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Aphaenogaster transcaucasica
| Aphaenogaster transcaucasica | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Aphaenogaster |
| Species group: | splendida |
| Species: | A. transcaucasica |
| Binomial name | |
| Aphaenogaster transcaucasica Karavaiev, 1926 | |
Nothing is known concerning the biology of this species (Salata et al., 2021).
Identification
Aphaenogaster transcaucasica together with Aphaenogaster festae, Aphaenogaster syriaca and Aphaenogaster schmitzi form a species complex characterized by yellow to rusty-yellow color of head and antennae, stout body and legs and head distinctly sculptured on whole surface. Aphaenogaster festae and A. syriaca differ in mesonotum placed distinctly higher than posterior part of pronotum, more distinct head sculpture with rugae present also in the area between frontal carinae, A. festae differs also in slightly more elongate head with HL/HW above 1.3 (1.28 in A. transcaucasica). Aphaenogaster schmitzi is the most similar to A. transcaucasica, especially by mesonotum not protruded or protruded only slightly above posterior part of pronotum, but differs in slightly more elongated and more distinctly sculptured head, slimmer distal antennal segments and shorter scape SL/HW: 1.39 (1.326–1.467) vs. 1.512 in A. transcaucasica. Because we examined only one specimen of A. transcaucasica, its distinctness requires confirmation by studies on a larger number of specimens. The differences observed between this species and A. schmitzi are quite subtle and perhaps A. transcaucasica is only a northern geographical form of A. schmitzi.
Distribution
Azerbaijan. Recorded also from Shiraki in Georgia (Jijilashvili, 1964a, b, 1966) but this record needs confirmation due to the unclear status of Aphaenogaster georgica described from Georgia and Azerbaijan. The author of the description of A. georgica noted that this species is probably only a subspecies of Aphaenogaster transcaucasica. Additionally, the description lacks key characters that would distinguish these two taxa (Arnoldi 1968). The depository of the type of A. georgica is unknown and we treat this taxon as nomen dubium. (Salata et al., 2021)
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Azerbaijan, Georgia.
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. |
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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
Queen unknown.
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- transcaucasica. Aphaenogaster (Aphaenogaster) splendida var. transcaucasica Karavaiev, 1926b: 97 (w.q.) AZERBAIJAN.
- Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated), 1 syntype queen.
- Type-localities: workers Azerbaijan: Gouv. Baku, Lenkoran Dist., cemetery nr Arus Village, 27.iv.1907 (A. Kaznakov & A. Shelkovnikov), workers Azerbaijan: Shamakhi Dist., Göglar, 20.v.1907 (A. Kaznakov & A. Shelkovnikov), workers, queen Azerbaijan: Lenkoran Dist., Astanly, 1.v.1907 (A. Kaznakov & A. Shelkovnikov).
- Type-depositories: IZTG, MNHW, NHMB, SIZK.
- Subspecies of splendida: Arnol'di, 1948: 211 (in list); Arnol'di, 1976b: 1025 (in key); Bolton, 1995b: 73; Gratiashvili & Barjadze, 2008: 137.
- Status as species: Salata, Karaman, et al. 2021: 335.
- Distribution: Azerbaijan.
Type Material
- Syntype worker: Gouv. Baku |Kaukasus ||Aphaenogaster splendida | var. transcaucasica Karav. | (syntypus) (MNHW-DBET), personally investigated (Salata et al., 2021)
- Syntype worker: Göglar | Caucase || Typus || Aphaenogaster | splendida sbsp. | caucasica Kar. | Typus || Sammlung | Dr. F. Santschi | Kairouan || ANTWEB | CASENT | 0913131 (NHMB) (Salata et al., 2021).
- Syntype worker: Acmaнлы | Ленкоран |Казн. и Шелк. | 4915 Coll. | Karavaiev ||Syntypus Aphaenogas | ter splendida v. | transcaucasica Kar. || Aphaenogatser | (Attomyrma) | splendida Rog. | v. transcaucasica | Karavaiev typ. || ANTWEB | CASENT | 0916920 (SIZK) (Salata et al., 2021).
Description
References
- Arnol'di, K. V. 1948a. Ants of Talysh and the Diabar depression. Their importance for the characterization of communities of terrestrial invertebrates and for historical analysis of the fauna. Tr. Zool. Inst. Akad. Nauk SSSR 7(2 2: 206-262 (page 211, subspecies of splendida)
- Bolton, B. 1995b. A new general catalogue of the ants of the world. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 504 pp. (page 73, catalogue)
- Karavaiev, V. 1926b. Beiträge zur Ameisenfauna des Kaukasus, nebst einigen Bemerkungen über andere palaearktische Formen. Konowia 5: 93-109 (page 97, worker, queen described)
- Salata, S., Karaman, C., Kiran, K., Borowiec, L. 2021. Review of the Aphaenogaster splendida species-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Annales Zoologici 71 (doi:10.3161/00034541anz2021.71.2.008).
- Schifani, E., Alicata, A., Menchetti, M., Borowiec, L., Fisher, B.L., Karaman, C., Kiran, K., Oueslati, W., Salata, S., Blatrix, R. 2022. Revisiting the morphological species groups of West-Palearctic Aphaenogaster ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) under a phylogenetic perspective: toward an evolutionary classification. Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny 80, 627–648 (doi:10.3897/asp.80.e84428).