Myrmica curvithorax

M. slovaca is a rather thermophilous species that builds its nests directly into the soil. In central Europe it is frequently found in dry meadows but in the eastern part of its range, M. slovaca mainly inhabits intrazonal, relatively wet and often salted habitats in the steppe zone. Thus it could be a relict steppe species in central Europe. (Radchenko and Elmes 2010)

Identification
Radchenko and Elmes (2010) - A member of the specioides complex of the scabrinodis species group. It is easily distinguished from any other species from this group by its very narrow frons (worker PI ::; 0.30). However, the males have short standing hairs on the legs and scape and are hard to distinguish from males of Myrmica specioides and some other species.

Distribution
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Belarus, Ukraine, southern part of European part of Russia (to the north up to Nizhniy Novgorod; see Zrianin and Zrianina, 2007), south of West Siberia, Kazakhstan, Altai Mts.; Spain

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine.

Nomenclature

 *  curvithorax. Myrmica curvithorax Bondroit, 1920a: 148, fig. 1 (w.) SPAIN.
 * Synonym of slovaca: Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 280.
 * [Note: Radchenko & Elmes give slovaca as senior synonym, but curvithorax has priority.]
 * Status as species: Bolton, 1995b: 278; Seifert, 2011: 170.
 * Senior synonym of slovaca: Seifert, 2011: 170 (in text).
 * slovaca. Myrmica (Myrmica) slovaca Sadil, 1952: 259, figs. VI, 8-14; VIII, 35, 36; IX, 35; X, 10, XI, 13 (w.q.m.) CZECHOSLOVAKIA.
 * Status as species: Arnol'di, 1970b: 1837 (in key); Kutter, 1977c: 71; Arnol'di & Dlussky, 1978: 534 (in key); Agosti & Collingwood, 1987b: 268 (in key); Radchenko, 1994c: 144 (in key); Radchenko, 1994e: 80; Radchenko & Elmes, 2009c: 521; Radchenko & Elmes, 2010: 280; Czechowski, et al. 2012: 98; Czekes, et al. 2012: 43 (in key).
 * Junior synonym of salina: Seifert, 1988b: 25; Seifert, 1994: 13; Seifert, 2002a: 96; Radchenko & Elmes, 2004: 228.
 * Junior synonym of curvithorax: Seifert, 2011: 170 (in text).

Type Material
Bezděčková et al. (2017) - Myrmica slovaca: Altogether 11 syntypes are deposited in (all dry-mounted, glued on rectangular card labels):
 * SYNTYPES (4 workers glued on two labels (3 + 1) on one pin): ‘Chorovce / 1.6.48 / Slovakia / Novák [hw] // M. slovaca / Sadil (det. 1951) [hw] // Mus. Nat. Pragae Inv [p] / 3066 [hw]’.
 * SYNTYPES (7 workers glued on one label with transversal yellow line and number 3108, hw): ‘Slov. Dol. Almáš / 1938, Záleský lg. [p] // Det. Dr. Záleský [p] / M. scabr. [worker symbol] / scabrin. [hw] // M. slovaca / Sadil (det. 1951) [hw] // Mus. Nat. Pragae Inv [p] / 3068 [hw]’.

Remarks: Because of the widespread use of M. slovaca and doubts about the origin of the holotype specimen of M. curvithorax, RADCHENKO & ELMES (2010: 281–282) stated that they would apply to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature with the proposition to suppress the name M. curvithorax and consider M. slovaca the valid name (based on Articles 23.9.1.1, 23.9.1.2 and 23.9.2 of ICZN 1999). However, this application has not been done yet.

Taxonomic Notes
See Radchenko & Elmes (2009) for notes on type specimens.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Antarea (at www.antarea.fr on June 11th 2017)
 * Bondroit, J. "Notes diverses sur des fourmis d'Europe." Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique 59 (1920): 143-158.
 * Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
 * Bracko G., H. C. Wagner, A. Schulz, E. Gioahim, J. Maticic, and A. Tratnik. 2014. New investigation and a revised checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Republic of Macedonia. North-Western Journal of Zoology 10(1): 10-24.
 * Czechowski W., A. Radchenko, W. Czechowska and K. Vepsäläinen. 2012. The ants of Poland with reference to the myrmecofauna of Europe. Fauna Poloniae 4. Warsaw: Natura Optima Dux Foundation, 1-496 pp
 * Czechowski, W. "Myrmica slovaca Sadil and Myrmica deplanata Emery rather than M. salina Ruzsky and M. lacustris Ruzsky (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Poland." Polish Journal of Entomology 78 (2009): 315-317.
 * Czekes Z., Radchenko, A. G., Csősz, S. Szász-Len, A., Tăuşan, I., Benedek, K., and Markó, B. 2013. The genus Myrmica Latreille, 1804 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Romania: distribution of species and key for their identification. Entomologica Romanica 17: 29-50.
 * Dubovikoff D. A., and Z. M. Yusupov. 2018. Family Formicidae - Ants. In Belokobylskij S. A. and A. S. Lelej: Annotated catalogue of the Hymenoptera of Russia. Proceedingss of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences 6: 197-210.
 * Ebsen J. R., J. J. Boomsma, and D. R. Nash. 2019. Phylogeography and cryptic speciation in the Myrmica scabrinodis Nylander, 1846 species complex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), and their conservation implications. Insect Conservation and Diversity doi: 10.1111/icad.12366
 * GRETIA. 2017. Bilan annuel de l'enquete sur la repartition des fourmis armoricaines. 23 pages.
 * Lorinczi G. 2011. Lasius (Chthonolasius) nitidigaster Seifert, 1996 -a new ant species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) for the Hungarian fauna. Natura Somogyiensis 19: 223-228.
 * Pech P. 2013. Myrmica curvithorax (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Czech Republic: a contribution to the knowledge of its distribution and biology. Klapalekiana 49: 197204.
 * 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.
 * Sadil J. V. 1952. A revision of the Czechoslovak forms of the genus Myrmica Latr. (Hym.). Sb. Entomol. Oddel. Nár. Mus. Praze 27: 233-278.
 * Tausan I., M. M. Jerpel, I. R. Puscasu, C. Sadeanu, R. E. Brutatu, L. A. Radutiu, and V. Giurescu. 2012. Ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Sibiu County (Transylvania, Romania). Brukenthal. Acta Musei 7(3): 499-520.