The distribution of the subgenus Coptoformica Müller, 1923 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Palaearctic Region

Schultz, R.; Seifert, B.

Abstract: Ten described and two undescribed Coptoformica MÜLLER, 1923 species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae, genus Formica) are currently known from the Palaearctic Region. Three of them – Formica exsecta Nylander, 1846 et mesasiatica Dlussky, 1964, F. pressilabris Nylander, 1846, and F. forsslundi Lohmander, 1949 – are distributed in both the West and East Palaearctic. Formica exsecta et mesasiatica has the widest distribution of all Coptoformica species. We have chosen this composite name to avoid executing here a formal synonymisation of F. mesasiatica under F. exsecta. A thorough argumentation in favour of this synonymy, using morphological, chorological and genetic evidence will be presented elsewhere (B. Seifert & A. Goropashnaya, unpubl.). Six species are restricted to the West Palaearctic: Formica bruni Kutter, 1967, F. fennica Seifert, 2000, F. foreli Bondroit, 1918, F. suecica Adlerz, 1902, and two undescribed species. Formica bruni and F. foreli extend east directly to the Johansen Line. Formica fennica is known from Finland and the Caucasus. Formica suecica has been found in Fennoscandia, the Alps and West Siberia. Not much is known about the distribution of the two undescribed species. Three species are East Palaearctic: Formica fukaii Wheeler, 1914, is endemic to the Japanese islands; F. manchu Wheeler, 1929 and F. pisarskii Dlussky, 1964 are of more or less Central Asian distribution. Formica manchu and F. pisarskii, probably with the same basic type of distribution, inhabit the forest-steppe zone of Russia between the Altai Mountains and Lena River, Mongolia, Manchuria and, in the case of F. manchu, also Tibet. This contribution provides an overview of the known locations of the Coptoformica species and attempts to construct patterns of distribution.

Myrmecol. News 10: 11-18; printable