About Ponera coarctata (Latreille, 1802)
Workers of Ponera coarctata range in color from light to dark brown, and have few hairs overall. Hair density is higher on the gaster of this ant. Their eyes are very small and typically difficult to see. Queens are very similar in appearance to workers, but are larger, and have larger, more obvious eyes. Workers measure between 3.0 and 3.5mm in length, queens measure 4.0 to 4.5mm, and males measure between 3.4 and 3.8mm. Individuals of this species found closer to the Mediterranean are generally smaller and lighter in color than samples from more northern Europe. This size and color trait is also seen in the closely related species Ponera pennsylvanica. The difference in coloration is thought to be caused by the drier Mediterranean climate. Ponera coarctata has a wide distribution across most of the Palearctic realm. It is found across all of Europe, but has not been recorded in Sweden, Finland, Norway, the Baltic states, or Belarus. This ant occurs across much of central Asia and southern Russia, and is native to the Caucasus, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Israel. It is also distributed across the northern coasts of Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco. There are recorded occurrences of this species on the east coast of the United States, but these records are considered dubious. The ant prefers damp soil, but will nest in any warm, sheltered habitat. It has been found in open woodland, grassland, rocky ground, and crumbling cliffs.
