Iberoformica

A recent molecular analysis (Muñoz-López et al. 2012) has supported the distinctiveness of Iberoformica relative to Formica.

Identification
Three molecular phylogenetic studies (Blaimer et al. 2015, Sanllorente et al. 2017, and Gomez et al. 2018) have shown that Iberoformica, as represented by the single species Iberoformica subrufa, is a distinctive genus.

Gomez et al. (2018) - The abundant pilosity formed by short and stout setae is the most visible character that defines Iberoformica. Characters that can be used to differentiate Iberoformica and Formica, and in particular species similar to I. subrufa in the Formica fusca group:

Iberoformica

WORKER QUEEN MALES
 * Nodiform (not squamiform) petiole, becoming almost cylindrical
 * Concave mesonotum that follows smoothly into the dorsal propodeal line, not meeting at an angle
 * Whole body covered with short, thick, truncated white setae
 * Meso and metathorax less developed: metanotal species (details in Tinaut & Ruano, 1992)
 * Gaster with first segment almost rectangular, longer than wide, giving the gaster an elongated appearance
 * Small size, similar to workers
 * Head almost as wide as mesosoma
 * Frontal ridges present, short
 * Petiole high, squamiform and only slightly concave on the apex
 * Gaster long and narrow, narrower than mesosoma width
 * Sagitta pointy
 * Volsella very slender, finger shaped
 * Stipes longer than volsella and lacinia

Formica fusca species group

WORKER QUEEN MALES
 * Petiole squamiform
 * Mesonotum concave, followed by a horizontal propodeum, both meeting at an angle
 * Whole body bare, except for some scattered setae present in propodeum and mesonotum, these hairs thinner than those of subrufa
 * Meso and metathorax very developed, similar to the rest of Formica queens (macronotal species)
 * Gaster with first segment wider than long, the gaster not elongated
 * Size bigger than workers and only slightly smaller than queens
 * Head clearly less wide than mesosoma
 * Frontal ridges absent
 * Petiole low, triangular and clearly concave on the apex
 * Gaster about the same width as mesosoma
 * Sagitta blunt, subrectangular
 * Volsella semicircular
 * Stipes approximately the same length as volsella and lacinia

Tinaut (1990) - Obreras con el peciolo de tipo nodiforme y mesonoto concavo; hembras con el mesotorax y el metatorax menos desarrollado que lo normal para el génera y gastro con el primer segmento casi rectangular, lo que le confiere un cierto parecido con las obreras; por ultimo los machos son de tamano similar al de las obreras, nudo peciolar bajo y triangular, sagita muy apuntada y volsella mas esbelta.

Nomenclature

 * IBEROFORMICA [junior synonym of Formica]
 * Iberoformica Tinaut, 1990a: 282 [as subgenus of Formica]. Type-species: Formica subrufa, by original designation.
 * Iberoformica junior synonym of Formica: Agosti, 1994a: 107.
 * Iberoformica revived from synonymy and raised to genus: Muñoz-López, et al. 2012: 36.