Lasius maltaeus, Seifert, 2020

Seifert, Bernhard, 2020, A taxonomic revision of the Palaearctic members of the subgenus Lasius s. str. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), Soil Organisms 92 (1), pp. 15-86 : 72

4.4.41 Lasius maltaeus sp. nov.

Etymology: The name refers to island of Malta where it is an endemic species.

Type material: Holotype and 5 paratype workers on two pins labelled ” MALTA: 35.93°N, 14.35°E Ghajn Tuffieha , 40 m S.P. Schembri 1989.0503“; 3 paratype workers labelled ” MALTA: 3.859°N, 14.399°E Buskett, 185 m col. Collingwood 1983.11.30 “; 3 paratype workers labelled ” MALTA: 35.897°N, 14.461°E Birkirkara, 35 m June 1978, No 55213“; 4 paratype workers labelled ” MALTA: 38.9157°N, 14.4980°E, Sliema, 15 m, base of promenade wall, P. Attewell 2019.06.06 “; depository SMN Görlitz.

All material examined. Identical with the 15 individuals of the four type samples.

Geographic range. Endemic species of Malta.

Biology. Unknown.

Diagnosis ( Tab. 8 , Figs. 79 –80; key):

Absolute size medium to rather large (CS 948 µm). Head length index very large (CL/CW 900 1.106), scape length index large (SL/CS 900 1.067); postocular distance medium (PoOc/CL 900 0.228), eye and torulo-clypeal distance large (EYE/CS 900 0.247, dClAn 900 5.20); terminal segment of maxillary palp longest within the L. emarginatus species complex (MP6/CS 900 0.241). Number of mandibular dents above average (MaDe 900 8.44). Pubescence on clypeus dilute (sqPDCL 900 5.11); frontal pubescence short (PLF 900 24.6). Most hairy species of the L. emarginatus species complex; number of setae on genae, gula, dorsum of scape and flexor profile of hind tibia extremely high (nOcc 900 18.2, nGen 900 13.0, nGu 900 17.4, nSc 900 30.1, nHT 900 26.9). Coloration: all body parts orange colored, with dorsum of head sometimes slightly darker orange brown, gaster always darker orange brown.

Comments. L. maltaeus sp. nov. shows by far the highest setae numbers within the L. emarginatus species complex and has the longest maxillary palp segment and largest head length index. The low sample size does not allow to run NC-clustering. Furthermore checking classifications by an LDA is unreliable due to unavoidable overfitting of character number. Yet, running a PCA with specimens in which the 16 standard NUMOBAT characters have been recorded (15 in L. maltaeus sp. nov., 22 in L. tebessae and 93 in L. emarginatus ) and forming nest sample means of the first and second factor of PCA places the 3 samples of L. maltaeus sp. nov., 6 samples of L. tebessae and 39 samples of L. emarginatus clearly separate from each other.

Figures

Figs. 79 and 80: Lasius maltaeus sp. nov.; holotype