Messor variabilis

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Messor variabilis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Stenammini
Genus: Messor
Species: M. variabilis
Binomial name
Messor variabilis
Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1927

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Specimen Labels

Synonyms

Identification

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 37.349167° to 34.763056°.

   
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: Kazakhstan (type locality), Turkmenistan.

Distribution based on AntMaps

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Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
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Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
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Biology

Castes

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • variabilis. Messor variabilis Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1927a: 94 (w.) TURKMENISTAN.
    • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
    • Type-localities: Turkmenistan: Railway station Geok-Tepe, Geok-Syur, Dort-Kuju, Ashgabat, Takir, Bagir village nr Ashgabat (no collector’s name, perhaps Kuznetsov-Ugamsky).
    • Type-depository: ZMUM.
    • Arnol'di, 1970a: 87 (m.).
    • Status as species: Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1929d: 10; Pisarski, 1970: 307; Arnol'di, 1970a: 87; Arnol'di, 1977b: 1646 (in key); Dlussky, 1981a: 17; Dlussky, Soyunov & Zabelin, 1990: 228; Bolton, 1995b: 258; Paknia, et al. 2010: 33; Borowiec, L. 2014: 114; Khalili-Moghadam, et al. 2019: 177.
    • Senior synonym of macrops: Arnol'di, 1977b: 1646 (in key); Bolton, 1995b: 258.
    • Distribution: Afghanistan, Iran, Turkmenistan.
  • macrops. Messor excursionis var. macrops Santschi, 1927d: 248 (w.) TURKMENISTAN.
    • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
    • Type-locality: Turkmenistan: Repetek (W. Karawajew).
    • Type-depository: NHMB.
    • [Note: this taxon is based on specimens of M. excursionis (Rusky, 1905b: 739), sensu Karavaiev, 1910b: 68, misidentification.]
    • Junior synonym of variabilis: Arnol'di, 1977b: 1646 (in key); Bolton, 1995b: 255.

Description

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
  • Dlussky G. M., O. S. Soyunov, and S. I. Zabelin. 1990. Ants of Turkmenistan. Ashkabad: Ylym Press, 273 pp.
  • Khalili-Moghadam A., L. Borowiec, and A. Nemati. 2019. New records of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari Province of Iran with taxonomic comments. Polish Journal of Entomology 88 (2): 163–182.
  • Paknia O., and M. Pfeiffer. 2011. Hierarchical partitioning of ant diversity: implications for conservation of biogeographical diversity in arid and semi-arid areas. Diversity and Distributions 17: 122-131.
  • Paknia O., and M. Pfeiffer. 2014. Niche-based processes and temporal variation of environment drive beta diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in dryland ecosystems of Iran. Myrmecological News 20: 15-23.
  • Paknia, O., A. G. Radchenko, and M. Pfeiffer. "New records of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Iran." Asian Myrmecology 3, no. 29-38 (2010).