Tetramorium buschingeri

A Bulgarian social parasite found in the nest of nesting under a rock in a dry grassland situated in an oak forest.

Identification
Kiran, et al. (2017) - Gynes differ from the other three  Teleutomyrmex species by the absence of any carinae or teeth on dorsal surface of propodeum, by a very short dorsal profile of propodeum, by a much stronger developed reticulate or alveolate microsculpture covering the whole surface of lateral mesosoma and petiole and by smaller CL / CW. Furthermore, they differ from Tetramorium seiferti by a much smaller DLO / DFC (0.567 - 0.600 vs. 0.667 - 0.786). Additional differences to Tetramorium schneideri are a larger HTL / CS and a smaller EL / CS, and to Tetramorium kutteri a much smaller CL / CW, larger PW / CS and HTL / CS, and smaller ClyW / CS.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Bulgaria.

Biology
Kiran, et al. (2017) - Host: The two dealated queens were found on the back of a dealated queen of Tetramorium chefketi together with few host workers in the nest. The host ant species belongs to the T. chefketi species complex in contrast to the hosts from the T. caespitum / impurum complex reported for Tetramorium schneideri and Tetramorium kutteri in Europe.

The nest of Tetramorium chefketi with Teleutomyrmex buschingeri was found under a stone on a southern slope of a dry grassland situated in an oak forest. The habitat type is quite different from the known habitats of related species. The altitude of 640 m, where the species was sampled, is notably less than the altitudes of the localities of the other ultimate ant parasites (1600 - 2300 m) (excluding one in Turkmenistan)

Nomenclature

 *  buschingeri. Teleutomyrmex buschingeri Lapeva-Gjonova, in Kiran, et al. 2017: 151, figs. 3b, 4b, 5b (q.) BULGARIA.
 * [Note: Kiran, et al. 2017: 146, retain the paraphyletic genus Teleutomyrmex.]

Queen
Head in full face view wider than long (CL / CW 0.904), its lateral sides distinctly convex, anterior part of head narrower than posterior one, eyes small (EL / CS 0.228), lateral ocelli well developed, lateral ocelli less distant from each other than in Teleutomyrmex seiferti (DLO / CS 0.219). Anterior clypeal margin deeply concave and posterior margin rather convex. Mandibles reduced and triangular, with a pointed apex. Antennal scape distinctly longer than head length, exceeding the dorsal margin of head. Funiculus 10-segmented, 2nd segment 0.043 mm, 3rd segment 0.067 mm, 4th segment 0.055 mm long, the three apical segments form a small club. Pronotum narrower than head (PNW / CS 0.747), anterolaterally with small angles. Mesonotum raised over pronotum, its dorsum straight, scutellum higher than meso notum. Dorsal surface of propodeum much shorter than declivitous surface, both surfaces form a convex outline without any traces of propodeal teeth. Propodeal spiracle located near to anterior border of propodeum. Petiolar scale in profile triangular with straight frontal and convex posterior surface. Dorsal outline of postpetiole convex in lateral view. Gaster in virgin gynes typically dorso-ventrally flattened. Hind tibiae very long (HTL / CS 0.994) distinctly longer than in Teleutomyrmex kutteri and T. schneideri.

Clypeus and frons up to the level of anterior ocellus smooth and shiny, between compound eye and antennal socket densely microreticulate. Mesosoma and petiole densely microalveolate and matt, postpetiole slightly microreticulate and more shiny. Gaster glabrous.

Head with moderately long erect hairs. Scape with semi-erect hairs. Mesosoma and petiole with brush like hairs. Postpetiole with very short brush like hairs. Gaster bare. Hind femora with long subdecumbent hairs. Tibiae with very long, erect hairs. Katepisternum and lateral portion of propodeum with very few and short decumbent hairs.

Clypeus, mandibles, antennae, and legs yellow. Head, mesosoma and petiole dark brown. Postpetiole yellowish brown, first gaster segment brown, the rest brownish yellow.

Type Material
Holotype (dealated gyne) from Bulgaria, Eastern Rhodopes Mt., Chernichino Village, N 41° 35' 29.71", E 25° 50' 55.03", 640 m a.s.l., 25.IV.2012, leg. A. Lapeva-Gjonova; deposited in the museum collection of Sofia University, Bulgaria (BFUS). Paratypes (1 dealated gyne) from the same nest as the holotype, deposited in the National Museum of Natural History in Sofia (NMNHS), Bulgaria.

Etymology
The species is dedicated to Prof. Alfred Buschinger who has made great contributions to the study of socially parasitic ants.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Kiran K. C. Karaman, A. Lapeva-Gjonova, and V. Aksoy. 2017. Two new species of the "ultimate" parasitic ant genus Teleutomyrmex KUTTER, 1950 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Western Palaearctic. Myrmecological News 25: 145-155.