Quantitative morphology and mtDNA reveal that Lasius maltaeus is not endemic to the Maltese Islands (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Lasius maltaeus Seifert, 2020 was recently described as a Maltese endemic ant based on quantitative morphology, after decades of uncertainties over the identity of the local population, which has a phenotype resembling L. emarginatus (Olivier, 1791). At the same time, Sicilian L. emarginatus populations were discovered to diverge in their mitochondrial DNA to a degree that suggested heterospecificity. Considering the biogeographic similarity of Malta and Sicily, with land bridges connecting them repeatedly until the last glacial maximum, we questioned the assumption that L. maltaeus was endemic to Malta. We integrated quantitative morphology and mtDNA in the study of the Maltese and southern Italian populations phenotypically close to L. emarginatus. We discovered that the range of L. maltaeus extends over most of Sicily, while the true L. emarginatus replace it in the north-eastern sector of the island, the nearby Aeolian Islands, and the Italian peninsula. The distributions of L. emarginatus and L. maltaeus in Sicily follow biogeographic patterns recalling the island's complex paleogeographic history. Further investigations should verify the existence of truly Maltese endemic ants, since the status of other allegedly endemic species is not strongly supported.

Automated summary

Lasius maltaeus Seifert, 2020 was described as a Maltese endemic ant based on morphology, but further research shows that it has a wider distribution in Sicily. It was also discovered that the populations of L. emarginatus in Sicily have diverged genetically. The distribution patterns of L. emarginatus and L. maltaeus in Sicily reflect the island's complex paleogeographic history.