Protonym: Messor danaes
Authorship Salata et al., 2023: 121, figs. 15-20
Forms s.w.
Bioregion Palearctic
Locality GREECE
Etymology Named after Danae (Greek: Δανάη), an Argos princess, and mother of the hero Perseus. Based on the mythology, the oracle of Delphi announced to King Argos that his daughter’s son would kill him. Thus, the king, to escape his destiny, decided to cast Danae and Perseus into the sea in a wooden chest hoping for their inevitable death. However, both survived and were washed ashore on the island of Serifos, the type locality for Messor danaes. The epithet is genitive.
Primary type information Primary type material: holotype major worker. Primary type locality: Greece: Cyclades, Serifos, Gyftica Helicopter Airport, loc. 1, 206 m, 37.1630, 24.4839, 08.vi.2022, CYC131 (S. Salata), Collection MNHW, Formicidae. Primary type depository: MNHW. Primary type specimen: MNHW-GR03221.
Secondary type information Secondary type material: 7 paratype major workers, 10 paratype medium workers, 5 paratype minor workers. Secondary type locality: same as for holotype. Secondary type depository: MNHW.
Taxa belonging to this protonym
Messor danaes Species Valid Original combination