Identification of ant species in the areas of Kadkan and Jolge Rokh, Torbat Heydarieh

Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are social insects with more than 12,000 species, 365 genera and 27 subfamilies. As the most successful living organisms on Earth, have a very positive impact on soil ecosystem. Identification of ant species was performed in Kadkan and Jolge Rokh, Torbat Heydarieh, by sampling from June - September 2016. The samples were first identified in the laboratory using available identification keys and morphological characteristics such as oral fragments, tentacles, seams and body hairs. Then they were sent to Nihat Aktac, Turkey for confirmation of identification. In this study, 12 species belonging to 7 genera in 3 subfamilies were collected and identified. The scientific names of the species and their subfamily and genera are as followed: Subfamily Myrmicinae: Messor structor (Latreille, 1798); Messor ebeninus Santschi, 1927; Messor caducus (Victor, 1839); Monomorium kusnezowi Santsci, 1928; Crematogaster sordidula Nylander, 1849; Crematogaster subdentata Mayr, 1877 Subfamily Dolichoderinae: Tapinoma karavaievi Emery, 1925 Subfamily Formicinae: Lasius neglectus Van Loon; Boomsma and Andrasfalvy, 1990; Formica cunicularia Latreille, 1798; Cataglyphis aenescens (Nylander, 1849); Cataglyphis nodus (Brulle, 1833); Cataglyphis niger (Andree, 1881).