Temnothorax exilis

On Crete, this species is found in open, dry habitats, especially those overgrown by phrygana. Nests are in soil, most often under medium size rocks or in rock cleavages, and always in sunny localities. Colonies are monogamous or polygynous (Salata, Borowiec & Trichas, 2018). In Portugal, Boieiro et al. (2002) (as Temnothorax specularis) report a single colony occurring beneath a stone in an area of sclerophyllous vegetation near Tesoureira (UTM 29SMD8709) and several workers being collected by means of pitfall traps in the same area. This is a rather common species in Spain, particularly in areas throughout the Mediterranean coast.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Algeria, Croatia, France, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Malta, Montenegro, Republic of Macedonia, Slovenia, Tunisia, Turkey.

Fungi
This species is a host for the endoparastic fungus Myrmicinosporidium durum (Espadaler & Santamaria, 2012).

Nomenclature

 *  exilis. Leptothorax exilis Emery, 1869b: 15, pl. 1, fig. 9 (w.) ITALY. Emery, 1916b: 183, 186 (q.m., respectively). Combination in Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 271. Subspecies of tuberum: Emery & Forel, 1879: 459; Emery, 1891b: 6; Ruzsky, 1902d: 21; Emery, 1915h: 2. Status as species: Dalla Torre, 1893: 124; Forel, 1913d: 433; Emery, 1916b: 174; Santschi, 1923f: 331; Müller, 1923: 89; Finzi, 1924a: 13; Santschi, 1929e: 153; Baroni Urbani, 1971d: 1041. Senior synonym of ruficornis: Emery, 1916b: 174; of boccaris, creticus, darii, nitidulus and material of the unavailable name esmirensis referred here: Baroni Urbani, 1971d: 1041.
 * creticus. Leptothorax exilis subsp. creticus Forel, 1910a: 23 (w.q.) GREECE (Crete). Menozzi, 1936d: 289 (m.). Junior synonym of exilis: Baroni Urbani, 1971d: 1041.
 * darii. Leptothorax exilis var. darii Forel, 1911d: 334 (w.) TURKEY. Menozzi, 1936d: 287 (q.l.). Subspecies of exilis: Cori & Finzi, 1931: 238. Junior synonym of exilis: Baroni Urbani, 1971d: 1041.
 * ruficornis. Leptothorax tuberum subsp. ruficornis Emery, 1914d: 157 (w.) FRANCE ? [First available use of Leptothorax tuberum subsp. exilis var. ruficornis Emery, 1898c: 135; unavailable name.] Junior synonym of exilis: Emery, 1916b: 174.
 * boccaris. Leptothorax exilis var. boccaris Santschi, 1923f: 331 (w.) TUNISIA. Junior synonym of exilis: Baroni Urbani, 1971d: 1041.
 * nitidulus. Leptothorax exilis var. nitidulus Santschi, 1923f: 331 (w.q.) ALGERIA. [First available use of Leptothorax tuberum r. obscurior var. nitidulus Forel, 1894d: 39; unavailable name.] Junior synonym of exilis: Baroni Urbani, 1971d: 1041.
 * specularis. Leptothorax exilis var. specularis Emery, 1916b: 174 (w.) ITALY.
 * [First available use of Leptothorax tuberum subsp. exilis var. specularis Emery, 1898c: 135; unavailable name.]
 * Santschi, 1923a: 135 (m.).
 * Combination in Temnothorax: Bolton, 2003: 271.
 * Junior synonym of exilis: Baroni Urbani, 1971d: 1041; Salata, Borowiec & Trichas, 2018: 778.
 * Status as species: Collingwood, 1978: 70.