Cardiocondyla hashemi sp. n., a new species of the C. batesii species-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Saudi Arabia, with a key to the Saudi species

Abstract

A new species, Cardiocondyla hashemi sp. n. is described and illustrated using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) based on the worker caste. Cardiocondyla hashemi is a member of the C. batesii species-group with a resemblance to C. tenuifrons Seifert, 2003 from Jordan. Cardiocondyla hashemi can be readily distinguished by the uniform yellow body, the rare or distinctly scattered foveolae on the posterior third of cephalic surface, the broadly medially concave anterior clypeal margin, the sculptured mesosomal dorsum except for the mesonotum which is shallowly sculptured with faint longitudinal rugae, and petiolar node distinctly densely microreticulate. Ecological and biological remarks on the type locality are given. A key to the Saudi fauna of the genus Cardiocondyla is presented.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1DB79558-0CE0-413B-A6EB-9E0ABB884882

Keywords:

• Alpha taxonomy
• Arabian Peninsula
• Middle East
• Palaearctic Region
• Synoptic Checklist

Acknowledgements

We thank Ahmed Shams Al ‘Ola for his technical assistance, James Wetterer for useful suggestions, and Omar Hamid for taking Scanning Electron Microscope images.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest is reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Researchers Supporting Project number (RSP-2021/107), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.