Temnothorax morea

This species occurs in various dry habitats from altitudes of 110 to 2100 m a.s.l. Most samples were collected in deciduous forests (especially oak forests), in stream valleys with Platanus forests, and phrygana with oak shrubs. Two samples were found in coniferous forests, and single samples were taken from stream valleys in the alpine zone with Cyprus forests, olive orchards, pastures, and limestone rocks. In all localities, ants were observed or collected on limestone rocks or in oak shrubs. Nests were located under moss or in crevices in limestone rocks. Based on field observations, T. morea prefers more arid and sunny areas than Temnothorax strymonensis. (Csosz et al., 2018). In Greece it is associated with open habitats such as rocks and stones overgrown by bushes or limestones on mountain pastures, collected also in deciduous or mixed forests, and occasionally in coniferous forests (Salata & Borowiec, 2019).

Identification
Similar to Temnothorax interruptus (see there for distinguishing characteristics) and Temnothorax strymonensis (as detailed on its species page).

Distribution
Csosz et al. (2018) - Temnothorax morea is a typical East Mediterranean (Vigna Taglianti & al. 1999) species. It can be found in southern and western Greece, where an extensive contact zone with T. strymonensis is located. It also occurs in Croatia along the Adriatic Sea coast and in the western part of Turkey.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey.

Nomenclature

 *  morea. Temnothorax morea Csősz, Salata & Borowiec, 2018: 115, figs. 5, 8, 11, 14, 18, 19, 24, 25, 29 (w.q.) GREECE.

Worker
Head orange to dark orange with brown posterior part of gena or darker orange to brown posterior part of head. Scapes same colour as head. Funicles same colour as scapes or pale brown. Mesosoma, legs, petiole and postpetiole yellow to dark orange. Sometimes femora darker. Gaster yellow to dark orange with brown to black apical band, widest laterally and gradually narrowing to the centre thus anterior margin of the band on sides runs obliquely forward. Transversal band on sides always reaching half length of tergite and usually has broad interruption in the central part. The interruption edges never parallel thus yellow interruption appears more or less V-shaped.

Head longer than broad (CL / CWb: 1.239 [1.201, 1.283]). Eyes small, oval (EL / CS: 0.252 [0.234, 0.271]). Antennal scape long (SL / CS: 0.894 [0.845, 0.931]), surpassing occipital margin of head. Surface of the scape with very fine microsculpture, shiny, covered with short, moderately dense, suberect or adpressed setae.

Mesosoma elongate (ML / CS: 1.251 [1.214, 1.301]). Propodeal spines long (SPST / CS: 0.403 [0.358, 0.478]), wide at base, slightly curved downwards with pointed apex. Frontal carinae short, extending to ⅓ length of eye; antennal fossa shallow, with sparse thick rugosity, interstices microreticulate. Frontal lobes wider than frons (FL / FR: 1.087 [1.036, 1.146]), with sparse rugosity, shiny between rugosities. Frons shiny, all surface weakly, but densely longitudinally costulate and rugulose, interstices punctate or microreticulate. Postocular area of head densely rugulose and sometimes longitudinally costulate. Genae sometimes with sparser sculpture. Interstices densely microreticulate or punctate, shiny. Entire head bearing suberect to erect, pale and thin setae.

Dorsum of mesosoma finely rugose. Lateral surface of promesonotum longitudinally costulate. Lateral surface of propodeum with weaker sculpture. Interstices shiny with dense microreticulation or punctate. Dorsal surface of mesosoma with weaker rugosity, interstices microreticulate or punctate, sometimes longitudinally striate. Area between and below propodeal spines shiny and punctate, sometimes with transverse costulae. Dorsal surface of mesosoma with sparse, erect, long, thick and pale setae. Petiole and postpetiole shiny, on the entire surface with dense but weak rugosity or punctation.

Queen
Head, mesosoma, antennae, petiole, postpetiole and legs orange or bright orange. Antennae club or whole funiculus darker. Sometimes scutum and scutellum slightly darker. Gaster with variable colouration. Most frequently first tergite in anterior half orange and brown in posterior half, remaining tergites yellow-orange basally and brown apically but apical margins always pale. The orange colouration can be limited to ⅓ length.

Eyes big, oval [EL / CS: 0.29 ± 0.02]. Antennal scape long [SL / CS: 0.8 ± 0.01], reaching occipital margin of head. Propodeal spines long [SPST / CS: 0.52 ± 0.03], wide at base, triangular, straight, with rounded apex. Clypeus shiny and smooth or with few longitudinal wrinkles. Its central area smooth and shiny. Antennal fossa deep, with sparse rugosity. Surface between rugosity with dense microreticulation, shiny. Frontal lobes wide [FLS / CS: 0.4 ± 0.01], rugulose with thick longitudinal costae, interstices microreticulate, shiny. Frons shiny, all surface with sparse longitudinal costae or irregular rugosity, interstices microreticulate, shiny. Area above eyes and sides of head with very sparse, thick, irregular rugosity and sometimes with few longitudinal costae. Surface between rugosity with dense microreticulation, shiny. Genae with reduced sculpture, interstices microreticulate, shiny. Entire head bearing suberect to erect, pale and thin setae.

Pronotum with punctation or sparse rugosity on whole dorsal surface, surface between rugosity with sparse microreticulation, shiny. Sides with sparse, thick longitudinal costae, interstices microreticulate, shiny. Scutum and scutellum with sparse, and very gentle longitudinal costae, shiny. Sometimes costae disappear on side edges. Surface between costae smooth and shiny. Metanotum with rugosity, shiny. Sometimes with few thick wrinkles. Propodeum with variable sculpture. Area above propodeal spines with very sparse, thick and irregular rugosity. Surface between sculpture smooth and shiny. Area below and between propodeal spines with dense punctation, shiny. Sides of propodeum with dense, gentle longitudinal costulae, interstices microreticulate, always shiny. Anepisternum, metaepisternum and metakatepisternum, shiny, with dense, gentle, longitudinal costulae, interstices smooth or with very gentle microreticulation. Katepisternum on its central surface smooth and shiny. Its edges with thick and dense reticulation. Dorsal surface of mesosoma with sparse, erect, long, thick and pale setae. Petiole and postpetiole shiny, with sparse and gentle rugosity on the entire surface, thicker sculpture on the dorsal surface. Gaster smooth and shiny, bearing sparse, long, suberect to erect setae.

Type Material
Holotype: Greece: Taygethos Oros, Trail to Profiti Ilias, 30.04.2011, leg. Schulz, N 36.948, E 22.377, 1400 - 1600 m a.s.l., collection code: 286, (1 w,, Budapest). Paratypes: Greece: Taygethos Oros, Trail to Profiti Ilias, 30.04.2011, leg. Schulz, N 36.96, E 22.396, 1000 - 1200 m a.s.l., collection code: 276, (5 w, HNHM, Budapest); Taygethos Oros, Trail to Profiti Ilias, 30.04.2011, leg. Schulz, N 36.948, E 22.377, 1400 – 1600 m a.s.l., collection code: 286, (7 w, HNHM, Budapest); Taygethos Oros, Trail to Profiti Ilias, 30.04.2011, leg. Schulz, N 36.948, E 22.377, 1400 – 1600 m a.s.l., collection code: 295, (2 w, HNHM, Budapest; 3 w, UWPC, Wroclaw).

Etymology
The name refers to Morea which was the name of Peloponnese peninsula in the Middle Ages. The species epithet is a noun in apposition.