Monomorium pallidipes

Monomorium pallidipes
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Solenopsidini
Genus:	Monomorium
Species:	M. pallidipes
Binomial name
Monomorium pallidipes Forel, 1910 Specimen Labels

This species has been collected in a closed Acacia woodland.

Identification

Bolton (1987) - A member of the M. leopoldinum complex in the M. monomorium species group. This small dark Ethiopian species is related to Monomorium madecassum, but is distinctly different in the construction of the clypeus, shape of the alitrunk and form of the petiole and its ventral process. In monomorium the prominent median portion of the anterior clypeus is narrow and distinctly notched or indented, the propodeum is shorter and more strongly convex, and the subpetiolar process is a small lobe.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Afrotropical Erromyrma, Monomorium, Syllophopsis and Trichomyrmex species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 32.033333° to -24.93116°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Eritrea, Ethiopia (type locality), Kenya.

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.

Nomenclature

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

• pallidipes. Monomorium minutum var. pallidipes Forel, 1910c: 252 (in text) (w.) ERITREA.
  • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
  • Type-locality: Eritrea: Nefassit (K. Escherich).
  • Type-depository: MHNG.
  • Forel, 1913d: 430 (q.).
  • Subspecies of minutum: Karavaiev, 1911: 5; Forel, 1913d: 430; Santschi, 1914b: 72; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 864; Emery, 1922e: 172; Finzi, 1939a: 164; Ettershank, 1966: 91.
  • Status as species: Bolton, 1987: 405 (redescription); Bolton, 1995b: 265; Hita Garcia, et al. 2013: 213; Madl, 2019: 15.
  • Distribution: Eritrea.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Bolton (1987) - TL 1.5, HL 0.41-0.42, HW 0.33-0.34, CI 79-81, SL 0.28-0.29, SI 83-88, PW 0.20-0.21, AL 0.39-0.40 (3 measured).

Clypeal carinae moderately well developed, clearly visible, reaching the anterior margin and strongly divergent anteriorly; the anterior margin and the carinae forming almost an equilateral triangle. Prominent median portion of clypeus broad and sharply defined, with a transverse to slightly concave anterior margin between the apices of the clypeal carinae and with an obtuse but conspicuous angle between the anterior and lateral margins. The clypeal carinae meet the anterior margin mesad of the angles separating anterior and lateral margins. Maximum diameter of eye 0.18-0.20 x HW, with 5 ommatidia in the longest row. With the head in full-face view the eyes distinctly in front of the midlength of the sides and the scapes, when laid straight back from their insertions, failing to reach the occipital margin. Sides of head straight to shallowly convex in full-face view, the occipital margin broad and shallowly concave. Head in profile dorsoventrally flattened, the dorsal and ventral surfaces only feebly convex. Promesonotum in profile low and shallowly convex, scarcely higher than the propodeum. Metanotal groove broadly but shallowly impressed, traversed by short but sharply defined cross-ribs. Propodeum highest immediately behind the meta notal groove where it is only slightly lower than the highest point of the promesonotum. Behind this the dorsum very shallowly convex and sloping posteriorly, then rounding broadly and evenly into the short declivity. Propodeal spiracle small and relatively high on the side. Petiole with a short stout anterior peduncle and a low broadly subconical node . Subpetiolar process an elongate narrow strip which runs back to a point just posterior to the level of the spiracle. Postpetiole smaller and lower than the petiole, more broadly rounded above. All dorsal surfaces with standing hairs, the promesonotum with 5 pairs. Sculpture absent except from the metanotal cross-ribs and minute scattered hair-pits. Colour uniform medium to dark brown.

Type Material

Bolton (1987) - Syntype workers, Ethiopia: Nefassit (K. Escherich) (Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève) [examined].

References

• Bolton, B. 1987. A review of the Solenopsis genus-group and revision of Afrotropical Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology. 54: 263-452.. (page 405, Raised to species)
• Forel, A. 1910c. Ameisen aus der Kolonie Erythräa. Gesammelt von Prof. Dr. K. Escherich (nebst einigen in West-Abessinien von Herrn A. Ilg gesammelten Ameisen). Zool. Jahrb. Abt. Syst. Geogr. Biol. Tiere 29: 243-274 (page 252, worker described)
• Forel, A. 1913d. Fourmis de la faune méditerranéenne récoltées par MM. U. et J. Sahlberg. Rev. Suisse Zool. 21: 427-438 (page 430, queen described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Ettershank G. 1966. A generic revision of the world Myrmicinae related to Solenopsis and Pheidologeton (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Aust. J. Zool. 14: 73-171.
• Forel, A. "Fourmis de la faune méditerranéenne récoltées par MM. U. et J. Sahlberg." Revue Suisse de Zoologie 21 (1913): 427-438.
• Garcia F.H., Wiesel E. and Fischer G. 2013.The Ants of Kenya (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)—Faunal Overview, First Species Checklist, Bibliography, Accounts for All Genera, and Discussion on Taxonomy and Zoogeography. Journal of East African Natural History, 101(2): 127-222
• Karavaiev V. 1911. Ameisen aus Aegypten und dem Sudan. Rus. Entomol. Obozr. 11: 1-12.
• Madl M. 2019. Notes on the ant fauna of Eritrea (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae): type specimens deposited in the Natural History Museum Vienna (Austria) and a preliminary checklist. Ann. Naturhist. Mus. Wien, B 121: 9-18.
• Weber N. A. 1943. The ants of the Imatong Mountains, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 93: 263-389.
• Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VIII. A synonymic list of the ants of the Ethiopian region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 711-1004