Search

The comprehensive survey of the ant fauna conducted in Cyprus revealed that the island is inhabited by two species of the genus Cataglyphis Förster, 1850. Both species are endemic and are described as new to science. Cataglyphis chionistrae n. sp., a member of the C. cursor species complex, occurs only in the high montane pine forest of Mt. Chionistra (= Mt. Olympos). While C. aphrodite n. sp., a member of the C. nodus species complex, is common at low and mid altitudes in open habitats or luminous pine forests. This work also provides the key to Cataglyphis from Cyprus and the very first synopsis lists of all the members of the cursor and nodus species complexes known from the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

The present study represents a taxonomic revision of the P. bessonii species-group from Madagascar. Eighteen members of this group are recognized and described, and an illustrated identification key to this group is also presented. One name is raised to species level: P. decollata Forel, 1892 stat. nov. We also redescribe worker castes and designate lectotypes for P. bessonii Forel, 1891, P. decollata Forel, 1892, P. grallatrix Emery, 1899, P. madecassa Forel, 1892, and P. oswaldi 1891. The following 13 new species are described: Pheidole antsahabe sp. nov., Pheidole atsirakambiaty sp. nov., Pheidole clara sp. nov., Pheidole flammea sp. nov., Pheidole flavodepressa sp. nov., Pheidole mantadioflava sp. nov., Pheidole maro sp. nov., Pheidole ovalinoda sp. nov., Pheidole similis sp. nov., Pheidole tenebrovulgaris sp. nov., Pheidole uranus sp. nov., Pheidole voreios sp. nov., Pheidole zirafy sp. nov.

Here we define the Camponotus samius complex, a distinct subunit within the compressus-sylvaticus group, and revise the species known from the Turano-Balkan region (the Balkans, Middle East, Anatolia, Caucasus, Iran and W Turkestan). We confirm the presence of six species of the complex from the Turano-Balkan region, and we provide diagnoses and a key. Additionally, based on new material from the Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari Province of Iran, we describe Camponotus bakhtiariensis sp. nov.-a new member of the samius complex.

Aphaenogaster charesi, a new species in the A. cecconii group, is described from two localities on the island of Rhodes. The recent revision of the group by Borowiec and Salata is updated with (1) a modified key to include this new species, (2) new locality and habitat data for A. jolantae Borowiec & Salata, 2014, and (3) corrected measurements for A. olympica Borowiec & Salata, 2014.

Oxyopomyrmex André, 1881 is a small genus of myrmicine ants found in arid grasslands of the Mediterranean region. Here we provide a new taxonomic revision of the genus. Twelve species are recognized, including five new to science: O. laevibus sp. nov. (Greece: Crete), O. magnus sp. nov. (Spain), O. negevensis sp. nov. (Israel) O. polybotesi sp. nov. (Greece: Nisyros, W Turkey) and O. pygmalioni sp. nov. (Cyprus). Oxyopomyrmex santschii var. nigripes Santschi, 1907 and O. santschii var. nitidior Santschi, 1910 are raised to species level. The following new synonymies are proposed: O. krueperi Forel, 1911 = O. lagoi Menozzi, 1936 syn. nov.; O. nigripes Santschi, 1907 = O. sabulonis var. rugocciput Santschi, 1923 syn. nov. = O. emeryi var. brunnescens Santschi, 1929 syn. nov.; O. nitidior Santschi, 1910 = O. emeryi var. laticeps Santschi, 1915 syn. nov. = O. emeryi st. sabulonis Santschi, 1915 syn. nov.; O. saulcyi Emery, 1889 = O. santschii Forel, 1904 syn. nov. = O. santschii var. siciliana Karavaiev, 1912 syn. nov. = O. gaetulus Santschi, 1929 syn. nov. = O. saulcyi var. latinodis Santschi, 1939 syn. nov. A neotype for O. oculatus André, 1881 is designated. An identification key based on the gyne, male and worker caste is provided.

A group of six Mediterranean species related to Aphaenogaster cecconii Emery is reviewed. Four new species are described: A. equestris (SW Turkey), A. jolantae (Greece, Rhodes), A. lykiaensis (SW Turkey) and A. olympica (Greece, Karpathos). Aphaenogaster cecconii Emery and A. phillipsi Wheeler & Mann are redescribed. Detailed measurements and some observations on the location of nests and activity of workers are given.