Lasius tapinomoides Salata & Borowiec 2018

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 : 54

4.4.10 Lasius tapinomoides Salata & Borowiec 2018

Lasius tapinomoides Salata & Borowiec 2018

[type investigation]

Type material: Holotype worker labelled ” GREECE, Crete, Rethymno Antonios Spilia Gorge 35°15.245 N / 24°34.220 E 11 V 2013, 342 m L. Borowiec “ and ”CASENT0845075“; one paratype worker labelled ” GREECE, Crete, Rethymno Orthes Gorge, 318 m 35,333 6 N/ 24,684 8 E 28 IV 2014, S. Salata “; one paratype worker labelled ” GREECE, Crete, Rethymno Kato Malaki 15 V 2013, 235 m, L. Borowiec 35,283 33 N /24,4 ”; depository DBET Wrocław.

All material examined. Only the 3 type specimens were available.

Geographic range. Endemic species of Crete.

Diagnosis ( Tab. 2 , Figs.19 –20; key; images in www. antWeb.org with specimen identifiers CASENT0845075):

Body size extremely small (CS 631 µm). Scape rather long (SL/CS 900 0.994). Number of mandibular dents low (MaDe 900 7.1). Pubescence on head sides ventral of the eyes and on clypeus very sparse (sqPDCL 900 5.34). Pubescence hairs on frons long (PLF 900 36.9 µm). Pronotal setae long (PnHL/CS 900 0.154), longer than gular setae (GuHL/CS 900 0.126). Dorsum of scape and hind tibiae without or very few fine setae (nSc 900 1.1, nHT 900 2.5). Posterior margin of head and metapleuron below spiracle with rather many and long setae (nOcc 900 10.6, nSt 900 6.9). Metanotal groove nearly absent; as result the dorsal profile of mesosoma approaches a linear condition. Petiole scale in profile view rather low and thick. Coloration: head, petiole and gaster dark to blackish brown; mesosoma, coxae and femora suggested lighter; antennae, lateral part of clypeus, tibiae and tarsae light yellowish-brown; mandibles light reddish brown.

Biology. According to Salata & Borowiec (2018) the species inhabits moist, closed canopy forests, which are most often located in stream valleys. Nests were in wet soil, under shallow and small rocks. Colonies seem to be monogynous.

Comments. The separate species status of L. tapinomoides against L. neglectus , L. precursor sp. nov. and L. turcicus is indicated by the following arguments: (i) The constantly very small CS over all nests reported by Salata & Borowiec (2018) – such a small size is only achieved by dwarf workers of L. precursor sp. nov. and L. neglectus . (ii) The metanotal groove in L. tapinomoides is very shallow; as result the dorsal profile of mesosoma is more or less linear. Such an extreme mesosoma profile is not found in dwarf workers of L. precursor sp. nov. and L. neglectus though having, compared to larger conspecific workers, a reduced relative depth of the metanotal groove, lower height of the propodeum and weaker convexity of mesonotal profile due to allometric shape variance. (iii) The longer pronotal setae compared to small workers of the other species. (iv) The more numerous metapleural setae compared to small workers of the other species. (v) Extreme reduction of pubescence density on head sides ventral of the eye. (vi) The habitat selection reported by Salata & Borowiec. The CL/CW and PoOc/CL data in Tab. 2 are not reliable due to deformations of the head capsule in two of the three specimens.

Figures

Figs. 19 and 20: Lasius tapinomoides; paratype