Formica emmae, Forel, 1909

Agosti, Donat, 1990, Review and reclassification of Cataglyphis (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), Journal of Natural History 24, pp. 1457-1505 : 1474-1475

emmae group

Diagnosis

Workers and females: Cataglyphis ants with the following diagnostic characters:

1. Petiole squamiform, the anterior and the posterior surface meeting at an angle but only partially forming a crest (Fig. 7).

2. Third and fourth maxillary palp segments shorter than fifth and sixth together; third segment round in cross-section.

3. Uniform black to brownish-black, mainly dull surface.

4. Mandible with a large apical and subapical tooth followed by two or three denticles so that occasionally only four teeth are present.

5. Distinct dimorphism in the worker caste; alitrunk length of large workers 2 0 mm, of soldiers 2-8 mm.

Males: Cataglyphis-ants with the following diagnostic characters:

1. Uniform brownish-black.

2. Subgential plate short (SPI <125); with two distal, lateral pointed processes and a median part which is emarginate over the whole width (Fig. 17).

3. Squamula caudally always projecting over the stipes, forming a short but distinct, acute process pointing ventrally (Fig. 32).

4. Stipes with a finger-like simple median appendix with its largest diameter shorter than half the length of the stipes (Fig. 32).

5. Volsella straight, with a wider basal part up to midlength, afterwards confluent (Fig. 52).

6. Sagitta with a rectangular shield (Fig. 67); the teeth of the serrated side extended over the whole face, not curved laterally.

Distribution

The species of the emmae species-group are distributed south of the Atlas mountains in North Africa and have recently been discovered in Saudi Arabia (Zahran; Collingwood, 1985). A new collection is recorded here from Quetta (Baluchistan; CD A). It does not live in the plain deserts but along wadis among trees of Acacia raddiana and tussocks of Panicum turgidum ( Delye, 1965). C.emmae is infrequently collected and further collecting will show whether there is a disjunct or a continuous distribution along the north side of the Sahara. An undescribed species from Quetta (Pakistan) lives in the steppe with occasional trees of Rosaceae and Pistacia spp. at 1600 m.

Comments

C.emmae is characterized by a small morphological variation within its distribution and by its peculiar, slow locomotion ( Delye, 1965).