Temnothorax muellerianus

This species is a slave-maker of other Temnothorax species. When a nest on Crete was uncovered by Salata, Borowiec & Trichas (2018) both gyne and workers were hiding in soil while host species workers were trying to hide pupae and eggs. Infected nests were located in very dry and sunny localities. Also on Crete, one queenright colony of Temnothorax muellerianus with Temnothorax semiruber as slaves (Buschinger & Douwes, 1990). It is remarkable that Temnothorax semiruber workers are larger than the workers of the slavemaker Temnothorax muellerianus. This contrasts with all other records of this species with other, smaller Temnothorax species.

Identification
A member of the Temnothorax muellerianus group.

Salata et al. (2018) – The social parasite Temnothorax muellerianus is characterized by the presence of a tooth-like projections on the ventral surfaces of the petiole and postpetiole, a deep metanotal groove, and reduced body striation.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Iberian Peninsula, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey.

Biology
This species is a slave-maker of the following species:
 * (rare host) (Buschinger et al., 1988)
 * (Salata, Borowiec & Trichas, 2018)
 * (rare host) (Buschinger et al., 1988)
 * (Buschinger et al., 1988)
 * (Italy; Schifani et al., 2022)
 * (common host) (Buschinger et al., 1988)
 * (common host) (Buschinger et al., 1988)
 * (Salata, Borowiec & Trichas, 2018)
 * (rare host) (Buschinger et al., 1988)
 * (most common host) (Buschinger et al., 1988)

Nomenclature

 *  muellerianus. Leptothorax (Temnothorax) muellerianus Finzi, 1922: 118, fig. 1 (w.) ITALY. Combination in Chalepoxenus: Finzi, 1924b: 123; in Temnothorax: Ward et al., 2014: 15. Senior synonym of gribodoi: Kutter, 1973d: 276; provisional senior synonym of insubricus, siciliensis: Buschinger, Erhardt, Fischer & Ofer, 1988: 398.
 * gribodoi. Chalepoxenus gribodoi Menozzi, 1923a: 257, figs (w.q.) ITALY. [Spelled gridoboi p. 257, corrected to gribodoi p. 258.] Menozzi, 1925a: 21 (m.). Junior synonym of muellerianus: Kutter, 1973d: 276.
 * insubricus. Chalepoxenus insubricus Kutter, 1950b: 337, figs. (m.) SWITZERLAND. Kutter, 1973d: 279 (w.q.). See also: Kutter, 1977c: 136. Provisional junior synonym of muellerianus: Buschinger, Erhardt, Fischer & Ofer, 1988: 398.
 * siciliensis. Chalepoxenus siciliensis Kutter, 1973d: 278, figs. 1, 3, 4, 6 (w.q.) ITALY (Sicily). Provisional junior synonym of muellerianus: Buschinger, Erhardt, Fischer & Ofer, 1988: 398.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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