Myrmecina sicula

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
Rigato (1999) - Emery (1916) quite carefully redescribed this ant and raised it to species. He showed the main characters separating Myrmecina sicula from Myrmecina graminicola, and stressed the importance of the reduction of the median tooth of the clypeus; as reported in the current description (Rigato 1999) this character is inconsistent. For this reason Menozzi (1936) thought of Myrmecina sicula as a trivial variant of graminicola. Myrmecina sicula appears unique for the contrast between the smooth promesonotum and the dull head, while in the related taxa the head and alitrunk are similarly sculptured.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Italy.

Nomenclature

 *  sicula. Myrmecina latreillei var. sicula André, 1882c: 275 (w.) ITALY (Sicily). De Stefani, 1889: 144 (m.). Raised to species: Emery, 1916a: 59. See also: Baroni Urbani, 1971c: 96; Rigato, 1999: 88.

Rigato (1999) - Unfortunately, it seems that the two males reported by De Stefani (1889) have been lost. I hope that some fresh samples of this interesting ant will be collected in the near future.

Worker
Rigato (1999) - Lectotype, here designated, specimen deposited in : TL 3, HW 0.65, HL 0.68, CI 96, SL 0.57, SI 88, PW 0.44, AL 0.81.

Head mostly opaque. finely reticulate-punctate with superimposed irregular longitudinal rugulae which diverge toward the occiput. The rugulae are clearly less strong than is usual in Myrmecina graminicola. Alitrunk dorsally with a smooth promesonotum (very faintly superficially reticulate). Propodeum feebly sculptured; sides with longitudinal irregular rugae (as usual for the other species dealt with in the present work). Petiole and postpetioIe with few longitudinal rugulae and a weak ground sculpture. Gaster smooth with a very superficial reticulation. Colour bright orange, gaster brown.

Paralectotype (specimen with the same data as the lectotype. deposited in the ): TL 3. HW 0.66. HL 0.69, CI 96, SL 0.56, SI 85, PW 0.44, AL 0.84. The only noteworthy difference from the lectotype are the well developed anteropropodeal processes which rise from the profile of the alitrunk as a low tooth.

Type Material
Rigato (1999) - Syntype workers. ITALY: Palermo (De Stefani) [examined]. As stated by De Stefani (1889) and Emery (1916). the only known specimens of this taxon are the two type workers of which one is deposited in the MNHN and the other in the MCSNG. For this reason I have preferred to designate as Lectotype the specimen of the MNHN, where Andre's collection is stored.