@article {565, title = {Revisiting the morphological species groups of West-Palearctic Aphaenogaster ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) under a phylogenetic perspective: toward an evolutionary classification}, journal = {Arthropod Systematics \& Phylogeny}, volume = {80}, year = {2022}, month = {11/2022}, pages = {627-648}, chapter = {627}, abstract = {

The West-Palearctic region is a diversity hotspot for the ant genus Aphaenogaster. Species in this region are characterized by high morphological variation, which has led to their subdivisioninto different infrageneric groups. The very first classification in three subgenera, dated 1915, was gradually replaced by eight species-groups. To probe the evolutionary consistency of these species-groups, we sequenced 46 species from all eight species-groups and biogeographic sectors of the region, using one mitochondrial (COI) and six nuclear markers (EPICs), and interpreted the results by integrating qualitative morphology. Our results demonstrate the non-monophyly of all formerly recognized subgenera and species-groups, except for the crocea group. We use the phylogeny and morphological characters to propose a new classification of six monophyletic species-groups (crocea, gibbosa, graeca, pallida, sardoa, subterranea). The pallida, subterranea and sardoa (formerly testaceopilosa) groups attain monophyletic status by reassigning a few taxa. The gibbosa group is to be considered exclusively Western-Mediterranean until further assessments of similar Eastern species. The new graeca group is established by including former members of the splendida and subterranea groups, while the polyphyletic cecconii, obsidiana, and splendida groups are dismissed. Notably, the first is not part of the tropical Deromyrma clade as previously thought, while at least two independent clades which require further investigation are composed of species from both the cecconii and splendida groups, suggesting repeated morphological convergences based on similar ecological adaptations. Finally, A. cardenai is confirmed to be a significantly divergent lineage. In addition, three Aphaenogaster species are moved to different genera: Messor asmaae (Sharaf, 2018) comb. nov., Messor isekram (Bernard, 1977) comb. nov., and Pheidole sarae (Sharaf, 2018) comb. nov. Further studies should address the evolutionary relationships between the clades recovered in this study.

}, keywords = {apomorphy, biogeography, diversification, Mediterranean fauna, morphological convergence, Myrmicinae, plesiomorphy}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.3897/asp.80.e84428}, author = {Schifani, Enrico and Alicata, Antonio and Menchetti, Mattia and Borowiec, Lech and Fisher, Brian L. and Karaman, Celal and Kiran, Kadri and Oueslati, Wala and Salata, Sebastian and Blatrix, Rumsa{\"\i}s} } @article {558, title = {Taxonomic revision of the Cretan fauna of the genus Temnothorax Mayr, 1861 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with notes on the endemism of ant fauna of Crete.}, journal = {Annales Zoologici (Warsaw)}, volume = {68}, year = {2018}, month = {2018-12-06}, pages = {769-808}, chapter = {769}, abstract = {

We revise the Cretan species of the ant genus Temnothorax Mayr, 1861. Sixteen species are recognized, including seven new species which are possiblyendemic to Crete: T. crassistriatus sp. nov., T. daidalosi sp. nov., T. ikarosi sp. nov., T. incompletus sp. nov., T. minotaurosi sp. nov., T. proteii sp. nov., and T. variabilis sp. nov. A new synonymy is proposed, Temnothorax exilis (Emery, 1869) =Temnothorax specularis (Emery, 1916) syn. nov. An identification key to Cretan Temnothorax, based on worker caste is given. We provide a checklist of ant species described from Crete and discuss their status, distribution and endemism.

}, keywords = {checklist, Key, Mediterranean Subregion, Myrmicinae, new species, new synonymy}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.3161/00034541ANZ2018.68.4.004}, url = {https://bioone.org/journals/annales-zoologici/volume-68/issue-4/00034541ANZ2018.68.4.004/Taxonomic-Revision-of-the-Cretan-Fauna-of-the-Genus-Temnothorax/10.3161/00034541ANZ2018.68.4.004.short}, author = {Salata, Sebastian and Borowiec, Lech and Trichas, Apostolos} } @article {556, title = {A review of the Temnothorax anodontoides species-group (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from Greece.}, journal = {ZooKeys}, volume = {1091}, year = {2022}, month = {2022-04-01}, pages = {139-159}, chapter = {139}, abstract = {

A review of the Greek members of the Temnothorax anodontoides species-group revealed three species new to science: Temnothorax euboeae sp. nov. (Sterea Ellas, Euboea Island), Temnothorax arkasi sp. nov. (Peloponnese, Arcadia) and Temnothorax parnonensis sp. nov. (Peloponnese, Arcadia and Lakonia). The diagnoses of Temnothorax ikarosi Salata, Borowiec \& Trichas, 2018 and T. anodontoides (Dlussky \& Zabelin, 1985) are updated based of the new discoveries. Additionally, presence of the latter species in Greece is discussed and its distribution range revised. All members of the anodontoides species-group are associated with alpine and rocky habitats such as pastures and thermophilous forests. A dichotomous key to the anodontoides species-group from Greece is given.

}, keywords = {Myrmicinae, new species, taxonomy, Temnothorax anodontoides group}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1091.79085}, url = {https://zookeys.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=79085\&journal_name=zookeys}, author = {Salata, Sebastian and Borowiec, Lech} } @article {393, title = {A taxonomic revision of the genus Oxyopomyrmex Andr{\'e}, 1881 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {4025}, year = {2015}, pages = {1-66}, chapter = {1}, abstract = {

Oxyopomyrmex Andr\é, 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 Andr\é, 1881 is designated. An identification key based on the gyne, male and worker caste is provided.

}, keywords = {Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Mediterranean Subregion, Myrmicinae, revision}, isbn = {978-1-77557-804-8}, doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4025.1.1}, url = {http://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4025.1.1}, author = {Salata, Sebastian and Borowiec, Lech} }