Myrmica kabylica

A workerless social parasite, this species was taken from a nest of living in subalpine meadow; at altitude 1800 m. The host species is very similar to Myrmica aloba, indeed the host nest was originally determined as M. aloba (Espadaler 1996). It is possible that this species parasitizes all M. aloba-like species and might be found in nests of M. aloba on the Iberian Peninsula. (Radchenko and Elmes 2003)

Identification
A member of the karavajevi group. In most major features M. kabylica is most similar to Myrmica karavajevi and Myrmica lemasnei, but clearly differs on a combination of morphological features. (Radchenko and Elmes 2003)

Key to Parasitic Myrmica of West Europe and North Africa Queens / Males

Distribution
Known only from the type locality in Algeria.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Algeria.

Nomenclature

 *  kabylica. Sifolinia kabylica Cagniant, 1970d: 40, figs. 1-6 (q.m.) ALGERIA. Combination in Symbiomyrma: Seifert, 1994: 16; in Myrmica: Bolton, 1988a: 4; Radchenko & Elmes, 2003a: 236. See also: Kutter, 1973c: 256 (misspelled as cabylica); Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 160.

Queen
Measurements and indices. (syntype): HL 0.84; HW 0.75; SL 0.73; AL 1.21 mm; FI 0.45; FLI 1.06; SI1 0.87; SI2 0.97; PPI 0.60; ESLI 0.31; male (syntype): HL 0.79; HW 0.73; SL 0.74; AL 1.36 mm; SI1 0.94; SI2 1.01; PPI 0.62; ESLI 0.15.

Etymology
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - from the name Kabylie with the adjectival suffix for nouns ica = belonging to or from, to indicate that it is a resident of Kabylie, a mountainous region of Algeria.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Cagniant H. 1970. Une nouvelle fourmi parasite d'Algérie: Sifolinia kabylica (nov. sp.), Hyménoptères. Formicidae. Myrmicinae. Insectes Sociaux 17: 39-47.
 * Cagniant, H. "Liste actualisee des fourmis du Maroc (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)." Myrmecologische Nachrichten 8 (2006): 193-200.
 * Cagniant, H. "Une nouvelle fourmi parasite d'Algérie: Sifolinia kabylica (nov. sp.), Hyménoptères. Formicidae. Myrmicinae." Insectes Sociaux 17 (1970): 39-47.
 * Cagniant, H. Les peuplements de fourmis des forêts algériennes: écologie, biocénotique, essai biologique. Universite de Toulouse, 1973.
 * Espadaler, X. "Myrmica cagnianti, a new ant from North Africa." Miscellanea Zoologica 19 (1996): 67-74.
 * Radchenko A. G., and G. W. Elmes. 2003. A taxonomic revision of the socially parasitic Myrmica ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Palaearctic region. Annales Zoologici (Warsaw) 53: 217-243.
 * Radchenko A. G., and G. W. Elmes. 2010. Myrmica ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Old World. Fauna Mundi 3. Warsaw: Natura Optima Dux Foundation, 790 pp.