: 87; Dlussky, 1969a: 224.
 * aerea. Formica aerea Roger, 1859: 237 (w.) GREECE. Junior synonym of nasuta: Mayr, 1863: 402.
 * depilis. Formica (Proformica) nasuta var. depilis Santschi, 1925g: 353 (w.) FRANCE. Raised to species: Collingwood & Yarrow, 1969: 86. Junior synonym of nasuta: Espadaler & Cagniant, 1987: 136.

Worker
Galkowski et al. (2017) - Minor. (n = 89) For each character extreme values and the mean are given in brackets: CW 540‒900 μm; nCH 0‒2 (0.06); nCU 0‒3 (0.18); nTx 0‒6 (0.57); nSc 0‒2 (0.13); nG 0–5 (1); PDG 9‒28 (13.2); GHL 35‒75 μm (45.2); GHL/CW 0.040–0.102 (0.064).

Media and major workers (n = 25) CW 900‒1240 μm; nCH 0‒1 (0.13); nCU 0‒4 (1.13); nTx 0‒7 (1.6); nSc 0‒4 (0.27); nG 0‒7 (2.3); PDG 10‒18 (14.2); GHL 35‒90 μm (60.2); GHL/CW 0.039–0.091 (0.054).

Body uniformly dark brown to black, appendices and mandibles lighter. Erect hairs rare or absent, short when present (GHL/CW < 0.11). Dense pubescence on dorsal surface of first and second gaster tergites (PDG < 29). Profile of mesosoma sinuous. Petiolar scale erect, thick, slightly notched at summit in large workers. Head of minor workers clearly elongate, rectangular (CL/CW > 1.3). Head of media and major workers less elongate (CL/CW 1.1‒1.3), a bit shiny toward occiput, faintly sculptured in anterior part. Clypeus finely striate longitudinally. Mandible with five teeth of increasing size from base to apex.

Queen
Galkowski et al. (2017) - (n = 8) CW 1500–1690 μm (1600); CL 1530–1660 μm (1590); SL 1230–1270 μm (1250); nCH 0–1 (0.2); nCU 2–6 (3.2); nTx 2–19 (11.8); nSc 0–2 (1.2); nG 0–3 (1.6); PDG 9–14 (11.2); GHL 70–90 μm (77.5); MW 1020–1240 μm (1150); ML 2040–2310 μm (2200); ScW 620–860 μm (710); GHL/CW 0.042–0.056 (0.048).

Only ergatoid queens collected. Body brown with a wide orange spot on mesosoma on some specimens. Few and relatively short erect hairs (nG < 10, GHL < 90 μm). Pubescence very dense on the dorsal surface of first and second gaster tergites. Profile of mesosoma similar to that of worker, but mesonotum more domed and propodeum very high. Tegulae absent. Petiolar scale high and wide, distinctly notched at summit. Head as long as wide. Same sculpture as in worker.

Male
Galkowski et al. (2017) - (n = 6) CW 1340–1380 μm (1360); CL 1100–1170 μm (1140); SL 1220–1330 μm (1280); MW 1700–1750 μm (1730); ML 2720–2970 μm (2830); ScW 560–590 μm (580).

Head, mesosoma and scale dark brown, appendices and sometimes gaster lighter. Erect hairs numerous and dense on entire head, mesosoma and petiolar scale, becoming rare on gaster, where restricted to anterior face of first tergite, angled. Pubescence almost lacking on dorsal surface of gaster tergites. Eyes and ocelli prominent. Mandibles reduced, without teeth. Many erect black hairs on extensor profile of anterior and median femurs. Maximal length of these hairs shorter than width of femur. Rare erect white hairs on tibias. Wings well developed, yellowish.

Type Material
Galkowski et al. (2017) - Redescription of P. nasuta  (Nylander, 1856) and designation of the neotype As the type specimen of P. nasuta  is presumably lost, we propose fixation of a neotype from a nest sample collected in Beaucaire, France, terra typica of the species, and matching Nylander’s concept of P. nasuta. The original description (Nylander 1856: 66) is based on a small worker (“ Long. 3 ‒ 3.5 mm ”) with elongated head (“ ... facies producta antice visa subrectangularis... ”). This feature is found exclusively in minor workers. Therefore, a minor worker was selected from Beaucaire, France (colony Beaucaire 1) and designated as the neotype. The neotype is deposited as MNHN-1598 with the labels “FRA, N43.83544 E4.61828, Beaucaire, 9 juillet 2011, leg. R. Blatrix & C. Lebas” and “Néotype Proformica nasuta  (Nylander, 1856), des. Galkowski, Lebas, Wegnez, Lenoir & Blatrix, 2016”. In case of loss or destruction of this specimen, a replacement neotype can be designated from a series of ten other minor workers collected from the same nest and deposited at the. Other workers from the same nest are deposited at the following collections: AT (no. 15557), Lech Borowiec Collection, (Senckenberg Museum of Natural History), (Xavier Espadaler collection), and the collections of the authors. A queen from the same nest and a male from colony Tarascon 1 (a few kilometers away from the type locality) are deposited at MNHN.

Determination Clarifications
It is likely, based on Galkowski et al. 2017, that all reports about P. nasuta through the present were actually of Proformica longipilosa

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