Messor ebeninus

Messor ebeninus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Stenammini
Genus:	Messor
Species:	M. ebeninus
Binomial name
Messor ebeninus Santschi, 1927 Specimen Labels

At Rawdhat Khorim, Saudi Arabia, worker activity has two peaks of abundance, in April and December, decreasing from July through October (Sharaf et al., 2013). Pashaei Rad et al. (2018) found this species in Iran on parkland ground in a moderate rainfall area.

Identification

Collingwood and Agosti (1996) - HW 2.0-2.5; EL/HW 0.19-0.23. This evenly black species has a rather variable pilosity with 1-5 hairs at each side on the occiput, 1-2 pairs on the propodeum, one pair each on the petiole and postpetiole and there are a few occasional hairs on the first gastral tergite.

Distribution

Records of this species from Serbia are doubtful and are probably based on misidentifications (Borowiec, 2014).

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 34.733333° to 13.213889°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates.
Palaearctic Region: Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon (type locality), Montenegro, Oman, Turkey.

Distribution based on AntMaps

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.

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.

This species is known to occur in the Middle East (Abdul-Rassoul et al. 2013) and is widely distributed throughout the Arabian Peninsula (Collingwood, 1985, Collingwood and Agosti, 1996) (Sharaf et al., 2013).

Biology

Flight Period

										X	X
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

Source: antkeeping.info.

• Check details at Worldwide Ant Nuptial Flights Data, AntNupTracker and AntKeeping.

Life History Traits

• Worker-produced males: absent (Tohme (1972) cited in Choe (1988); Frumhoff & Ward, 1992) (workers reported to lay fertile (haploid) eggs in queenless colonies but only trophic eggs in queenright colonies)

Castes

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Worker. Specimen code casent0264156. Photographer Will Ericson, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Type of unavailable quadrinomial: Messor barbarus semirufus ebenina. Worker. Specimen code casent0901472. Photographer Will Ericson, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by OUM, Oxford, UK.

Syntype of Messor ebeninus. Worker. Specimen code casent0907735. Photographer Will Ericson, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MHNG, Geneva, Switzerland.

Worker. Specimen code casent0249861. Photographer Ryan Perry, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by NHMB, Basel, Switzerland.

Worker. Specimen code casent0264196. Photographer Will Ericson, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Syntype of Messor ebeninus. Worker (major/soldier). Specimen code casent0907734. Photographer Will Ericson, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MHNG, Geneva, Switzerland.

Worker. Specimen code casent0263749. Photographer Will Ericson, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Worker. Specimen code casent0249823. Photographer Ryan Perry, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by NHMB, Basel, Switzerland.

Nomenclature

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

• ebeninus. Messor semirufus var. ebeninus Santschi, 1927c: 229.
  • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
  • Type-localities: Syria: Berzé (G. de Kerville), Israel: Convent of the Passion (= Nazareth?) (E. Schmitz).
  • Type-depository: MHNG.
  • [First available use of Messor barbarus subsp. semirufus var. ebenina Forel, 1910a: 10 (w.) SYRIA, ISRAEL; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
  • Finzi, 1936: 160 (q.); Tohmé, G. 1971: 573 (m.).
  • As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Forel, 1913d: 427; Crawley, 1920a: 164; Emery, 1921f: 72; Emery, 1922c: 97.
  • Subspecies of semirufus: Menozzi, 1933b: 52; Finzi, 1936: 160; Santschi, 1938a: 31.
  • Junior synonym of semirufus: Baroni Urbani, 1974: 227.
  • Status as species: Tohmé, G. 1971: 569 (redescription); Tohmé, G. 1975: 171; Tohmé, G. & Tohmé, H. 1981: 142; Collingwood, 1985: 249; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987a: 54; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987b: 271 (in key); Kugler, J. 1988: 257; Bolton, 1995b: 254; Collingwood & Agosti, 1996: 317; Mohamed, Zalat, et al. 2001: 51; Petrov, 2006: 92 (in key); Paknia, et al. 2008: 155; Lush, 2009: 114; Vonshak, et al. 2009: 42; Collingwood, et al. 2011: 426; Karaman, M.G. 2011b: 37; Legakis, 2011: 10; Borowiec, L. & Salata, 2012: 513; Kiran & Karaman, 2012: 19; Sharaf, Abdel-Dayem, et al. 2013: 572; Borowiec, L. 2014: 105; Tohmé, G. & Tohmé, 2014: 134.
  • Distribution: Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.

Type Material

Salata & Borowiec (2019): syntype (w.): Messor | barbarus L. | subsp. semirufus Andr. | v. ebenina | type | Forel || Typus || Djebel Kasioun | Antiliban (Kerville) || Coll. | A. Forel || ANTWEB | CASENT0907734 (MHNG).

References

• Abdul-Rassoul, M.S., Ali, H.B. & Augul, R.SH. 2013. New Records of Unidentified Ants worker (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) stored in Iraqi Natural History Museum with key to Species. Adv. Biores., Vol 4 (2): 27-33.
• Atanackovic, V. 2013. Understanding contraints and potentials of weed management through seed predation by harvester ants (unpublished Ph.D. thesis).
• Baer, B. 2011. The copulation biology of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecological News 14: 55-68.
• Baroni Urbani, C. 1974a. Studi sulla mirmecofauna d'Italia. XII. Le Isole Pontine. Fragm. Entomol. 9: 225-252 (page 227, Junior synonym of semirufus)
• Borowiec, L. & Salata, S. 2013. Ants of Greece – additions and corrections (Hymenoptera Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 24, 335-401.
• Borowiec, L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
• Borowiec, L., Salata, S. 2020. Review of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Jordan. Annals of the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom, Entomology 29 (online 2): 1-26 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.3733156).
• Bulter, I. 2020. Hybridization in ants. Ph.D. thesis, Rockefeller University.
• Cantone S. 2017. Winged Ants, The Male, Dichotomous key to genera of winged male ants in the World, Behavioral ecology of mating flight (self-published).
• Cantone S. 2018. Winged Ants, The queen. Dichotomous key to genera of winged female ants in the World. The Wings of Ants: morphological and systematic relationships (self-published).
• Collingwood, C. A. 1985. Hymenoptera: Fam. Formicidae of Saudi Arabia. Fauna Saudi Arab. 7: 230-302 (page 249, Revived from synonymyto)
• Collingwood, C. A. and D. Agosti. 1996. Formicidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) of Saudi Arabia (part 2). Fauna Saudi Arabia. 15:300-385.
• Collingwood, C.A., Agosti, D., Sharaf, M.R., van Harten, A. 2011. Order Hymenoptera, family Formicidae. Arthropod fauna of the UAE 4: 405-474.
• Finzi, B. 1936. Risultati scientifici della spedizione di S. A. S. il Principe Alessandro della Torre e Tasso nell'Egitto e peninsola del Sinai. XI. Formiche. Bull. Soc. Entomol. Egypte 20: 155-210 (page 160, queen described)
• Forel, A. 1910a. Glanures myrmécologiques. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 54: 6-32 (page 10, First available use of Messor barbarus subsp. semirufus var. ebenina; unavailable name.)
• Horna-Lowell, E., Neumann, K.M., O’Fallon, S., Rubio, A., Pinter-Wollman, N. 2021. Personality of ant colonies (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) – underlying mechanisms and ecological consequences. Myrmecological News 31: 47-59 (doi:10.25849/MYRMECOL.NEWS_031:047).
• Kiran, K., Karaman, C. 2020. Additions to the ant fauna of Turkey (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Zoosystema 42(18), 285-329 (doi:10.5252/zoosystema2020v42a18).
• O’Donnell, S., Bulova, S., Caponera, V., Oxman, K., Giladi, I. 2020. Species differ in worker body size effects on critical thermal limits in seed-harvesting desert ants (Messor ebeninus and M. arenarius). Insectes Sociaux (doi:10.1007/s00040-020-00782-5).
• Pashaei Rad, S., Taylor, B., Torabi, R., Aram, E., Abolfathi, G., Afshari, R., Borjali, F., Ghatei, M., Hediary, F., Jazini, F., Heidary Kiah, V., Mahmoudi, Z., Safariyan, F., Seiri, M. 2018. Further records of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Iran. Zoology in the Middle East 64, 145-159 (doi:10.1080/09397140.2018.1442301).
• Plowes, N.J.R., Johnson, R.A., Holldobler, B. 2013. Foraging behavior in the ant genus Messor (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Myrmecological News 18, 33-49.
• Ruano, F., Tinaut, A., Soler, J.J. 2000. High surface temperatures select for individual foraging in ants. Behavioral Ecology 11, 396-404.
• Salata, S., Borowiec, L. 2019. Preliminary contributions toward a revision of Greek Messor Forel, 1890 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Turkish Journal of Zoology 43:52-67 (doi:10.3906/zoo-1809-41).
• Santschi, F. 1927d. Revision des Messor du groupe instabilis Sm. (Hymenopt.). Bol. R. Soc. Esp. Hist. Nat. 27: 225-250 (page 229, worker described)
• Sharaf, M. R., Wetterer, J. K., Mohamed, A. A., Aldawood, A. S. 2022. Faunal composition, diversity, and distribution of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Dhofar Governorate, Oman, with updated list of the Omani species and remarks on zoogeography. European Journal of Taxonomy 838: 1-106 (doi:10.5852/ejt.2022.838.1925).
• Tohmé, G. 1971 [1970]. Description de Messor ebeninus (Forel) (Hymenoptera: Formicoidea - Myrmecidae). Bull. Soc. Entomol. Egypte 54: 569-577 (page 569, Raised to species)
• Tohmé, G. 1975. Écologie, biologie de la reproduction et éthologie de Messor ebeninus Forel (Hymenoptera, Formicoidea-Myrmicidae). Bull. Biol. Fr. Belg. 109: 171-251 (page 171, see also)
• Tohmé, G.; Tohmé, H. 1981. Les fourmis du genre Messor en Syrie. Position systématique. Description de quelques ailés et de formes nouvelles. Répartition géographique. Ecol. Mediterr. 7(1 1: 139-153 (page 142, Revived from synonymy)
• Warburg, I., Steinberger, Y. 1997. On the spatial distribution of nests of the ants Messor arenarius and Messor ebeninus. Journal of Arid Environments 36: 671-676.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Abdul-Rassoul M. S., H. A. Dawah, and N. Y. Othman. 1978. Records of insect collection (Part I) in the natural history research centre, Baghdad. Bull. Nat. Hist. Res. Centre 7(2): 1-6.
• Abdul-Rassoul M. S., H. B. Ali, and R. SH. Augul. 2013. New Records of Unidentified Ants worker (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) stored in Iraqi Natural History Museum with key to Species. Adv. Biores., Vol 4 (2): 27-33.
• Agosti, D. and C.A. Collingwood. 1987. A provisional list of the Balkan ants (Hym. Formicidae) and a key to the worker caste. I. Synonymic list. Mitteilungen der Schweizerischen Entomologischen Gesellschaft, 60: 51-62
• Ahmad G. M. M., and M. I. Basuony. 2003. Taxonomy and biodiversity of ant fauna of the Mediterranean coastal desert (Western desert-Egypt). J. Egypt. Ger. Soc. Zool. 42E: 69-83.
• Ben Mordechai J., and J. Kugler. 1976. Ecology of ants in the desert loess plain (Sede Zin) of Sede Boqer (Central Negev). Israel Journal of Zoology 25: 216-217.
• Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
• Borowiec L., and S. Salata. 2012. Ants of Greece - Checklist, comments and new faunistic data (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus 23(4): 461-563.
• Collingwood C. A., D. Agosti, M. R. Sharaf, A. Van Harten, 2011. Order Hymenoptera, family Formicidae. Arthropod Fauna of the UAE 4: 405-474
• Collingwood C.A., D.Agosti, M.R. Sharaf, and A. van Harten. 2011. Order Hymenoptera, family Formicidae. Arthropod fauna of the UAE, 4: 405–474
• Collingwood, C. A., and Donat Agosti. "Formicidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) of Saudi Arabia (Part 2)." Fauna of Saudi Arabia 15 (1996): 300-385.
• Crawley W. C. 1920. Ants from Mesopotamia and north-west Persia. Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 32: 162-166.
• El-Hawagry M. S., M. R. Sharaf, H. M. Al Dhafer, H. H. Fadl, and A. S. Aldawood. 2015. Addenda to the insect fauna of Al-Baha Province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with zoogeographical notes. Journal of Natural History http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2015.1103913
• El-Hawagry M. S., M. W. Khalil, M. R. Sharaf, H. H. Fadl, and A. S. Aldawood. 2013. A preliminary study on the insect fauna of Al-Baha Province, Saudi Arabia, with descriptions of two new species. ZooKeys 274: 1–88. doi:10.3897/zookeys.274.4529
• Finzi, B.. "Risultati scientifici della spedizione di S. A. S. il Principe Alessandro della Torre e Tasso nell'Egitto e peninsola del Sinai. XI. Formiche." Bulletin de la Société Entomologique d'Egypte 20 (1936): 155-210.
• Forel A. 1910. Glanures myrmécologiques. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 54: 6-32.
• Forel, A.. "Fourmis de la faune méditerranéenne récoltées par MM. U. et J. Sahlberg." Revue Suisse de Zoologie 21 (1913): 427-438.
• Kugler J. 1988. The zoogeography of Israel. 9. The zoogeography of social insects of Israel and Sinai. Monographiae biologicae 62: 251-275.
• Lush M. J. 2009. Some ant records (Hymenoptera; Formicidae) from the Middle East. Zoology in the Middle East 47: 114-116.
• Lush M.J. 2009. Some ant records (Hymenoptera; Formicidae) from the Middle East. Zoology in the Middle East 47: 114-116.
• Mohamed, S., S. Zalat, H. Fadl, S.Gadalla and M. Sharaf. 2001. Taxonomy of ant species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) collected by pitfall traps from Sinai and Delta region, Egypt. Egyptian Journal of Natural History 3:40-61
• Paknia O., A. Radchenko, H. Alipanah, and M. Pfeiffer. 2008. A preliminary checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Iran. Myrmecological News 11: 151-159.
• Pashaei Rad S., B. Taylor, R. Torabi, E. Aram, G. Abolfathi, R. Afshari, F. Borjali, M. Ghatei, F. Hediary, F. Jazini, V. Heidary Kiah, Z. Mahmoudi, F. Safariyan, and M. Seiri. 2018. Further records of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Iran. Zoology in the Middle East 64(2): 145-159.
• Santschi, F. 1938. Quelques nouvelles fourmis d'Egypte. Bulletin de la Société Entomologique d'Egypte 21: 28-44.
• Santschi, F.. "Revision des Messor du groupe instabilis Sm. (Hymenopt.)." Boletín de la Real Sociedad española de Historia natural (Madrid) 27 (1927): 225-250.
• Sharaf M. R., B. L. Fisher, H. M. Al Dhafer, A. Polaszek, and A. S. Aldawood. 2018. Additions to the ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Oman: an updated list, new records and a description of two new species. Asian Myrmecology 10: e010004
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• Tohme G., and H. Tohme. 2014. Nouvelles liste des especes de fourmis du Liban (Hymenoptera, Formicoidea). Lebanese Science Journal 15(1): 133-141.
• Tohmé, G.. "Description de Messor ebeninus (Forel) (Hymenoptera: Formicoidea - Myrmecidae [sic])." Bulletin de la Société Entomologique d'Égypte 54 (1971): 569-577.
• Tohmé, G.. "Écologie, biologie de la reproduction et éthologie de Messor ebeninus Forel (Hymenoptera, Formicoidea - Myrmicidae)." Bulletin Biologique de la France et de la Belgique 109 (1975): 171-251.
• Vonshak M., and A. Ionescu-Hirsch. 2009. A checklist of the ants of Israel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Israel Journal of Entomology 39: 33-55.