Dominik ZięCina

The myrmecological inventory of ten nature reserves (Buczyna Storczykowa na Białych Skałach, Buki Sudeckie, Góra Miłek, Mszana i Obłoga, Nad Groblą, Ostrzyca Proboszczowicka, Wąwóz Lipa, Wąwóz Myśliborski koło Jawora, Wąwóz Siedmicki, and Wilcza Góra) located in the Kaczawskie Mountains and Foothills revealed 31 ant species. Four species have been recorded in the Western Sudetes for the first time: Formicoxenus nitidulus (Nylander, 1846), Lasius emarginatus (Olivier, 1792), Ponera coartata (Latreille, 1802), and Temnothorax parvulus (Schenck, 1852).

A taxonomic revision of the Temnothorax bulgaricus species-group from the Aegean Region revealed that it consists of five species. Temnothorax mersinensis sp. nov., from Mersin Province of Türkiye, is described based on the morphological and morphometrical evidence. Temnothorax caucasicus (Arnoldi, 1977) bona species is restored from synonymy of Temnothorax nadigi (Kutter, 1925). Redescriptions of Temnothorax bulgaricus (Forel, 1892), T. caucasicus, and T. nadigi are provided. The lectotype of Temnothorax cypridis (Santschi, 1930) is designated. We also provide a key to the T. bulgaricus species-group, and each species is supplemented with photographic documentation. Temnothorax nadigi is recorded from Greece for the first time.

The genus Messor Forel, 1890 currently comprises 171 valid species and subspecies, with highest diversity in the Mediterranean and Central Asia. Greece hosts at least 16 species, although the taxonomic status of some needs to be further investigated. Amongst these, six species are island endemics, either restricted to a single Aegean island or distributed across several islands in the archipelago. Despite recent studies on the harvester ants of Greece, the case of Messor antennatus fodorii Röszler, 1942, remained unresolved amongst Greek representatives. This enigmatic harvester ant was first collected almost a century ago, in 1935, from Chios Island, situated in the northeastern part of the Aegean Sea. The lack of both a type and additional material has led to its exclusion from checklists and identification keys, leaving its status as uncertain. From April 24th to May 5th 2025, we conducted field surveys in Chios, Oinousses and Psara islands to investigate the presence and taxonomic status of M. antennatus fodorii. Upon investigation, the harvester ant is raised to the species level Messor fodorii Röszler, 1942 stat. nov., designating a neotype, providing a re-description, a morphometric comparison of species in the M. hellenius complex, ecological notes and an updated identification key to Greek representatives of the Messor hellenius species complex.

A review of the members of the Temnothorax kemali species-group revealed that it consists of two species: T. kemali (Santschi, 1934) widespread in the lowlands and highlands of the Aegean Region and western Anatolia, and T. guzel sp. nov. known from alpine habitats of Kütahya in Türkiye. A detailed description of both species, supplemented with rich photographic documentation and comments on their ecology, as well as a key to the T. kemali species-group are given.

Based on the recent developments by studies on the Aphaenogaster subterranea group and new molecular data, we provide a revision that summarizes the knowledge on the diversity and distribution of its members. We describe two species new to science: A. asterioni Borowiec, Menchetti, Salata, Vila & Zięcina sp. nov. and A. tristis Borowiec, Menchetti, Salata, Vila & Zięcina sp. nov. Aphaenogaster lesbica Forel, 1913 syn. nov. is proposed as a junior synonym of A. subterranea (Latreille, 1798); A. kurdica Ruzsky, 1905 is excluded from the subterranea species group, and the following species are redescribed: A. epirotes (Emery, 1895), A. holtzi (Emery, 1898), and A. subcostata Viehmeyer, 1922. A key to workers of all species belonging to the subterranea species group is proposed. Lectotypes are designated for: A. ichnusa Santschi, 1925, A. holtzi (Emery, 1898), and A. subcostata Viehmeyer, 1922.

Crematogaster ourea sp. nov. is described from the Parnon Mountains, Peloponnese, Greece based on the worker caste. The new species bears characters intermediate between members of taxa grouped within Crematogaster ionia and Crematogaster cypria complexes. The preliminary key to all Greek members of the genus Crematogaster is proposed.