Cataglyphis isis Forel 1913
Creators: name: A. Ionescu
name: P.-A. Eyer
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Formicidae
Cataglyphis
Cataglyphis isis

description: <i>Cataglyphis isis</i> (Forel, 1913) (Figs 15, 20–22) <b>Recognition:</b> This is a medium-sized species (worker TL&lt;10, MW&lt;1.45) that belongs to the <i>diehlii</i> species-complex (Agosti 1990). Male has subgenital plate posteriorly with parallel lateral appendages, and large (mSAL/lSAL=0.56) triangular median process in one examined specimen (Fig. 20) or short (mSAL/lSAL= 0.31) biFd median process in another male from the same nest series (Fig. 21); the median process of the subgenital plate is long, digitiform in <i>C. israelensis</i>, <i>C. niger</i> and <i>C</i>. cf. <i>savignyi</i> (Figs 24, 27, 30). Stipes (Fig. 22) has a similar shape as in males of the <i>niger</i> -complex (Figs 25, 28, 31). <i>C. isis</i> worker has broadest head relative to the mesosoma width vs. sympatric <i>C. holgerseni</i> and <i>C</i>. cf. <i>savignyi</i> (Table 1); the head is slightly longer than wide (HW/HL=0.86–0.98), similar to sympatric <i>C. holgerseni</i> and <i>C</i>. cf. <i>savignyi</i> and related <i>C. diehlii</i> (Forel), vs. HW/HL&gt;1 in a large <i>C. adenensis bugnioni</i> Santschi worker. The Frst funiculus segment of worker is short relative to the second segment, F1L/F2l=1.26–1.42, n=18 (Fig. 3), similar to <i>C. adenensis bugnioni</i> and <i>C. diehlii</i> vs. F1L/F2L=1.64–2.00, n=53 in the other Israeli species of the <i>bicolor</i> species-group (Figs 9, 11). The ratio hTbL/mFmL=1.17–1.26, n=30, is lower than in <i>C. holgerseni</i> and <i>C</i>. cf. <i>savignyi</i>. <i>Cataglyphis isis</i> has high petiole node (Table 1), with rounded anterior and dorsal surface (Fig. 15), similar to <i>C. adenensis bugnioni</i> vs. somewhat Fattened anterior surface in the other Israeli species (Figs 13, 14, 16, 17) and <i>C. diehlii</i>. <i>Cataglyphis isis</i> has gaster slightly shiny, dorsally matte vs. completely shiny in <i>C. adenensis bugnioni</i> and <i>C. diehlii</i>. <i>Cataglyphis isis</i> has abundant pilosity in all 65 examined specimens; scape with occasional decumbent to erect hairs that lack in related <i>C. adenensis bugnioni</i> and <i>C. diehlii</i>; it is the sole Israeli species in this group with statistically signiFcant positive correlation between number of erect hairs on mesosoma dorsum and mesosoma length; it has 1–16 setae on propodeum dorsum. Color of workers is highly variable among localities: from black (Paran and Nahal Ovil), sometimes with a bright red spot on frons (Elat), to uniformly dark brown (Fig. 15; ’Ein Hajla), and to light ochraceous-brown with black gaster in ants from Qualya, Hazeva and Mizpe Ramon. <i>Measurements</i>: TL=5.0–9.6, HL=1.37–2.40, HW=1.04–2.30, EL=0.41–0.63, iOD=0.90–1.76, OcClD=0.65–1.13, SL=1.90–2.83, F1L=0.37–0.57, F2L=0.27– 0.41, ML=2.25–3.55, MW=0.70–1.43, PrL=0.75–1.22, PrH=0.13–0.28, PNL= 0.37–0.61, PNW=0.23–0.47, PNH=0.19–0.41, mFmL=1.93–3.65, hTbL=2.36– 4.47 (n=30). <b>Material examined:</b> <i>Cataglyphis isis</i>: <b>Israel:</b> ’Ein Hajla, 17.iii.2011, A. Ionescu (9☿, 1&amp;female;); Qalya, 5 km S, 15.xii.1944, H. Bytinski-Salz (9☿); Mizpe Ramon, 27.iv.2015, T. Rozenberg (3☿); Hazeva, 22.iii.1994, A. Ionescu (1☿); Paran, 15.iii.2016, P.-A. Eyer &amp; A. Hefetz (6☿); Nahal Ovil, Rt. 40, 15.iii.2016, P.-A. Eyer &amp; A. Hefetz (8☿); Be’er Menuha, 15.iii.2016, P.-A. Eyer &amp; A. Hefetz (4☿); Elat, 19.i.1978, B. Shalmon (4☿, 1&amp;female;), 21.iv.1982, J. Kugler (20☿, 2&amp;female;, 2Ƌ). <b>Egypt:</b> Sinai, Wadi GiraF, 30.viii.196[?], J. Kugler (1☿). <i>C. adenensis bugnioni</i>: <b>Egypt</b>: Sinai, Nabek, 23.iii.1981, J. Kugler (2☿), A. Freidberg (2☿); Sharm el Sheik, 13.iii.1982, J. Kugler (3☿). <i>C. diehlii</i> (Forel): <b>Tunisia:</b> Metlaoui Moulares, 28.v.1985, R. Wehner (2☿). <b>Distribution:</b> <i>C. isis</i> is distributed in Israel in the Dead Sea area, central and southern Negev, and ’Arava Valley (Fig. 1). It was reported from Egypt (type locality) throughout Sinai and the Arabian peninsula to the Middle East (Radchenko 1997).
description: Published as part of <i>A. Ionescu &amp; P. - A. Eyer, 2016, Notes on Cataglyphis Foerster, 1850 of the bicolor species-group in Israel, with description of a new species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), pp. 109-131 in Israel Journal Of Entomology 46</i> on pages 121-123, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.221456