Cardiocondyla koshewnikovi Ruzsky 1902

Seifert, Bernhard, 2023, A revision of the Palaearctic species of the ant genus Cardiocondyla Emery 1869 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Zootaxa 5274 (1), pp. 1-64 : 49-51

Cardiocondyla koshewnikovi Ruzsky 1902 [types investigated]

This taxon has been described from Kazakhstan in the region where the river Syr Darya entered in 1902 into the then Lake Aral. M. Ruzsky sent type specimens to A. Forel and the late G. Mayr which are still present in the collections of MHN Genève and NHM Wien. These ants were mounted by Forel and Mayr in a different way but the original labels of Ruzsky written with a pencil and the high morphometric (coefficient of variation in CS, SL/CS, PoOc, EYE, PeW/SC, PpW/CS only 1.3–1.5 %) and structural similarity indicate that all 5 syntypes in MHN Genève and NHM Wien came from the same source. In detail these types are: worker lectotype labelled by Ruzsky “ Card. koshewnikovi Umg. d.Aralsees” and “1902 M.R.” and carrying a blue printed label “Cotypus”, “ Lectotype Cardiocondyla koshewnikovi Ruzsky 1902 (des. B. Seifert 1999)” and “ANTWEB CASENT 0908348”; 1 paralectotype worker, originally from the same pin but transferred by the author to another pin and labelled with a laser printer and identical text “ Card. koshewnikovi Umg. d.Aralsees 1902 M.R.”, both in MHN Genève; 1 paralectotype worker labelled by Forel “ Card. stambuloffii koshewnikovi Ruzsky Umgbg. d.Aralsees (Ruzsky)” and carrying a blue printed label “Cotypus”; MHN Genève. 1 worker paralectotype labelled by Ruzsky with a pencil “ Card. koshewnikovi, Aralsee ” and “W 5.” and by G. Mayr in ink “Aralsee Ruzsky”, NHM Wien; 1 worker paralectotype with same mode of preparation labelled by G. Mayr “Aralsee, Coll. G.Mayr” and “ stambuloffi v. koshasnikovi [writing error, B.S.] Ruzsky, Type”, NHM Wien. The published type locality “gefunden an den Ufern des Aralsees und der Mündung des Syr-Darja” ( Ruzsky 1902)” does not contradict to the labelling “Umgebung des Aralsee”. Hence, all these specimens can be accepted as types of Ruzsky. The lectotype fixation by Seifert was published in Seifert (2003). A lectotype label attached by Radchenko to a pin belonging to true type material of Ruzsky “ LECTOTYPUS top specim. des. Radch.” is depicted in www.antweb.org under the specimen identifier CASENT 0904464. This lectotype fixation has not been published.

All material examined. NUMOBAT data were recorded in 9 samples with 22 worker specimens. For details see supplementary information SI1, SI2. This material originated from Kazakhstan (4 samples) , Mongolia (4) and Russia (1).

Geographic range. From western coast of Caspian Sea (44.53°N, 46.69°E, here in contact with C. stambuloffii ) over Kazakhstan east to Mongolia (45.14°N, 100.90°E, here in contact with C. rolandi n. sp.). All sites are between 37.62°N and 46.47°N and from 26 m below up to 1230 m above sea level.

Diagnosis: --Worker ( Tab. 4 , Figs. 90–93 ; images in www.antweb.org with specimen identifiers CASENT0904464 and CASENT0908348; key): Larger than stambuloffii, CS 568 µm. Head rather short, CL/CW 1.168. Postocular index large, PoOc/CL 0.450. Hind margin of head convex, sometimes with a weak concavity in the median level. Scape short, SL/CS 0.780. Eye very small, EYE/CS 0.213. Frons very broad (FRS/CS 0.331), frontal carinae not or weakly converging immediately caudal of FRS level (FL/FR 1.027). Dorsal profile of promesonotum strongly convex, metanotal depression rather deep (MGr/CS 3.20 %), dorsal profile of propodeum posterior of metanotal depression linear. Propodeal spines short, but more acute than in stambuloffii (SP/CS 0.076), their supposed axis in lateral view differing by 51° from longitudinal axis of mesosoma; the distance of their bases is large (SPBA/CS 0.264). Petiole less than half as wide as postpetiole and much higher than wide (PeW/CS 0.306, PeH/CS 0.384), in profile with a rather long peduncle and the node with very steep and linear anterior and posterior slopes, the anterior one slightly less inclined—as result the node profile is not fully symmetric. Petiole node in dorsal view slightly wider than long. Postpetiole wide, less than twice as wide as high (PpW/CS 0.598, PpW /PeW 1.95, PpH/CS 0.319), in dorsal aspect with a rather straight anterior margin, its width nearly twice its length, ratio PpW/ maximum median length 1.70, postpetiolar sternite rather flat, but with a weak anteromedian bulb. Whole clypeus, frontal laminae, and anteromedian vertex longitudinally carinulate-rugulose. Remaining vertex strongly longitudinally rugulose; sometimes these rugulae form together with weaker anostomosae a semi-reticulum (in other specimens the reticulum is almost lacking). The interspaces between rugulae are shiny with small flat tubercles of 6–9 µm diameter which have the base of a pubescence hair in their center ( Fig. 93 ). Anterior pronotum transversely rugulose. Dorsal mesosoma on most of its surface longitudinally carinulate-rugulose; rugae usually stronger than in stambuloffii ; a triangular area anterior of the spine bases or whole dorsal propodeum glabrous and only with very fine superficial reticulum. Lateral mesonotum, mesopleurae, lateral propodeum, and metapleurae longitudinally rugulose. Petiole and postpetiole smooth and shiny. Pubescence on gaster tergites shorter than in stambuloffii but more dense, PLG/ CS 5.83 %, sqPDG 3.23. Concolorous medium to dark brown with yellowish tinge.

Taxonomic comments and clustering results. The strong separation of C. koshewnikovi from C. stambuloffii and C. rolandi n. sp. has already been demonstrated in the section above (p. 49).

Biology. Moister spots in deserts or semideserts, which are frequently salty and situated at the margins of lakes or rivers, are reported as habitats of this species. Two nests were completely dug out by the author in the Saissan Depression 25 July 2001 in a moist Phragmites stand in the dune valley of a semidesert. One or two simple entrances (in one nest hidden under fragments of dead Phragmites leaves) led to one vertical duct that passed through three levels of horizontal galleries or chambers in the upper 10 cm of soil. One nest (SaNo 207 in SI2 ) contained 7 ergatoid males, 5 freshly eclosed alate gynes, 35 gyne pupae, 5 gyne prepupae and 440 workers and another nest contained 409 workers and as much as 27 dealate gynes the reproductive status of which was not checked. The fact that the seven males found in one nest did not show any signs of injury indicates that males do not fight for reproductive dominance .

Figures

FIGURES 90–93. Cardiocondyla koshewnikovi; Fig. 90: head in dorsal view; Fig. 91: lateral view (flipped horizontally); Fig. 92: dorsal view; Fig. 93: head surface between inner eye margin and paramedian vertex. Kazakhstan: Sassy Kol, 2001.08.07