Myrmica deplanata

M. deplanata is one of the most thermo-xerophilous species of the genus Myrmica. Although it has a widespread distribution, nests of M. deplanata are comparatively rare, it has never been reported as being abundant even in apparently optimal habitats. It inhabits mostly steppes and steppe-like habitats at low altitudes, where it prefers stony sites with low, often sparse vegetation. Nests are built in the soil, often under stones in places that become very hot in summer months. Although it is reportedly tolerant of high soil salinity it is not particularly associated with the damper steppe areas that can become quite salted. Sexuals have been found in nests from July-September (Radchenko and Elmes 2010). Pashaei Rad et al. (2018) found this species in Iran on park ground in a Caspian moist littoral area.

Identification
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) – A member of the schencki group that differs from sympatric Myrmica schencki, Myrmica caucasicola and Myrmica koreana by its wider frons and less extended frontal lobes; the males well differ from all other schencki-group species by their very short scape (for details see Radchenko, Elmes and Alicata 2006).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Austria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Iran, Kazakhstan, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation , Slovakia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine.

Nomenclature

 *  deplanata. Myrmica lobicornis var. deplanata Emery, 1921f: 38 (w.) UKRAINE, RUSSIA, GEORGIA. [First available use of Myrmica scabrinodis subsp. lobicornis var. deplanata Ruzsky, 1905b: 700; unavailable name.] Subspecies of lobicornis: Karavaiev, 1927a: 283; of schencki: Finzi, 1926: 111. Raised to species: Arnol'di, 1934: 169; Karavaiev, 1934: 83; Stitz, 1939: 105; Tarbinsky, 1976: 31. Senior synonym of moravica, plana: Karavaiev, 1934: 83; Arnol'di, 1970b: 1843; Seifert, 1988b: 36; Radchenko & Elmes, 2009c: 511; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 116; of dagmarae: Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 116. Junior synonym of lacustris: Radchenko, 1994f: 77; Seifert, 2003b: 150; Radchenko, Elmes & Alicata, 2006: 516. Revived from synonymy: Radchenko & Elmes, 2009c: 511. See also: Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 116.
 * moravica. Myrmica moravica Soudek, 1922: 45, fig. 21 (w.q.) CZECHIA. Soudek, 1925a: 35 (m.). [Also described as new by Soudek, 1923: 107.] Status as species: Finzi, 1926: 104; Weber, 1950b: 213. Subspecies of deplanata: Novak & Sadil, 1941: 80; Kratochvíl, in Kratochvíl, Novak & Snoflak, 1944: 40; Sadil, 1952: 263. Junior synonym of deplanata: Karavaiev, 1934: 83; Arnol'di, 1970b: 1843; Seifert, 1988b: 36; of lacustris: Radchenko, 1994f: 77; Seifert, 2003b: 150; Radchenko, Elmes & Alicata, 2006: 516; of deplanata: Radchenko & Elmes, 2009c: 511; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 116.
 * plana. Myrmica lobicornis var. plana Karavaiev, 1927a: 283, fig. 1 (w.) UKRAINE. Arnol'di, 1934: 170 (q.m.). Subspecies of schencki: Karavaiev, 1929b: 208; of deplanata: Arnol'di, 1934: 170. Junior synonym of deplanata: Karavaiev, 1934: 83; Arnol'di, 1970b: 1843; Seifert, 1988b: 36; of lacustris: Radchenko, 1994f: 78; Seifert, 2003b: 150; Radchenko, Elmes & Alicata, 2006: 516; of deplanata: Radchenko & Elmes, 2009c: 511; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 116.
 * dagmarae. Myrmica moravica var. dagmarae Sadil, 1939b: 108 (w.q.m.) CZECHIA. Junior synonym of deplanata: Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 116.

Type Material
Bezděčková et al. (2017) - Myrmica moravica: Altogether eight syntypes are deposited in (all dry-mounted, glued on rectangular card labels):
 * SYNTYPES (3 workers): ‘Moravia [p] // Typus [p, dark red label] // Transcriptio [p, underlined] / Moravia mer. / Pavlovské kopce / Kotelná 3. IV. 1921 / Št. Soudek leg. [hw] // Collectio / J. Slavíček / Moravské museum, Brno [p] // Transcriptio [p, underlined] / Myrmica [worker symbol] / moravica sp. n. / Št. Soudek det. [hw] // Syn- / typus [p, red label] // Invent. č. [p] / 1180–1182 [respectively] / Ent. [hw] / Mor. museum, Brno [p]’.
 * SYNTYPE (1 worker): ‘Pavlovské kopce / 1921 Dr. Soudek [p, violet ink] // Type [p, dark red label, framed] // Transcriptio [p, underlined] / Moravia mer. / Pavlovské kopce / Kotelná 3. IV. 1921 / Št. Soudek leg. [hw] // Collectio / J. Slavíček / Moravské museum, Brno [p] // Transcriptio [p, underlined] / Myrmica [worker symbol] / moravica sp. n. / Št. Soudek det. [hw] // Syn- / typus [p, red label] // Invent. č. [p] / 1183 /Ent. [hw] / Mor. museum, Brno [p]’.
 * SYNTYPES (3 workers): ‘Transcriptio [p, underlined] / Moravia mer. / Pavlovské kopce / Kotelná 3. IV. 1921 / Št. Soudek leg. [hw] // Collectio / J. Slavíček / Moravské museum, Brno [p] // Transcriptio [p, underlined] / Myrmica [worker symbol] / moravica sp. n. / Št. Soudek det. [hw] // Syn- / typus [p, red label] // Invent. č. [p] / 1184–1186 [respectively] /Ent. [hw] / Mor. museum, Brno [p]’.
 * SYNTYPE (1 worker): ‘Moravia [p] // Typus [p, dark red label] // Transcriptio [p, underlined] / Moravia mer. / Pavlovské kopce / Kotelná 3. IV. 1921 / Št. Soudek leg. [hw] // ex coll. expositio [hw] // Collectio / Moravské museum, / Brno [p] // Transcriptio [p, underlined] / Myrmica [worker symbol] / moravica sp. n. / Št. Soudek det. [hw] // Syn- / typus [p, red label] // Invent. č. [p] / 1188 /Ent. [hw] / Mor. museum, Brno [p]’.

Three syntypes are deposited in (all dry-mounted, damaged by mould):
 * SYNTYPES (3 workers each glued on a small rectangular label and all together on one larger card label, ca. 40 × 16 mm): ‘Myrmica / deplanata / moravica Soudek [hw] // Myrmica / deplanata [worker symbol] / moravica Soudek / Pavlovské kopce, leg. Soudek / paratypy / 07085 [hw] // Syntypus / (Bezděčková et al. 2017) [p, red label]’ [IN: E26-T2–E26-T4].

Remarks. The description was originally prepared for publication in the journal Acta Musei Moraviensis, volume 20, which should have been published in 1922. However, this volume was released later, together with the subsequent one in a form of a double volume in 1923. The description in the monograph by SOUDEK (1922) has therefore priority, although it was provided only in Czech and was less detailed than in the paper published later in the journal (SOUDEK 1923).

Neither SOUDEK (1922), nor SOUDEK (1923) specified the number of the type specimens and no specimen was designated as a holotype. Specimens preserved in MMBC are labelled as syntypes, three specimens from collection of V. Šilhavý stored nowadays in were labelled as paratypes. We consider all these specimens as syntypes. This is consistent with RADCHENKO & ELMES (2010) who treated additional specimens from the type series deposited in the collections of the also as syntypes.

Taxonomic Notes
See Radchenko & Elmes (2009) for notes on type specimens.

Worker
Seifert (2003), translation of Rusky - Differs from the typical lobicornis by the almost absent constriction between meso-metanotum, of which exist only traces, because the profile of back is more vaulted and almost even [Ruzsky exactly wrote: "pochemu spinnoij profil yvlyaetsya boleye vypuklym i pochti rovnym", B.S.]. Spines shorter, thin, acute. At the bend of antennal scape an acute dent, or small acute lobe. Second waist segment almost smooth above, weakly shining, with a thin and minor net-like rugosity. Setae on the body very rare, sometimes almost absent from thorax and dorsum of gaster."

Etymology
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - derived from the word deplanate meaning flattened (above and below), which itself derives from the Latin word complanatus, it presumably refers to the "more flattened" propodeum dorsum compared to Myrmica scabrinodis.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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