Aphaenogaster balcanicoides

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Aphaenogaster balcanicoides
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Aphaenogaster
Species group: testaceopilosa
Species: A. balcanicoides
Binomial name
Aphaenogaster balcanicoides
Boer, 2013

Boer 2013-18Aphaenogaster-balcanicoides-hal.jpg

Nothing is known about the biology of Aphaenogaster balcanicoides.

Identification

A member of the A. testaceopilosa group. Workers. A unique character are the scattered short setae on the mesopleura. In other species this setosity is limited to some short setae against the metapleura. The setosity of A. balcanicoides is shorter compared with that of Aphaenogaster balcanica. Differing from Aphaenogaster melitensis by the mean SPL/SPD-index (q.v.) (p < 0.01). The RPH is lower than in A. balcanica (p < 0.04) and A. melitensis (p < 0.01). The PSI is higher in Aphaenogaster karpathica (p < 0.05) and A. balcanicoides (p < 0.01) and the PPPI is lower (p < 0.05) than in A. karpathica. Gyne and male unknown. (Boer 2013)

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: Greece (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
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Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
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Biology

Castes

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • balcanicoides. Aphaenogaster balcanicoides Boer, 2013: 68, figs. 11, 34, 35 (w.) GREECE (Crete I.).
    • Status as species: Borowiec, L. 2014: 9; Lebas, et al. 2016: 250; Salata & Borowiec, 2018c: 42.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Dorsal side of pronotum and propodeum with distinct rugulae (often transverse) or pronotum scabriculous. Distal end of propodeum, between and under the propodeal spines weakly punctate, in general with longitudinal or transverse rugulae. Dorsal side of gaster satin. Petioles satin to sometimes glossy. Setosity on average relatively short and setosity on petioles relatively dense. Mesopleura with scattered, very short, setae. Lateral shape of petiole with rounded top.

Measurements (n = 9). CI 75–79 (77); CL 1.48–1.68 (1.55) mm; CW 1.14–1.32 (1.20) mm; PHI 31–36 (33); PI 76–86 (81); PPPI 47–59 (51); PSI 170–200 (184); PSLWI 106–133 (121); PWI 21–27 (23); RPH 112–150 (126); RPSI 44–67 (55); SI 142–156 (149); SI/CI 173–208 (192); SL 1.70–1.93 (1.79) mm; SPD 1–2 (1.1); 2–5 (3.0).

Type Material

Holotype: worker, Greece: Crete: K[h]alives, ix.1990 (Collingwood,WML). Paratypes: Same label data as holotype (7 workers WML and 1 worker Leiden Nationaal Natuurhistorische Museum).

Etymology

The name refers to the similarity with Aphaenogaster balcanica.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Boer P. 2013. Revision of the European ants of the Aphaenogaster testaceopilosa-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 156: 57-93.
  • Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
  • Salata S., and L. Borowiec. 2018. Taxonomic and faunistic notes on Greek ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Annals of the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom Entomology 27: 1-51.