Research Article |
Corresponding author: Sebastian Salata ( sdsalata@gmail.com ) Academic editor: Brian Lee Fisher
© 2021 Sebastian Salata, Haniyeh Kiyani, Kambiz Minaei, Lech Borowiec.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Salata S, Kiyani H, Minaei K, Borowiec L (2021) Taxonomic review of the Cataglyphis livida complex (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), with a description of a new species from Iran. ZooKeys 1010: 117-131. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1010.58348
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Cataglyphis fici sp. nov., a member of the Cataglyphis livida complex, is described from the Estahban county of south-western Iran. The species is characterized by small body size and yellow to yellowish red body coloration with distinctly infuscated legs. Additionally, the taxonomic status of all known members of the Cataglyphis livida complex is updated. Cataglyphis lutea Pisarski, 1967, stat. rev. is raised to the species level and Cataglyphis viaticoides (André, 1881) is proposed as a senior synonym of Cataglyphis livida bulgarica Atanassov, 1982, syn. nov. and Cataglyphis albicans mixtus (Forel, 1895), syn. nov. Finally, a provisional key to members of the livida complex is provided.
Cataglyphis, eastern Mediterranean, key to species, south-western Iran, taxonomy
The ant genus Cataglyphis Foerster, 1850 currently includes 112 valid species and subspecies (
The very first worldwide revision of the genus (
Recent publications, presenting descriptions of new species and changes in taxonomic statuses of these already described, proved that the diversity of Cataglyphis is underestimated and requires further studies (
Cataglyphis fici, a new species collected in Fars Province of Iran, is a member of the Cataglyphis albicans species group sensu
The work presented here is a contribution to studies on members of the C. livida complex. We list an updated synopsis of members of this complex and provide a provisional key to their identification. Additionally, we describe Cataglyphis fici sp. nov., a new member of the C. livida complex, based on material recently collected from Iran.
Investigated specimens were collected in fig orchards located in Estahban city, Fars Province, Iran and are part of the material gathered for a scientific project conducted by the second author. The city is placed 1730 m a.s.l and is characterized by a dry climate, with a yearly precipitation amount of 224 millimeters and summer temperatures frequently exceeding 25.0 °C.
The dominant method was direct sampling (hand collecting). Individual specimens were collected on the ground and preserved in 75% EtOH. Photographs were taken using a Nikon SMZ 1500 stereomicroscope, Nikon D5200 photo camera, and Helicon Focus software. All given label data are in the original spelling, presented in square brackets; a vertical bar (|) separates data on different rows and double vertical bars (||) separate labels. Type specimens’ photographs are available online on AntWeb (www.AntWeb.org) and are accessible using the unique CASENT identifying specimen code.
Examined specimens are housed in the following collections:
MNHW Museum of Natural History, University of Wrocław, Poland, in temporary deposit by Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Taxonomy, University of Wrocław, Poland;
Measurements:
HL head length; measured in a straight line from mid-point of anterior clypeal margin to mid-point of posterior margin in full-face view;
HW head width; measured in full-face view at the center of the eyes;
SL scape length; maximum straight-line length of scape excluding the basal condylar bulb;
PW pronotum width; maximum width of pronotum in dorsal view;
PRL propodeum length; measured in lateral view, from metanotal groove to posterior-most point of propodeum;
PRW propodeum width; maximum width of propodeum in dorsal view;
PTH petiole height; the chord of ventral petiolar profile at node level is the reference line perpendicular to which the maximum height of petiole is measured, measured in lateral view;
PTW petiole width; maximum width of the petiolar node in lateral view;
WL Weber’s length; measured as diagonal length from the anterior end of the neck shield to the posterior margin of the propodeal lobe;
HFL hind femur length; measured on dorsal side from trochanter to apex of femur.
All measurements are given in mm.
Ratios
CI cephalic index, HL/HW;
SI scape index, SL/HL;
PI petiole index, PTH/PTW;
FI femur index, HFL/WL.
Cataglyphis arenaria Finzi, 1940
Cataglyphis argentata (Radoszkowsky, 1876)
Cataglyphis aurata Menozzi, 1932
Cataglyphis fici sp. nov.
Cataglyphis livida (André, 1881)
Cataglyphis lutea Pisarski, 1967, stat. rev.
Cataglyphis viaticoides (André, 1881)
= Cataglyphis livida bulgarica Atanassov, 1982, syn. nov.
= Cataglyphis albicans mixtus (Forel, 1895), syn. nov.
Small body size (WL < 3.0 mm); colonies with monomorphic workers, lacking distinct major or soldier castes; petiole nodiform with angled dorsal outline and short peduncle; body subtly microsculptured and shiny; body uniformly yellow to red (never brown to black) or bicolored with entirely to partially black gaster.
Distribution: from Morocco to Asia Minor and the Middle East, in semideserts, deserts and rocky open areas such as dry hills or coastal cliffs.
Note 1.
Note 2. Based on its description, C. albicans fezzanensis Bernard is characterized by the presence of polymorphic worker caste, and additional study on the type specimen indicated that its body sculpture is stronger and less shiny than in other members of the livida complex. Based on this data, we decided not to list this species as a member of this complex.
1 | At least mid and hind legs infuscated. Iran | C. fici |
– | Legs in the same coloration as mesosoma | 2 |
2 | Head and mesosoma uniformly yellowish red to reddish yellow, gaster entirely or mostly black, Balkans to Asia Minor | C. viaticoides |
– | Gaster in the same coloration as the rest of body (yellow to red) or its apex slightly infuscated | 3 |
3 | Mesosoma and head without layer of silvery hair, northeastern Mediterranean to Middle East | C. lutea |
– | At least mesosoma with a layer of silvery hair, Morocco to Asia Minor | 4 |
4 | Mesosoma and posterior head with thick layer of silvery hair, North Africa |
C. arenaria , C. argentata , C. aurata |
– | A layer of silvery hair limited to mesosoma, Asia Minor | C. livida |
Holotype
: Iran •worker, Fars, Estahban, 29.1331/54.389, 1730 m a.s.l., 16 Aug. 2019, H. Kiyani leg., LBC-IR00179, CASENT6006519 (MNHW); paratypes: 5 workers, the same data as holotype, CASENT6006520–CASENT6006524 (MNHW,
Holotype worker labels : Iran, Fars, 1730 m | Estahban | 29.1331 / 54.389 | 16 VIII 2019, H. Kiyani || Collection L. Borowiec | Formicidae | LBC-IR00179 || CASENT6006519.
Cataglyphis fici is a member of the Cataglyphis albicans group and can be separated from all species clustered in the cinnamomea and fortis complexes and most of members of the albicans complex by yellow to yellowish red body coloration; while other species have body completely brown to black. From bicolored species of the albicans complex it differs in smaller body size (WL < 3 mm) and presence of infuscated to yellowish brown mid and hind legs. However, C. fici is most similar to species included in the C. livida complex and can be easily separated based on at least mid and hind legs partly to mostly infuscated to yellowish brown. In contrast, all remaining members of the C. livida complex have legs uniformly colored and always in the same shade as mesosoma and head. Additionally, C. fici differs from C. lutea, C. arenaria, C. argentata, C. aurata, and C. livida in gaster darker than head and mesosoma sometimes infuscated.
Worker (n = 8): Measurements. HL: 1.405 (1.29–1.54); HW: 1.325 (1.23–1.43); SL: 1.483 (1.36–1.59); PW: 0.897 (0.84–0.97); PRL: 0.737 (0.68–0.79); PRW: 0.595 (0.56–0.65); PTH: 0.383 (0.32–0.654); PTW: 0.360 (0.34–0.38); WL: 1.933 (1.81–2.09); HFL: 2.038 (1.83–2.24); CI: 1.060 (1.038–1.077); SI: 1.056 (1.032–1.072); PI: 1.065 (0.889–1.158); FI: 1.054 (1.036–1.111). Color. Head, mesosoma and petiolar scale from yellow to yellowish red, in the darkest specimens sides of mesonotum and propodeum indistinctly infuscated, gaster in the palest specimens mostly yellow with infuscated two apical sternites (Fig.
Little known, workers were collected on the ground in fig orchard at altitude 1730 m.
Cataglyphis (Cataglyphis) albicans var. arenaria Finzi, 1940: 164 [first available use of Myrmecocystus albicans lividusarenaria Forel, 1909: 384].
Status as species:
Syntype worker, Biskra, Algeria (
Whole body yellow, only gaster sometimes with indistinctly infuscated apex; mesosoma, posterior part of the head and coxae covered with a layer of silvery hair.
North Africa region, from Mauritania to Jordan. Based on photographs available on AntWeb specimens from Arabian Peninsula probably refer to C. lutea.
Cataglyphis arenaria was separated from C. livida and C. viaticoides based on the presence of a thick layer of silvery hair on mesosoma and posterior part of the head. Two years after the original description of C. arenaria,
Camponotus argentata Radoszkowsky, 1876: 140.
Cataglyphis argentata:
Type specimens. Unavailable.
Whole body yellow, only gaster sometimes with indistinctly infuscated apex; mesosoma, body covered with a layer of silvery hair.
Egypt.
Type specimens of this species are considered lost and, as suggested by
Cataglyphis (Cataglyphis) albicans aurata Menozzi, 1932: 95 [first available use of Myrmecocystus albicans ssp. lividus var. auratus Karavaiev, 1911: 10].
Syntype worker, Assuan, Egypt (
Whole body yellow, only gaster sometimes with indistinctly infuscated apex; mesosoma, posterior head and coxa covered with a layer of silvery hair.
North Africa. Probably records from Asia Minor refer to Cataglyphis lutea.
Cataglyphis aurata was separated from C. livida based on the presence of a thick layer of silvery hair on its body. Probably, Karavaiev, during his work on C. aurata, was unaware of the existence of C. arenaria, another species described from the North African region characterized by the same feature. Study on type specimens and descriptions of both C. arenaria and C. aurata did not provide any characters useful separating these two species. Thus, we conclude that they could be conspecific. However, this hypothesis requires verification based on larger material collected from the whole area of their distribution, supported with studies on male genitalia, and genetic analyses. See also note in C. argentata.
Myrmecocystus albicans var. lividus André, 1881: 58.
Status as species:
Syntype workers, Jaffa, Israel (
Whole body yellow, only gaster sometimes with indistinctly infuscated apex; mesosoma and coxa covered with a layer of silvery hair.
Unknown. Due to mislabeling of type specimens of C. livida and C. viaticoides, both species were wrongly interpreted, and most of their historic records require verification. Based on available material, we can confirm its presence in Egypt, coastal parts of Israel, Syria, and Antalya Province in Turkey.
A study on type specimens of C. livida revealed that this species could be easily separated from most members of the livida complex based on the presence of a layer of silvery hair on propodeum and katepisternum, and lack of these on posterior head. Lack of comment on this feature in the original description combined with mislabeling of type specimens (see
Cataglyphis livida subsp. lutea Pisarski, 1967: 418 [first available use of Myrmecocystus albicans viaticoideslutea Emery, 1906: 53].
Junior synonym of Cataglyphis livida: Radchenko, 1997: 428.
Syntype worker, Shiraz, Iran (MSNG) [Syntype worker images examined, AntWeb, CASENT0905718, photographs by Will Ericson, available on AntWeb.org].
Whole body yellow, only gaster sometimes with indistinctly infuscated apex; body never with a layer of silvery hair.
Species known from Arabian Peninsula east to Afghanistan.
Cataglyphis lutea was described from Shiraz, Fars Province in Iran as an unavailable quadrinominal name (
Myrmecocystus albicans var. viaticoides André, 1881: 57.
Syntype worker, Beirut, Lebanon (MNHN) [syntype worker images examined, AntWeb, CASENT0912236, photographs by Zach Lieberman, available on AntWeb.org].
= Cataglyphis livida bulgarica subsp. bulgarica Atanassov, 1982: 213, syn. nov.
Type specimens unavailable.
= Myrmecocystus albicans var. mixtus Forel, 1895: 229, syn. nov.
Syntype worker, Edirne, Turkey (
Head and mesosoma uniformly yellowish red to reddish yellow, gaster entirely or mostly dark; thin layer of silvery hair limited to propodeum.
Balkans and Asia Minor.
Haniyeh Kiyani and Kambiz Minaei thank Shiraz University, Iran for supporting their scientific project focused on studies on ant diversity in fig orchards near Estabhan. The authors would like to thank Brian L. Fisher, Donat Agosti, and one anonymous reviewer for reviewing and improving a previous version of this manuscript.