Lasius creticus

One sample was collected from a Platanus stand of 90% canopy cover near a river at 1000 m and another one from an Abies stand of 70% canopy cover at 1900 m. (Seifert 2020)

Identification
Palaearctic Lasius s. str. species belonging to the Lasius obscuratus species complex.

Distribution
Seifert (2020) - The islands of Crete and Rhodes, Anatolia east to north Iran (35.83°N, 50.94°E). All seven localities are situated at latitudes of 35 to 41°N and altitudes of 25 to 1900 m.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Greece, Iran.

Nomenclature

 * . Lasius creticus Seifert, 2020: 57, figs. 29-30 (w.) GREECE (Crete).

Worker
The allocation to the Lasius obscuratus complex is given by rather small absolute size (CS 859 µm), moderate scape and head length indices (CL/CW900 1.083, SL/CS900 0.965), medium number of mandibular dents (MaDe900 8.2), relatively large length of frontal pubescence hairs (PLF900 33.9), dilute clypeal pubescence(sqPDCL900 5.19) and reduced pilosity on dorsal plane of scape and extensor profile of hind tibia (nSc900 0.7, nHT900 2.6). It is outstanding within this complex by long maxillary palps (MP6/CS900 0.196), short postocular index (PoOc/ CL900 0.229) and very long setae on hind margin of head and gula (GuHL/CS900 0.125). Coloration: varying from concolorous light reddish-brown to concolorous medium brown with reddish tinge.

See table 3 in Seifert 2020 for additional morphometrics. The abbreviated names of various quantitative data shown above are defined here: Seifert 2020 Lasius characters.

Type Material
Holotype plus 5 paratype workers on two pins labelled ”GREECE: 24.04—04.05.1992 Kreta, 1 km NW Melambos, 600–700 mH 626 leg. Schulz“; 6 paratype workers on two pins labelled ”GR- Kreta 1 km NW Ano Meros 1000 m 658 Platanen an Fluß 90% Leg: Schulz 24.-04.05.92“; depository.

Etymology
The name refers to the island of Crete.