Ponera testacea

P. testacea is very similar to P. coarctata, with the primary identifying difference being the size and shape of the petiole. In P. testacea the petiole is shorter and thicker when seen in profile, typically not extending above the height of the gaster and thorax. The sides of the petiole are also parallel sided, instead of slightly tapering as seen in its sister species. P. testcea is also smaller than its sister species on average, and are typically of a lighter colouration than P. coarctata. Workers were measured at 2.5-3.0mm in length with thick decumbent hairs cover the full body. Female alates were measured at 3.0mm on average in length, sharing the thick decumbent hairs of the workers.

P. testacea is distributed across most of Europe, excluding Scandinavia, the Baltics, Belarus, Ireland and Iceland. Its range extends east to the Caucus region and Southern Russia. The specie's most eastern presence is located in Turkmenistan, and its most southern records are from Tunisia and Morocco. Unlike its sister species, P. testacea prefers a more xerothermic (warmer and drier) habitat, avoiding humid and/or shaded sites which P. coarctata would prefer.