Temnothorax mytilenes

This is a lowland and highland species known from sites at an altitude 9–670 m in Greece and Türkiye. Workers were shaken off from shrubs and small trees in pine forest, around pastures, insides stream valleys with plane trees and in ruderal area. Nests were observed under moss on stones in pine and deciduous forests.

Identification
Temnothorax mytilenes differs from all remaining members of the graecus species-group by a combination of the following characters:
 * low and subangulate petiolar node with dorsum straight and sloping posteriorly
 * low and elongated mesosoma
 * yellow antennal club and bright brown femora
 * medial frons and vertex with dense and thin costulae and only sometimes the central part of frons with slightly sparser sculpture
 * propodeal spines moderately long, in form of thin spines
 * mesosoma with thin and dense rugocostulae and rugulose to smooth interspaces, dorsal mesosoma often with weaker sculpture

Temnothorax phaetoni and T. mytilenes differ from the remaining members of the graecus species-group in presence of entirely yellow antennal clubs and subangulate petiolar node with straight and sloping posteriorly dorsum. While T. mytilenes differs from T. phaetoni in low and elongated mesosoma, always bright brown femora, entirely costulate medial frons and vertex, and moderately long and thin propodeal spines.

Distribution
Temnothorax mytilenes has rather narrow distribution range limited to the Aegean Region. So far, its presence was confirmed from Greece (Lesbos, Samos, Kos and Rhodes) and Türkiye (Ayvalýk Peninsula).

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

Nomenclature

 * . Temnothorax mytilenes Salata et al., 2023: 59, figs. 8-10 (w.) GREECE.

Type Material

 * Holotype. 1w. (pin): GREECE, Dode canese, Rodos | n. Arhipoli loc. 2, 194 m | 36.26546 N/ 28.06688 E | 4 V 2015, L. Borowiec || Collection L. Borowiec | Formicidae | LBC-GR01697 || (MNHW).
 * Paratypes. 1w.: the same data as holotype; 23w. (pin): GREECE, Dodecanese, Rodos | Petaloudes, 240 m | 36.33567 N/ 28.06264 E | 8 v 2015, L. Borowiec || Collection L. Borowiec | Formicidae | LBC-GR01759 || (MNHW, MHNG).