Cardiocondyla bulgarica
Cardiocondyla bulgarica | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Formicidae |
Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
Tribe: | Crematogastrini |
Genus: | Cardiocondyla |
Species group: | ulianini |
Species: | C. bulgarica |
Binomial name | |
Cardiocondyla bulgarica Forel, 1892 | |
Synonyms | |
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Cardiocondyla bulgarica seems to use a wider habitat spectrum than other species. It was found in xerothermous grasslands, a sandy salt marsh, a forest-covered stream course and in a woodland-steppe with Pinus (Seifert, 2023).
Identification
Seifert (2003) - A member of the Cardiocondyla bulgarica group. C. bulgarica has a very large CL/CW (1.231 ± 0.004), PoOc/CL (0.461 ± 0.004), and PEW/PPW (0.640 ± 0.009); cephalic and mesosomal microsculpture, and a warm yellowish mesosoma contrasting with a the darker head and gaster.
C. bulgarica is close to Cardiocondyla sahlbergi from which a perfect discrimination by the set of external characters considered here was not possible. Genetic evidence from mitochondrial DNA, however, indicates a heterospecifity of both taxa (Trindl and Heinze, pers. comm., October 2002).
Seifert (2023) - Medium-sized, CS 512 µm. Head much elongated, CL/CW 1.201. Postocular distance very large, PoOc/CL 0.451. Scape moderately long, SL/CS 0.809. Eye medium-sized, EYE/CS 0.240. Median third of hind margin of head straight or slightly concave. Frons broad (FRS/CS 0.260), frontal carinae immediately caudal of FRS level usually parallel, sometimes slightly diverging, rarely converging (FL/FR 1.007). Dorsal profile of promesonotum and of propodeum convex with a well-developed metanotal depression (Mgr/CS 3.32 %). Spines rather short (SP/CS 0.112), usually triangular in lateral view with the spine axis deviating 42° from longitudinal mesosomal axis; spine bases widely distant, SPBA/CS 0.279. Petiole very wide and as high as wide (PeW/CS 0.338, PeH/CS 0.337), its node wider than long, in profile with a moderately long peduncle that is about 1.6fold as long as high and with a rather steep anterior slope of the node (about 63° relative to ventral profile). Postpetiole relatively wide and high (PpW/CS 0.557, PpH/CS 0.311) but only 1.65fold as wide as petiole and not heart-shaped in dorsal view; postpetiolar sternite with weak anteromedian bulge. Clypeus rather smooth, weak lateral carinulae and suggestions of foveolae may be present. Frontal laminae, area posterior of frontal lobes and genae finely longitudinally carinulate-rugulose. vertex with shallow but well-demarcated foveolae of 17.0 µm mean diameter; interspaces about as wide as foveolae, glabrous and with fragments of very fine stickman like structures (Fig. 45). Mesosoma in overall impression more or less glabrous, only with very delicate reticular structures; promesonotum with scattered, shallow foveolae; meso- and metapleurae with suggestions of longitudinal carinulae. Waist segments smooth and shiny. First gaster tergite glabrous. Pubescence on gaster tergites short and dilute, PLg/CS 5.66 %, sqPDg 5.02. Head usually medium brown with a warm yellowish tinge, sometimes dark brown. Mesosoma and petiole varying between yellow and medium brown, but warm yellowish tinge even in darkest specimens always visible. Postpetiole yellowish brown to dark brown. gaster dark brown. Pigmentation contrast between dorsal head and mesosoma usually clearly expressed, PigCap/PigMes 1.38 ±0.24 [1.0,2.0].
On the nest sample level and without selection among all 17 available NUMOBAT characters, 40 samples of Cardiocondyla bulgarica are separable from 48 samples of the similar species Cardiocondyla sahlbergi and Cardiocondyla persiana by five exploratory data analyses with a mean error of 0.45% (Fig. 137). All type specimens of C. bulgarica and its junior synonym Cardiocondyla eleonorae were allocated by a LDA to the C. bulgarica cluster with p > 0.999.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Cardiocondyla bulgarica is so far only known from a comparably small area in the S Balkans and Asia Minor but it is the most abundant Cardiocondyla species in this region. The findings range from the 21.7°E to 41.1°E, 36.2°N to 42.6°N and from sea level up to 1800 m. (Seifert, 2023).
Seifert (2023) - One fully typical worker specimen of Cardiocondyla bulgarica was placed by Cedric Collingwood together with 2 workers of Cardiocondyla nigra into a tube labelled “30 km S of Medenine / Tunisia”. Whereas the occurrence of C. nigra at this locality is certainly a matter of fact, it appears impossible that a Balkan-Turkish ant, not showing any tramp species properties, might occur in small village in the Sahara Desert. The most probable reason for this disturbing observation is that Collingwood transferred the C. bulgarica worker after side-by-side stereomicroscopic comparison with unmounted specimens from other localities into a wrong tube.
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 42.596228° to 36.03333333°.
North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps, Seifert (2023)
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Bulgaria (type locality), Greece, North Macedonia, Türkiye.
Distribution based on AntMaps
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. |
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. |
Biology
Castes
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- bulgarica. Cardiocondyla elegans var. bulgarica Forel, 1892i: 312, pl. 5, fig. 4 (w.q.) BULGARIA.
- Type-material: syntype workers, syntype queens (numbers not stated).
- Type-localities: Bulgaria: Anchialo, and Sozopolis, 15-16.viii.1891 (A. Forel).
- Type-depositories: MHNG, NHMB, NHMW, ZISP.
- [Cardiocondyla elegans var. bulgarica Forel, 1892h: 461 (in text). Nomen nudum.]
- As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Emery, 1909a: 22.
- Subspecies of elegans: Dalla Torre, 1893: 70; Emery, 1922e: 125.
- Junior synonym of elegans: Radchenko, 1995b: 449.
- Status as species: Agosti & Collingwood, 1987a: 56; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987b: 276 (in key); Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 174; Bolton, 1995b: 132; Seifert, 2003a: 233 (redescription); Petrov, 2006: 99 (in key); Lapeva-Gjonova, et al. 2010: 26; Legakis, 2011: 15; Borowiec, L. & Salata, 2012: 484; Kiran & Karaman, 2012: 17; Borowiec, L. 2014: 46; Bračko, et al. 2014: 13; Lebas, et al. 2016: 266; Salata & Borowiec, 2018c: 44.
- Senior synonym of eleonorae: Seifert, 2003a: 233; Legakis, 2011: 16; Kiran & Karaman, 2012: 17.
- Distribution: Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Turkey.
- eleonorae. Cardiocondyla elegans var. eleonorae Forel, 1911d: 337 (w.) TURKEY.
- Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
- Type-locality: Turkey: Coccarinali beach, nr Smyrna (= Izmir), iv.-v.1910 (A. Forel).
- Type-depository: MHNG.
- Subspecies of elegans: Emery, 1922e: 125; Santschi, 1934d: 277; Menozzi, 1936d: 283; Bolton, 1995b: 132.
- Junior synonym of elegans: Radchenko, 1995b: 449.
- Junior synonym of bulgarica: Seifert, 2003a: 233; Legakis, 2011: 16; Kiran & Karaman, 2012: 17.
Type Material
Cardiocondyla elegans var. bulgarica [types investigated by Seifert (2023)]
- 4 worker syntypes, labelled “C.elegans var. bulgarica Forel, 16 VIII, Anchialo (Bulgarien)”, Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève
- one worker syntype, labelled “Anchialo”, {{NHMW}
- five worker syntypes, labelled “Sozopolis 15 vIII, type bulgarica“, Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel
Cardiocondyla elegans var. eleonorae [types investigated by Seifert (2023)]
- This taxon has been described from Smyrna (Izmir) in Turkey. Investigated were four worker syntypes, labelled “C.e. var. eleonorae Forel, type, Plage de Cocarimali pr. Smyrne”, Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève.
Seifert (2003) - Cardiocondyla elegans var. bulgarica: 4 syntype workers and 2 syntype gynes, labelled “C. elegans var. bulgarica Forel, 16 VIII, Anchialo (Bulgarien)”, Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève Geneve. 1 worker and 1 syntype gyne, labelled “Anchialo”, Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna Wien. 5 syntype workers, labelled “Sozopolis 15 VIII, type bulgarica”, Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel.
Description
Worker
Seifert (2003) - Head elongated, CL/CW 1.203. Postocular distance large, PoOc/CL 0.451. Eyes of medium size, EYE 0.241. Vertex with shallow but well-demarcated foveolae; interspaces about as wide as foveolae and glabrous. Frontal lobes and area posterior of frontal lobes finely longitudinally carinulate-rugulose. Frontal carinae immediately posterior of the FRS level almost parallel. Clypeus rather smooth, in some specimens with weak lateral carinulae and suggestions of foveolae. Mesosoma in overall impression, more or less glabrous; promesonotum with scattered, shallow foveolae; meso- and metapleurae with suggestions of longitudinal carinulae. Petiole wide, PEW/PPW 0.619. Postpetiolar sternite with weak anteromedian bulge. Head usually medium brown with warm yellowish tinge, sometimes dark brown. Mesosoma and petiole varying between yellow and medium brown, but warm yellowish tinge even in darkest specimens always visible. Postpetiole yellowish brown to dark brown. Gaster dark brown. Pigmentation contrast between dorsal head and mesosoma always expressed PigCap/PigMes 1.492 ± 0.250 [1.14, 2.00].
Queen
Seifert (2003) - Head elongated, CL/CW 1.185. Postocular index large, PoOC/CL 0.444. Vertex with shallow but well-demarcated foveolae of 17 - 19 mm diameter, interspaces frequently smaller than foveolar diameter and shining, almost without microstructures. Frontal carinae immediately posterior of FRS level parallel or slightly diverging. Frontal lobes and vertex posterior of frontal lobes shining but weakly longitudinally carinulate-rugulose. Clypeus more or less smooth. Mesosoma in overall impression smooth and shining; mesonotum with scattered, praescutellum and scutellum with more numerous, shallow foveolae of 10 - 15 mm diameter and glabrous interspaces; lateral area of metapleuron longitudinally carinulate-rugulose. Petiole in profile with caudomediodorsal corner, wider than in related species: PEW/PPW 0.735. Postpetiole in dorsal view with deeply concave anterior margin, its sternite with conspicuous anteromedian corner. Head and postpetiole medium to dark brown. Mesosoma and petiole yellow to darker yellowish brown, warm yellowish tinge even in darkest specimens well-expressed. Gaster dark to blackish brown. Brightness contrast between dorsal head and lateral area of mesosoma notable, PigCap/PigMes 1.50 ± 0.25 [1.25, 2.00].
References
- Seifert, B. 2003. The ant genus Cardiocondyla (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae) - a taxonomic revision of the C. elegans, C. bulgarica, C. batesii, C. nuda, C. shuckardi, C. stambuloffii, C. wroughtonii, C. emeryi, and C. minutior species groups. Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien Serie B Botanik und Zoologie. 104:203-338. (page 233, Revived from synonymy and senior synonym of eleonorae)
- Agosti, D.; Collingwood, C. A. 1987a. A provisional list of the Balkan ants (Hym. Formicidae) and a key to the worker caste. I. Synonymic list. Mitt. Schweiz. Entomol. Ges. 60: 51-62 (page 56, Raised to species)
- Atanassov, N.; Dlussky, G. M. 1992. Fauna of Bulgaria. Hymenoptera, Formicidae. Fauna Bûlg. 22: 1-310 (page 174, Raised to species)
- Borowiec, L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
- Borowiec, L., Salata, S. 2022. Notes on ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Thassos Island, Greece. Annals of the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom, Entomology 31 (online 2): 1-15 (doi:10.5281/ZENODO.6123287).
- Borowiec, L., van Delft, J.P.L., van Delft, J.J.C.W., Salata, S. 2023. Five ant species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) new to the Greek fauna with notes on ants from Greek Thrace. Annales of the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom, Entomology 32 (online 008), 1-13 (doi:10.5281/ZENODO.10101028).
- Borowiec, L., Wieczorek, K., Salata, S. 2021. Review of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Dodecanese Archipelago, Greece. Annals of the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom Entomology 30: 1-33 (doi:10.5281/ZENODO.5571270).
- Bracko, G., Wagner, H.C., Schulz, A., Gioahin, E., Maticic, J., Trantnik, A. 2014. New investigation and a revised checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Republic of Macedonia. North-Western Journal of Zoology 10: 10-24.
- Cantone S. 2018. Winged Ants, The queen. Dichotomous key to genera of winged female ants in the World. The Wings of Ants: morphological and systematic relationships (self-published).
- Forel, A. 1892j. Die Ameisenfauna Bulgariens. (Nebst biologischen Beobachtungen.). Verh. K-K. Zool.-Bot. Ges. Wien 42: 305-318 (page 312, pl. 5 fig. 4 worker, queen described)
- Kiran, K., Karaman, C. 2020. Additions to the ant fauna of Turkey (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Zoosystema 42(18), 285-329 (doi:10.5252/zoosystema2020v42a18).
- Lapeva-Gjonova, A., Antonova, V. 2022. An updated checklist of ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Bulgaria, after 130 years of research. Biodiversity Data Journal 10, e95599 (doi:10.3897/bdj.10.e95599).
- Lapeva-Gjonova, A., Kiran, K. 2012. Ant fauna (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Strandzha (Istranca) Mountain and adjacent Black Sea coast. North-Western Journal of Zoology 8(1), 72-84.
- Radchenko, A. G. 1995g. Palearctic ants of the genus Cardiocondyla (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Entomol. Obozr. 74: 447-455 (page 449, Junior synonym of elegans)
- Satria, R. 2017. Taxonomy of the ant genus Odontomachus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae) in the Indo-Chinese and Indo-Malayan subregions. Ph.D. thesis, Tokyo Metropolitan University.
- Seifert, B. 2022. The ant genus Cardiocondyla (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): The species groups with Oriental and Australasian origin. Diversity 15, 25 (doi:10.3390/d15010025).
- Seifert, B. 2023. A revision of the Palaearctic species of the ant genus Cardiocondyla Emery 1869 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 5274(1), 1–64 (doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5274.1.1).
- Sharaf, M.R., Al Dhafer, H.M., Abdel-Dayem, M.S., Aldawood, A.S. 2024. Cardiocondyla hashemi sp. n., a new species of the C. batesii species-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Saudi Arabia, with a key to the Saudi species. Zoology in the Middle East]] (doi:10.1080/09397140.2024.2321640).
- Stankovic, B. 2021. Contribution to the knowledge of the myrmecofauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Pomorie, Bulgaria. Ahi Evran International Conference on Scientific Research, pp. 198-204.
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Agosti, D. and C.A. Collingwood. 1987. A provisional list of the Balkan ants (Hym. Formicidae) and a key to the worker caste. I. Synonymic list. Mitteilungen der Schweizerischen Entomologischen Gesellschaft, 60: 51-62
- Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
- Borowiec L., and S. Salata. 2012. Ants of Greece - Checklist, comments and new faunistic data (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus 23(4): 461-563.
- 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.
- Bracko G., K. Kiran, C. Karaman, S. Salata, and L. Borowiec. 2016. Survey of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Greek Thrace. Biodiversity Data Journal 4: e7945. doi: 10.3897/BDJ.4.e7945
- 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
- Forel A. 1911. Fourmis nouvelles ou intéressantes. Bull. Soc. Vaudoise Sci. Nat. 47: 331-400.
- Lapeva-Gjonova, L., V. Antonova, A. G. Radchenko, and M. Atanasova. "Catalogue of the ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Bulgaria." ZooKeys 62 (2010): 1-124.
- 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.
- Seifert B. 2003. The ant genus Cardiocondyla (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae) - a taxonomic revision of the C. elegans, C. bulgarica, C. batesii, C. nuda, C. shuckardi, C. stambuloffii, C. wroughtonii, C. emeryi, and C. minutior species groups. Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien. B, Botanik, Zoologie 104: 203-338.
- Seifert, B.. "The ant genus Cardiocondyla (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae) - a taxonomic revision of the C. elegans, C. bulgarica. C. batesii, C. nuda, C. shuckardi, C. stambuloffii, C. wroughtonii, C. emeryi, and C. minutior species groups." Ann. Naturhist. Mus. Wien 104B (2003): 203-338.