Cataglyphis mauritanica

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Tunisia.

Biology
Knaden & Wehner (2006) observed colony fission events. Workers left their nest and excavated a new nest about 30 m away from the natal nest. Four dealated queens were waiting at the natal nest entrance. After about 4 hours of digging, a worker carried a queen to the new nest, while the remaining three queens remained in the old nest. Dispersal by DCF is consistent with the brachypterous nature of queen (Peeters & Aron 2017).

Colonies have about 1500 workers (range 200-3000) (N=60 colonies) (A. Kuhn, unpublished data)

Nomenclature

 *  mauritanica. Myrmecocystus viaticus subsp. mauritanicus Emery, 1906d: 57, figs. 23, 26 (w.m.) TUNISIA. Santschi, 1929b: 31 (q.). Combination in Cataglyphis: Emery, 1912f: 98; in C. (Monocombus): Santschi, 1929b: 29. Raised to species: Agosti, 1990b: 1483. Current subspecies: nominal plus occidentalis, tonsilis.