Aphaenogaster radchenkoi

A. radchenkoi was found in various biotopes such as the zones of chestnut trees and oaks – where Aphaenogaster aktaci was also collected– stream plants, grasses and bushes by using pitfall traps in Izmir-Bozdag.

Identification
Kiran et al. (2008) - Aphaenogaster radchenkoi belongs to the pallida group with its small size, mostly smooth and shiny body parts, long and thin hairs. A. radchenkoi differs from the other species of this group by its widely based tooth-like propodeal spines in worker cast and by the long projection on ventral side of the postpetiole in the queen cast. A. radchenkoi shows great similarity with the material described by Agosti and Collingwood (1987a, b) in a species list of Balkan ants as Aphaenogaster as sp1 from Yugoslavia.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Turkey.

Nomenclature

 *  radchenkoi. Aphaenogaster (Attomyrma) radchenkoi Kiran, et al. 2008: 693, fig. 3 (w.q.) TURKEY.

Worker
Head longer than broad (in Aphaenogaster subterraneoides almost as long as broad), broader above the mandibles, widening slightly towards the occiput, generally smooth and shiny, only a few longitudinal striae from mandibles to eyes, frontal area with carina in profile, occipital margin slightly edged, occiput faintly convex, clypeus smooth, anterior margin of clypeus quite wide and shallowly notched, mandibles quite prolonged, longitudinally and roughly striated, masticator border armed with 9–10 gradually decreasing sized teeth from the apical to basal tooth (nevertheless all teeth distinct even basal tooth). Eyes small. Scapus longitudinally striated, with several erect hairs (denser and more erect than in A. subterraneoides) and surpassing the occiput distinctly (longer than in A. subterraneoides), funicular segments 2–6 as wide as long, without antennal club. Mesonotum not raised above the pronotum, promesonotum convex, metanotal groove wide and shallow, propodeum armed with tooth-like, wide based and sharply pointed spines directed outwards in dorsal view, mesopleuron quite distinct, sides of propodeum faintly punctuated, dorsum of propodeum smooth; petiolar peduncle convex ventrally, nodes smooth. Gaster smooth and shiny. Body light yellowish brown, with irregular, sparse, very long hairs.

Queen
Head a bit longer than broad, genal sculpture more distinct than workers, continuing to dorsum of the eyes, frontal area with weak longitudinal striae until median ocellus, anterior margin of clypeus with wide and shallow notch, mandibles shorter than workers, sculpture and teeth as in workers. Dorsum of scutum faintly convex, prescutum weakly depressed, propodeal spines as in workers but ticker, sides of propodeum with a few longitudinal striae, the other parts of mesosoma smooth. Petiole as in workers, postpetiole with long projection ventrally. Gaster smooth and shiny. Body with quite dense and long hairs, gaster hairless except for the joint area of postpetiole and borders of tergites. Colour a bit darker than workers.

Type Material
Holotype – worker: Turkey, Izmir-Bozdag-Golcuk Village 2 km E, (38°18' N, 28°02' E), 1030 m a.s.l., 31.X.2001: 01/1502a (leg. S. Tezcan). Paratypes: 290 workers, 2 dealate queens from same locality as the holotype, 14.IV.2001: 01/1212, 1213a; 28.IV.2001: 01/1215a, 1217a, 1218b; 12.V.2001: 01/1235b, 1236a, 1237b, 1238a, 1239a; 26.V.2001: 01/1260b, 1261a, 1262d, 1263a, 1264a; 09.VI.2001: 01/1284c, 1285b, 1286b, 1287d, 1288c; 01.VII. 2001: 01/1306c; 10.VII.2001: 01/1323e, 1326b; 22.VII.2001: 01/1343d, 1346d, 1347b; 03.VIII.2001: 01/1361f, 1362g, 1363c; 17.VIII.2001: 01/1387c, 1388b, 1389; 30.VIII.2001: 01/1408, 1410d, 1411; 16.IX.2001: 01/1431b, 1432b, 1433b, 1434a, 1435; 29.IX.2001: 01/1454b, 1455a, 1456c, 1457a; 13.X.2001: 01/1476b, 1477c, 1478b, 1479a, 1480a; 31.X.2001: 01/1498b, 1499b, 1500b, 1501, 1502a (leg. S. Tezcan) (TU, LEMT); 41 workers, 1 dealate queen, Turkey, Izmir-Bozdag-Golcuk Village 2 km E, (38°19' N, 28°06' E), 1160 m a.s.l., 14.IV.2001: 01/1210b, 1211; 28.IV.2001: 01/1223b, 1224a; 12.V.2001: 01/1248a; 26.V.2001: 01/1270c, 1272a, 1273a, 1274e; 09.VI.2001: 01/1291d, 1294d, 1295b; 01.VII.2001: 01/1312c, 1318b; 22.VII.2001: 01/1353b; 03.VIII.2001: 01/1372d, 1373d; 17.VIII.2001: 01/1397c; 30.VIII.2001: 01/1418b; 16.IX.2001: 01/1443a, 31.X.2001: 01/1510b (leg. S. Tezcan) (TU); 185 workers, 1 dealate queen, Turkey, Izmir-Bozdag-Golcuk Village 6 km E, (38°18' N, 28°02' E), 1310 m a.s.l., 14.IV.2001: 01/1204, 1206a, 1209a; 28.IV.2001: 01/1226a, 1230b; 12.V.2001: 01/1250c, 1252a, 1253a; 26.V. 2001: 01/1275b, 1276b, 1277a, 1279; 09.VI.2001: 01/1296a, 1297h, 1298d, 1300a; 01.VII.2001: 01/1315d, 1316f, 1317f; 10.VII.2001: 01/1336m; 03.VIII.2001: 01/1375i, 1377i, 1379f; 17.VIII.2001: 01/1400b, 1401b; 30.VIII.2001: 01/1422a; 16.IX.2001: 01/1445b, 1448b; 29.IX.2001: 01/1467b, 1470b; 13.X.2001: 01/1491c, 1492b, 1494; 31.X.2001: 01/1512a, 1513a, 1514, 1516a (leg. S. Tezcan) (TU); 1 worker, Turkey, Izmir-Bozdag 11 km NE, (38°20' N, 28°06' E), 1470 m a.s.l., 30.VIII.2001: 01/1423d (leg. S. Tezcan) (TU); 1 dealate queen, Turkey, Izmir-Bozdag 7 km N, (38◦24' N, 28◦04' E), 1050 m a.s.l., 16.V.2001: 01/1259b (leg. S. Tezcan) (TU).

Etymology
This species is dedicated to Prof. A. G. Radchenko who gave great help to us during our studies.