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HISTORY
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The species was described
in 1990 (Van Loon et al. 1990) although its presence in the garden
of the Company for the Development of Fruit and Ornamental Production at
Budapest was already known from the early seventies (Andrásfalvy, in litt.).
In the morphological description it was compared with Lasius alienus
and L. brunneus. Furthermore, it was shown to be allozymatically
distinct (Boomsma et al. 1990).
Lasius
turcicus
is the sister species of L. neglectus (Steiner et al. 2004).
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Its specific status was
temporally not clear-cut (Seifert 1992) although at present this seems to
be undisputed.
MORPHOLOGY
The species belongs in a
group of Lasius that lack erect hairs on the scapes and on the
extensor profile of hind tibiae. Mandibular dentition is reduced (seven
denticles; rarely eight) as compared with L. lasioides, L. alienus, L.
psammophilus, L. paralienus or L. piliferus although this is a
difference of statistical character.
|
Worker |
 |
 |
 |
|
lateral view |
head frontal view |
mandible |
Female: Immediately
recognizable within the European Lasius by its comparatively reduced
size and proportionately smaller gaster, as compared with the thorax. Male:
The smallest male within the European Lasius (s.str.) species.
 |
 |
 |
|
Female frontal view |
Cocoons of queens |
Male frontal view |
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