Redescription of Proformica nasuta (Nylander, 1856) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) using an integrative approach

  • Christophe Galkowski 104 Route de Mounic, 33160 Saint-Aubin-de-Medoc
  • Claude Lebas 2 Impasse del Ribas, 66680 Canohès
  • Philippe Wegnez Rue de la Grotte 23, 4651 Herve
  • Alain Lenoir IRBI, Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte, UMR CNRS 7261, Université François Rabelais, Faculté des Sciences, Parc Grandmont, 37200 Tours
  • Rumsaïs Blatrix CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS – Université de Montpellier – Université Paul Valéry Montpellier – EPHE, 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 5
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2017.290
Keywords: ants, Proformica longipilosa sp. nov., Western Palaearctic, molecular markers, cuticular hydrocarbons

Abstract

The taxonomy of the Palaearctic ant genus Proformica Ruzsky, 1902 is confused and in need of revision. The type specimen for P. nasuta (Nylander, 1856), the type species of the genus, was from Beaucaire, southern France, and is presumably lost. Based on extensive sampling of Proformica nests in southern France, including the type locality, we show that the concept of P. nasuta has been erroneous for more than a century. We integrate information from the morphology of workers and sexual castes, DNA markers, and cuticular hydrocarbons to re-define species in southern France. This allowed us to provide a new, accurate description of P. nasuta and designate a neotype, as well as reference individuals for all castes. In addition, we propose a name, P. longipilosa sp. nov., for a species that since the end of the 19th century has mistakenly been included in P. nasuta.

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Published
2017-03-02
How to Cite
Galkowski, C., Lebas, C., Wegnez, P., Lenoir, A., & Blatrix, R. (2017). Redescription of Proformica nasuta (Nylander, 1856) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) using an integrative approach. European Journal of Taxonomy, (290). https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2017.290
Issue
No. 290 (2017): Redescription of Proformica nasuta (Nylander, 1856) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) using an integrative approach
Section
Entomology
Copyright (c) 2017 Christophe Galkowski, Claude Lebas, Philippe Wegnez, Alain Lenoir, Rumsaïs Blatrix

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