Messor medioruber

Messor medioruber
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Stenammini
Genus:	Messor
Species:	M. medioruber
Binomial name
Messor medioruber Santschi, 1910 Specimen Labels
Subspecies
Messor medioruber montanus Santschi, 1927
Synonyms
Messor meridionalis sublaeviceps Santschi, 1927

Identification

Collingwood and Agosti (1996) - HW 2.0; EL/HW 0.245. This bicoloured species differs from Messor meridionalis by the numerous dorsal hairs over the alitrunk and gaster and the shape of the postpetiole which has a flat ventral surface without a protruding process when viewed in full profile.

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 36.816667° to 21.133333°.

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: Algeria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Morocco, Tunisia (type locality).

It is known to occur in North Africa, Saudi Arabia and Iraq (Abdul-Rassoul et al. 2013).

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.

Castes

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Syntype of Messor medioruber. Worker. Specimen code casent0907723. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MHNG, Geneva, Switzerland.

Worker. Specimen code casent0249828. Photographer Ryan Perry, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by NHMB, Basel, Switzerland.

Worker. Specimen code casent0249827. 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.

• medioruber. Messor barbarus st. mediorubra Santschi, 1910a: 44.
  • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated), 1 syntype queen.
  • Type-locality: Tunisia: Kairouan (F. Santschi).
  • Type-depository: MHNG.
  • [First available use of Stenamma (Messor) barbarum r. capitatum var. mediorubra Forel, 1905b: 176 (w.q.m.) TUNISIA; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
  • [Misspelled as mediorufa by Santschi, 1908: 518, Finzi, 1940: 159, and others.]
  • As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Emery, 1908e: 450; Santschi, 1908: 518; Emery, 1912f: 98; Emery, 1921f: 71; Emery, 1922c: 94; Viehmeyer, 1923: 87; Emery, 1924a: 8.
  • Subspecies of barbarus: Karavaiev, 1912a: 9; Santschi, 1917e: 92.
  • Subspecies of instabilis: Santschi, 1923f: 325; Finzi, 1940: 159; Cagniant, 1964: 87; Cagniant, 1966b: 279.
  • Subspecies of minor: Santschi, 1927c: 237 (redescription).
  • Status as species: Cagniant, 1968a: 143; Cagniant, 1970a: 415; Bernard, 1971: 7; Collingwood, 1985: 251; Bolton, 1995b: 255; Collingwood & Agosti, 1996: 318; Cagniant & Espadaler, 1998: 426; Cagniant, 2006a: 197; Collingwood, et al. 2011: 426; Borowiec, L. 2014: 108 (see note in bibliography); Barech, et al. 2020: 16.
  • Senior synonym of sublaeviceps: Cagniant & Espadaler, 1998: 426.
  • Distribution: Algeria, Kuwait, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates.
  • Current subspecies: nominal plus montanus.
• sublaeviceps. Messor sublaeviceps Santschi, 1927c: 241.
  • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
  • Type-locality: Israel (“Syria”): Jerusalem.
  • Type-depository: NHMB.
  • [First available use of Messor barbarus st. mediorubra var. sublaeviceps Santschi, 1910a: 45 (w.q.) TUNISIA; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
  • As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Emery, 1912f: 98; Santschi, 1917e: 90.
  • [Note: Santschi, 1917e: 90, Emery, 1921f: 71, refer sublaeviceps material to meridionalis.]
  • Status as species: Santschi, 1927c: 241 (redescription); Santschi, 1939d: 71; Finzi, 1940: 159.
  • Subspecies of medioruber: Cagniant, 1970a: 416; Bolton, 1995b: 257.
  • Junior synonym of instabilis: Bernard, 1953a: 141 (in text).
  • Junior synonym of medioruber: Cagniant & Espadaler, 1998: 426.

References

• Abdi-Hamecha, L., Barech, G., Khaldi, M., Sadoudi, D. A.-A., Salem, S., Zazgad, I., Cagniant, H. 2021. Diversité des fourmis (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) dans la forêt de Yakouren (Algérie) : Estimation de la richesse, biogéographie et taxonomie. Revue Suisse de Zoologie, 128(1), 61-72 (doi:10.35929/rsz.0035).
• 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.
• Barech, G., Khaldi, M., Espadaler, X., Cagniant, H. 2020. Révision taxonomique du genre Messor (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) au Maghreb et description de Messor hodnii sp. n., une nouvelle espèce de fourmi trouvée en Algérie. Revue suisse de Zoologie 127(1) : 9-19 (doi:10.35929/RSZ.0002).
• Borowiec, L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
• Cagniant, H. 1968a. Liste préliminaire de fourmis forestières d'Algérie. Résultats obtenus de 1963 à 1966. Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Toulouse 104: 138-147 (page 143, Raised to species)
• Cagniant, H. 1970a [1969]. Deuxième liste de fourmis d'Algérie récoltées principalement en forêt. (1re partie). Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Toulouse 105: 405-430 (page 415, Raised to species)
• Cagniant, H.; Espadaler, X. 1998 [1997]. Le genre Messor au Maroc (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Ann. Soc. Entomol. Fr. (n.s.) 33: 419-434 (page 426, Senior synonym of sublaeviceps)
• 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.
• Forel, A. 1905e. Miscellanea myrmécologiques II (1905). Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 49: 155-185 (page 176, First available use of Stenamma (Messor) barbarum r. capitatum var. mediorubra; unavailable name.)
• Santschi, F. 1910a. Nouvelles fourmis de Tunisie (3e note). Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Afr. Nord 1: 43-46 (page 44, worker, queen, male described)
• Santschi, F. 1923f. Messor et autres fourmis paléarctiques. Rev. Suisse Zool. 30: 317-336 (page 325, Stirps of instabilis)
• Santschi, F. 1927d. Revision des Messor du groupe instabilis Sm. (Hymenopt.). Bol. R. Soc. Esp. Hist. Nat. 27: 225-250 (page 237, Stirps of minor)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Barech G., M. Khaldi, S. Ziane, A. Zedam, S. Doumadji, M. Sharaf, and X. Espadaler. 2016. A first checklist and diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the saline dry lake Chott El Hodna in Algeria, a Ramsar Conservation Wetland. African Entomology 24(1): 143–152.
• Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
• Bouzekri M. A. 2011. Bioecologie des Formicidae dans la region de Djelfa: nidification et relation avec les plantes. Mphil Ecole National Superieure agronomique. 153pp.
• Bouzekri M., S. Daoudi-Hacini, H. Cagniant, and S. E. Doumandji. 2015. Etude comparative des associations (plantes-fourmis) dans une region steppique (cas de la region de Djelfa, Algerie). Lebanese Science Journal 16(1): 69-77.
• Cagniant, H., and X. Espadaler. "Le genre Messor au Maroc." Annales de la Société Entomologique de France (N.S.) 33 (4) (1998): 419-434.
• Cagniant, H.. "Contribution à la connaissance des fourmis marocaines: Aphaenogaster atlantis Santschi, 1929 bona species (n. status) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae)." Bulletin du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle Section A Zoologie, Biologia et Écologie Animales (4)12 (1990): 123-133.
• Cagniant, H.. "Deuxième liste de fourmis d'Algérie récoltées principalement en forêt. (1re partie)." Bulletin de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle de Toulouse 105 (1970): 405-430.
• Cagniant, H.. "Liste préliminaire de fourmis forestières d'Algérie. Résultats obtenus de 1963 à 1966." Bulletin de la Societe d'Histoire Naturelle de Toulouse 104 (1968): 138-147.
• Cagniant, H.. "Note sur le peuplement en fourmis d'une montagne de la région d'Alger, l'Atlas de Blida." Bulletin de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle de Toulouse 102 (1966): 278-284.
• Cagniant, H.. Les peuplements de fourmis des forêts algériennes: écologie, biocénotique, essai biologique. Universite de Toulouse, 1973.
• Chemala A., M. Benhamacha, D. M. Ould el Hadj, F. Marniche, and S. Daoudi. 2017. A preliminary list of the ant fauna in Northeastern Sahara of Algeria (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology 64(2): 146-154.
• 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
• Delye, G., and J. L. Bonaric. "Fourmis du sud Marocain." Etude de certains milieux du Maroc et de leux evolution recente RCP 249 (1973).
• Emery, C.. "Beiträge zur Monographie der Formiciden des paläarktischen Faunengebietes. (Hym.) Teil III. Messor, Goniomma, Oxyopomyrmex." Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 1908 (1908): 437-465.
• Forel A. 1905. Miscellanea myrmécologiques II (1905). Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 49: 155-185.
• Forel, A.. "Miscellanea myrmécologiques II (1905)." Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique 49 (1905): 155-185.
• Ghahari H., C. A. Collingwood, M. Tabari, and H. Ostovan. 2009. Faunistic notes on Formicidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) of rice fields and surrounding grasslands in northern Iran. Mun. Ent. Zool. 4(1): 184-189.
• Menozzi C. 1934. Reperti mirmecofaunistici raccolti dal Prof. L di Caporiacco nelle oasi di Cufra e in altre localita del deserto Libico. Atti della Societa dei Naturalisti e Matematici di Modena (6)13(65): 153-166
• Santschi, F. 1927. Révision des Messor du groupe instabilis Sm. (Hymenopt.). Boletin de la Real Sociedad Española de Historia Natural 27: 225-250.
• Santschi, F.. "Nouvelles fourmis de Tunisie (3e note)." Bulletin de la Société d' Histoire naturelle de l' Afrique du Nord 1 (1910): 43-46.
• Santschi, F.. "Revision des Messor du groupe instabilis Sm. (Hymenopt.)." Boletín de la Real Sociedad española de Historia natural (Madrid) 27 (1927): 225-250.
• Santschi, F. 1910. Nouvelles fourmis de Tunisie (3e note). Bulletin de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle de l'Afrique du Nord 1: 43-46.
• Viehmeyer H. 1923. Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der mit Unterstützung der Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien aus der Erbschaft Treitl von F. Werner unternommenen zoologischen Expedition nach dem anglo-ägyptischen Sudan (Kordofan) 1914. VII. Hymenoptera A. Formicidae. Denkschriften der Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien. Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Klasse 98: 83-94.