Cataglyphis minos

This is a rare, mountain species limited to Crete (Greece), where it is restricted to areas above the upper edge of the forest at the altitude between 1316 and 2250 m. Nests are in soil.

Identification
With Cataglyphis cretica and Cataglyphis hellenica this species forms a separate group of similar species with dark, reddish brown to almost black body. Cataglyphis minos is the most setose species in this group, the only species with erected setae on antennal scapes, pronotum, propodeum and in major workers on first gastral tergite.

Gyne/queen of C. minos differs from sympatric C. cretica in numerous setae on occipital part of head, dorsum of mesosoma and anterior slope of first gastral tergite.

Both species differ also in shape of petiole, which is very broad, cordiform with deeply emarginate dorsal margin in C. minos and broad, with softly rounded sides and truncate or very shallowly emarginate dorsal margin in C. cretica. Although both species are spread on the whole Crete they are separated geographically because C. minos occurs only in upper parts of mountains between 1316 and 2250 m while C. cretica occurs only in low and mid altitudes from sea level to 1240 m.

Distribution
Endemic to Crete.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Greece.

Nomenclature

 * . Cataglyphis minos Borowiec & Salata, 2022: 142, figs. 62.1-11 (s.w.q.) GREECE (Crete).

Type Material

 * Holotype major worker: “GREECE Crete Rethymno | Prov. Nida Plateau, 1370 m | 35°15’N 24°50’E | 25.04.14 S. Salata” (preserved in MNHW-DBET).
 * Paratypes gyne and two major workers: “GREECE Crete Heraklion | Prov. Rouvas Forest loc. 1 | 1316 m 35°09N 2456’E | 05.05.14 S. Salata (MNHW-DBET); two paratypes major workers and one paratype minor worker: “GREECE, Crete, Iraklion | Rouvas Forest loc. 1, 1316 m | 35.15694 N / 24.93957 | 5 V 2014, S. Salata (MNHW-DBET, MHNG); three paratypes major workers and one paratype minor worker: “GREECE, Crete, Rethymno | Psiloritis, N of Lochria 1950 m |35.2051 N / 24.7838 E | 2 VII 2000, E. Nikolakakis” (MNHW-DBET); two paratypes minor workers: “GREECE, Crete, Chania | dist. Lefka Ori, 1800m, | 35°16’N / 24°03’ E, 26.09 | 91, Trichas A.” (MNHW-DBET); two paratypes minor workers: “GREECE, Crete, Heraklion | Prov. Diplori, 1350 m | 35°10’N / 24°56’E, 17.8.99 | E. Nikolakakis” (MN-HW-DBET); one paratype major worker: “GREECE Crete Rethymno | Psiloritis, 1950m, | 35°11’N / 24°47’E, 12.6.2001|91, E. Nikolakakis” (MNHW-DBET); one paratype major worker: “GREECE Crete Rethymno | distr. Psiloritis Mt. 2250 m | 35°12’N / 24°47’E, 31.10 |200, Stathi I.” (MNHW-DBET).

Taxonomic Notes
This species was listed by Salata et al. (2020: 25) as Cataglyphis cf. cretica sp. 1.