Aphaenogaster maculifrons

A. maculifrons was found in almost all forest groves, consisting of old Pinus nigra Arnold, between 1420–1770 m a.s.l. in the Sultan Mts. Nests are under very big stones and contain several thousand workers.

Identification
Kiran et al. (2008) - Aphaenogaster maculifrons clearly belongs to the subterranea group with its scapus barely surpassing occipital margin and funicular segments 2–6 as long as broad and the occipital margin having a distinct edge. This species especially differs from the other species of this group with a quite distinct dark patch on the frontal area.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Turkey.

Nomenclature

 *  maculifrons. Aphaenogaster (Attomyrma) maculifrons Kiran & Aktaç, in Kiran, et al. 2008: 691, fig. 2 (w.q.) TURKEY.

Worker
Head longer than broad, broader above the mandibles, widening towards the occiput, occiput flat and occipital margin distinctly edged. Head with faint longitudinal striae, surfaces between the striae distinctly punctuate, striae not reaching the occiput as Aphaenogaster subterranea, unlike A. subterranea, punctuation reaching the occiput, head subopaque, frontal area with distinct dark patch towards vertex. Clypeus and frontal triangles with two longitudinal striae, anterior margin of clypeus wide and deeply notched. Mandibles shiny, with a few superficial, longitudinal striae and armed with 3 distinct apical teeth. Scapus with faintly longitudinal striae and decumbent hair, barely surpassing the occiput, funiculus segments 2–6 as wide as long, without distinct antennal club. Mesosoma similar to A. subterranea, but more matt and sculptured, mesopleuron longitudinally striated like whole mesosoma (in A. subterranea punctuated). Propodeal spins similar to A. subterranea. Nodes smooth, gaster smooth and shiny. Hairs as in A. subterranea. Colour darker and matter than in A. subterranea, head and mesosoma yellowish brown, gaster blackish.

Queen
Head slightly longer than broad, outlines of head as in workers, much denser longitudinal striation than in A. subterranea (denser than worker), surfaces between the striae without punctuation, striae ending behind the eyes, not reaching the occiput, eyes big, surrounding of ocelli with dark patch. Clypeus and frontal triangle longitudinally striate. Scapus with decumbent hair and surpassing the occiput barely. Clypeal notch distinct. 2–6 funicular segments as wide as long. Head more or less matt, mandibles well developed, with a few superficial striae and 6 distinct teeth. Sides of pronotum, metapleuron and propodeum with longitudinal striae, metanotum, dorsum of propodeum and posterior part of scutellum with transverse striae, other part of mesosoma smooth, prescutum not as depressed as in A. subterranea, scutellum less convex than in A. subterranea, epinotal spines well developed, quite thick and bluntly ending. Nodes quite high, dorsum of the nods transversally striated. Gaster smooth and shiny. Body hairs as in A. subterranea, but on gaster quite sparse and irregularly distributed. Head, mesosoma and legs light yellowish brown, gaster brown. Wings as in A. subterranea.

Type Material
Holotype – worker: Turkey, Konya-Aksehir-Eskiler Village, (38°09' N, 31°31' E), 1770 m a.s.l., 02.VIII.2002: 02/0822, (leg. K. Kiran). Paratypes: 94 workers, 3 alate queens from same nest as the holotype (leg. K. Kiran) (TU, LEMT); 160 workers, 18 alate queens from same locality and date as holotype, 02/810, 811, 812a, 823 (leg. K. Kiran) (TU); 182 workers, 4 alate queens, Turkey, Konya-Aksehir 7 km SW, (38◦31_ N, 31◦25_ E), 1500 m a.s.l., 01.VIII.2002: 02/753, 754a, 762 (leg. K. Kiran) (TU); 179 workers, Turkey, Aksehir-Cakilli Village, (38◦14_ N, 31◦31_ E), 1620 m a.s.l., 01.VIII.2002: 02/802, 803, 804, 806, 807 (leg. K. Kiran) (TU); 94 workers, Turkey, Isparta-Yalvac-Camharman Village, (38°24' N, 31°06' E), 1420 m a.s.l., 03.VIII.2002: 02/871, 874, 875 (leg. K. Kiran) (TU).

Etymology
The species name maculifrons combines Latin maculi (patch) + frons (frontal area), it refers to a dark patch in the frontal area.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
 * Kiran K., N. Aktaç, and S. Tezcan. 2008. Three new species of ants, genus Aphaenogaster (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Turkey. Biologia 63 (5): 689-695.