Lasius cinereus

The majority of collection sites are on limestone ground with habitats including xerothermous grassland, bare rocky ground with spiny shrubs, a sunny Juniperus Artemisia phytoassociation, open broad-leafed forest or sunny Pinus forests. Lasius cinereus is distinctly more xerothermous than L. grandis and there seems to exist mutual spatial exclusion. Nest were under stones, in dead wood laying on ground, and in soil. The workers behave aggressively during disturbance of the nest. (Seifert 2020)

Identification
Seifert (2020) - A species related to Lasius grandis. Absolute size rather small (CS 860 µm). Head and scape length indices large (CL/CW900 1.091, SL/CS900 1.012); postocular distance low (PoOc/CL900 0.219); torulo-clypeal distance large (dClAn900 5.01); eye size rather small (EYE/CS900 0.233); terminal segment of maxillary palp moderately long (MP6/CS900 0.197). Number of mandibular dents large (MaDe900 8.69). Pubescence on clypeus rather dense (sqPDCL900 4.37); frontal pubescence very short (PLF900 23.5). All body parts with rather numerous standing setae of medium length (PnHL/CS900 0.146, GuHL/ CS900 0.116, nGu900 13.2, nSc900 22.6, nHT900 20.1). In difference to L. grandis, cuticular surface of dorsal head and mesosoma completely matt; this is caused by fine punctures (”ultrastructures“) within the meshes of the microreticulum or in interspaces of microrugae. Coloration: head and gaster blackish brown; mesosoma dark to medium brown with a yellowish-reddish tinge but even in the lightest specimens darker than in the light color morph of Lasius emarginatus. Mandibles, anterior clypeal margin and scape orange brown (Abbreviations for measurements, ratios and functions are defined here: Seifert 2020 Lasius characters).

Distribution
Seifert (2020) - Iberia and southernmost France with the northern border running here approximately over points near Montpellier (43.63°N, 3.87°E), near Avignon (43.97°N, 4.60°E) and near Cannes (43.51°N, 6.91°E). Altitudinal records range from 70–200 m in southern France and 430–1950 m in Spain.

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

Nomenclature

 *  cinereus. Lasius (Lasius) cinereus Seifert, 1992b: 33, fig. 25 (w.) SPAIN.

Type Material
Seifert (2020) - Holotype plus 2 paratypes on the same pin labelled ”45 km N Castellon 7.5.91,-116, 430 m 5 WSW Alcala de Chivert“; depository:.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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 * Antarea (Personal Communication - Rumsais Blatrix- 27 April 2018)
 * Antarea (at www.antarea.fr on June 11th 2017)
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 * Roig X., X. Espadaler, R. Cusco, F. Garcia, K. Gomez, S. Serrano, and R. Vila. 2008. Ants in gypsum areas. First record from Catalonia (Iberian Peninsula) of Cardiocondyla batesii Forel (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) with an updated list of Catalan Formicidae. Boletin Sociedad Entomologica Aragonesa 42: 189-192.
 * Seifert B. 1992. A taxonomic revision of the Palaearctic members of the ant subgenus Lasius s.str. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Abhandlungen und Berichte des Naturkundemuseums Görlitz 66(5): 1-67.
 * Seifert, B.. "A taxonomic revision of the Palaearctic members of the ant subgenus Lasius s. str." Abhandlungen und Berichte des Naturkundemuseums Goerlitz 66(5) (1992): 1-66.
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