254 
Psyche 
[Vol. 93 
During the past years, we have collected E. kraussei from numer- 
ous localities in the mediterranean area, including the type localities 
of E. vandeli and E. foreli. We were studying their populations, <$9 
9 -production in the lab and in the field, their reproductive behav- 
ior, colony foundation behavior, and karotypes. Crossbreeding of 
several populations including E. vandeli and E. foreli was possible. 
All observations pointed towards a synonymy of the 3 species. 
Finally, the types were examined, and morphological studies includ- 
ing the $$ of the 3 species were carried out. This considerable body 
of evidence now clearly demonstrates that E. foreli and E. vandeli 
represent but junior synonyms of E. kraussei. 
Material Collected and Range of 
Epimyrma kraussei 
A total of 337 colonies of E. kraussei (including E.v. and E.f) 
have been collected between 1975 and 1984 (table 1). Populations 
are numbered for an easier identification in the following text. Fig. 1 
may provide a visual impression of the range of E. kraussei; it also 
contains a few additional localities from the literature, mainly those 
from North Africa (Cagniant 1968). Nests usually are found in cre- 
vices between flat stones, most easily in old dry walls of terraced 
vineyards and olive orchards, but also in rocky slopes underneath 
shrubs (Buschinger & Winter 1983). Colonies are small and can thus 
be aspirated almost completely. In the type locality of E. vandeli, we 
did not find the species in the exact sites of Vandel; however, we 
could collect a sample of 1 1 colonies near Lauzerte, only 5 km W of 
the original site, in the limestone slopes of the Barguelonne valley 
(table 1, no 5). E. foreli had been found near Sambiase di Calabria, 
in moss covering the bark of olive trees (Menozzi 1921). We tried in 
vain to find Leptothoracini in such sites, presumably because the 
ants have been decimated there by pesticide treatment of the trees. 
However, in several localities around Sambiase (table 1, no 19), we 
found 22 colonies of a yellowish Epimyrma with Temnothorax 
hosts, again in terrace walls. We are convinced that they represent 
members of the same population as that studied by Menozzi. Unfor- 
tunately, the search for E. kraussei in its type locality, Sorgono in 
Sardegna, Italy, in April 1985, remained unsuccessful. Even the host 
species was quite rare in this area. From the map (Fig. 1) we may 
conclude that both the type localities of E. vandeli and E. foreli are 
situated well within the area of E. kraussei. 
