Cataglyphis longipedem (Eichwald)

Iran list Type location Russia (Formica longipedem, Eichwald, 1841: 224, worker; not on HNS) from Caucasus. Bolton (1995: 136, noted wrongly placed as a junior synonym of Cataglyphis turcomanica by Kolossov, 1932: 118, and Agosti (1990a: 1490) - both by name only - no images on Antweb (July 2015).
Junior synonym turcomanica (Cataglyphis bicolor, var. turcomanica Crawley, 1920b: 177, worker, from Tiflis, Iran, 1919 by Buxton, no other information; first available use of Myrmecocystus viaticus subsp. desertorum var. turcomanica, Emery, 1898c: 147; synonymy by Kolossov, 1932: 118) type location Turkmenistan, Merw; and Samarkand (Uzbekistan). Karavaiev, 1912b: 590; gave notes on the male but without evidence of association with workers; from Kjaris, north-east Persia - no images on Antweb (July 2015).

Eichwald's (1898c) description is at . Emery's (1898c) description of turcomanica is at . Karavaiev (1912b: 590) is at .

Assuming my identification is correct, the nearest relative appears to be Cataglyphis setipes but this is more uniformly dark purple-black; has a different shape to the petiole (more evenly rounded in profile) and noticeably fewer coarse setae on the hind tibiae. Alternatively it may be synonymous with Cataglyphis niger. Emery compared turcomanica to Cataglyphis desertorum but that is much redder on the head and alitrunk and generally more slender.

Oxford University Museum specimens

Cataglyphis longipedem B Taylor det.

Iran M Seiri 03

21.v.2014 Khojir National Park 35°45' to 35°36'N; 51°49' to 51°40'E

major & minor workers

7

Major workers: The photomontage combines two major workers; collector Maryam Seiri, 2014, from Khojir National Park.

Minor (as above)

The photomontage of a major worker from Iran, Teheran, 2.viii.1934, collector Henry Field, matching those shown above, but identified as Cataglyphis bicolor ssp nigra is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=fmnhins0000046224.
Note: It is wrongly posted under Cataglyphis bicolor on Antweb.