A CONTRIBUTION TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF DISTRIBUTION OF THE SPECIES PRENOLEPIS NITENS (MAYR, 1853) (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE) IN THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE BALKAN PENINSULA
Study of myrmecofauna in the southwest part of the Balkan Peninsula has a long tradition but it is also characterised by a small number of studies of exclusively faunistic character. Analysis of material collected at Popovo Polje yielded the first record of Prenolepis nitens (Mayr, 1853) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Subsequent analysis of literature data showed that the species inhabits all of the countries of the western Balkans: Slovenia (Ljubljana), Croatia (wider area of Zagreb and Dalmatia), Montenegro (Kotor) and Serbia (Stara planina). Discovery of Prenolepis nitens (Mayr, 1853) in Bosnia and Herzegovina represents irrefutable evidence of continuity in the distribution area of the species along the southern boarder of the Balkan peninsula and it also makes a significant contribution to the knowledge of distribution of Prenolepis nitens (Mayr, 1853) species across the surveyed area.