Cataglyphis velox

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Iberian Peninsula, Portugal, Spain.

Biology
Colonies consist of a few queens and 784 ± 341 workers (range 220-1300)(16 colonies; P.A. Eyer, unpublished PhD).

Short-winged (non-flying) queens exit from natal nest, mate on branches, then re-enter natal nest. On one occasion, a colony was observed to fission the next day after mating (X. Cerda, unpublished observation from Sierra de Cazorla (Spain), July).



Castes
Queens are brachypterous, i.e. they emerge from cocoons with non-functional short wings (reviewed in Peeters & Aron 2017).



Nomenclature

 *  velox. Cataglyphis (Monocombus) viatica var. velox Santschi, 1929b: 30, figs. 6, 34 (w.) SPAIN. Tinaut, 1990c: 54 (q.m.). Junior synonym of viatica: Collingwood, 1979: 73. Revived from synonymy and raised to species: Tinaut, 1990c: 52.