Aphaenogaster senilis

The original description of this species was based on Sardinian specimens (Mayr 1853). On the island it seems confined to the southernmost provinces, where it is often abundant. However, it is a West-Mediterranean taxon, widespread from the Canary Islands to southern France and especially common in the Iberian Peninsula (Cagniant et al. 1991; Rigato & Toni, 2011).

Distribution
This taxon was described from Italy. It is also found in Portugal, Spain and France.

Nomenclature

 *  senilis. Aphaenogaster senilis Mayr, 1853b: 108 (w.q.) ITALY. Emery, 1916b: 140 (m.). Junior synonym of testaceopilosa: Nylander, 1856b: 86; Smith, F. 1858b: 165 (misspelled as similis); Roger, 1859: 255; Dalla Torre, 1893: 107. Subspecies of testaceopilosa: Emery, 1878b: 53; Emery, 1916b: 131; Santschi, 1919e: 245. Revived status as species: Bondroit, 1918: 161; Santschi, 1933c: 396; Cagniant, 1964: 100; Bernard, 1967: 132. Baroni Urbani, 1971c: 44. Senior synonym of acoreensis: Yarrow, 1967: 26; of fuentei: Collingwood, 1978: 67; of occidua: Casevitz-Weulerrse & Galkowski, 2009: 486. Current subspecies: nominal plus disjuncta, grata.
 * fuentei. Aphaenogaster testaceopilosa var. fuentei Medina, 1893: 105 (w.) SPAIN. Junior synonym of senilis: Collingwood, 1978: 67.
 * acoreensis. Aphaenogaster senilis var. acoreensis Santschi, 1933a: 21 (q.) AZORES IS. [Also described as new by Santschi, 1933c: 397.] Junior synonym of senilis: Yarrow, 1967: 26.

Additional References

 * Rigato, F.; Toni, I. 2011. Short notes 21. Hymenoptera, Formicidae. Pp. 873-882 in: Nardi, G.; Whitmore, D.; Bardiani, M.; Birtele, D.; Mason, F.; Spada, L.; Cerretti, P. (eds.) 2011. Biodiversity of Marganai and Montimannu (Sardinia). Research in the framework of the ICP Forests network. Conservazione Habitat Invertebrati, 5. Sommacampagna, Verona: Cierre Edizioni, 896 pp.