Seifert, B.

Temnothorax saxonicus (Seifert, 1995) stat.n., comb.n. – a parapatric, closely-related species of T. sordidulus (Müller, 1923) comb.n. and description of two new closely-related species, T. schoedli sp.n. and T. artvinense sp.n., from Turkey (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Morphological and chorological evidence is presented that Temnothorax saxonicus (Seifert, 1995) stat.n., comb.n. should be considered as parapatric closely-related species of T. sordidulus (MÜLLER, 1923), comb.n. Two new species, T. schoedli sp.n. and T. artvinense sp.n., are described from southeastern and northeastern Turkey. Including T. melas (Espadaler, Plateaux & CASEVITZ-WEULERSSE, 1984), the T. sordidulus group comprises now a minimum of five species in Europe and Asia Minor. The morphological investigation system included 18 standardized numeric characters which were subject to a discriminant analysis. Leptothorax sordidulus var. tergestina Finzi, 1928 and Leptothorax carinthiacus Bernard, 1957 are shown to represent younger synonyms of Temnothorax sordidulus.

Open access, licensed under CC BY 4.0. © 2006 The Author(s).

Temnothorax sordidulus group, morphometry, discriminant analysis, parapatric species, taxonomy, new species.