Meranoplus inermis

Identification
Meranoplus inermis is the only species in the nanus group, and the only known African species, to lack propodeal spines. Apart from this difference the two other species in the group are separated from inermis by the thicker, dorsally sculptured postpetiole in Meranoplus clypeatus, and the differently shaped posterior mesonotal margin in Meranoplus nanus which has 4-6 opaque projections spearated by very thin translucent cuticle.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Angola, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Zimbabwe.

Nomenclature

 * . Meranoplus inermis Emery, 1895h: 41, pl. 2, fig. 24 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: South Africa: Makapan, 1893 (E. Simon).
 * Type-depository: MSNG.
 * Subspecies of nanus: Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 888; Finzi, 1939a: 165.
 * Status as species: Emery, 1915g: 15; Arnold, 1917: 365; Emery, 1924d: 227; Bolton, 1981a: 52 (redescription); Bolton, 1995b: 251; Hita Garcia, et al. 2013: 212; Madl, 2019: 15.
 * Senior synonym of affinis: Bolton, 1981a: 52; Bolton, 1995b: 251.
 * Senior synonym of kiboshana: Bolton, 1981a: 52; Bolton, 1995b: 251.
 * Senior synonym of nanior: Bolton, 1981a: 52; Bolton, 1995b: 251.
 * Senior synonym of similis: Bolton, 1981a: 52; Bolton, 1995b: 251.
 * Senior synonym of soriculus: Bolton, 1981a: 52; Bolton, 1995b: 251.
 * Distribution: Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Zimbabwe.
 * affinis. Meranoplus nanus subsp. affinis Baroni Urbani, 1971b: 361.
 * Replacement name for Meranoplus nanus subsp. similis Karavaiev, 1931d: 44. [Junior primary homonym of Meranoplus similis Viehmeyer, 1922: 208.]
 * Junior synonym of inermis: Bolton, 1981a: 52; Bolton, 1995b: 250.
 * kiboshana. Meranoplus nanus var. kiboshana Emery, 1924d: 227.
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: Tanzania (“Afrique orientale”): Kibosho (Katona).
 * Type-depository: MHNG (probably also in HNHM).
 * [First available use of Meranoplus nanus subsp. nanior var. kiboshana Forel, 1907a: 12 (w.) TANZANIA; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
 * As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 888.
 * Junior synonym of inermis: Bolton, 1981a: 52; Bolton, 1995b: 251.
 * nanior. Meranoplus nanus subsp. nanior Forel, 1907a: 12 (w.) TANZANIA.
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: Tanzania (“Afrique orientale”): Mto-ya-Kifaru (Katona).
 * Type-depository: MHNG (probably also in HNHM).
 * Viehmeyer, 1922: 209 (q.).
 * Subspecies of nanus: Santschi, 1916b: 506; Arnold, 1917: 366; Viehmeyer, 1922: 209; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 888; Emery, 1924d: 227.
 * Junior synonym of inermis: Bolton, 1981a: 52; Bolton, 1995b: 251.
 * soriculus. Meranoplus nanus subsp. soriculus Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 184, fig. 45 (w.q.m.) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO.
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated, “numerous”), 5 syntype queens, 6 syntype males.
 * Type-locality: Democratic Republic of Congo (“Belgian Congo”): Avakubi (H.O. Lang).
 * Type-depositories: BMNH, MCZC, MRAC.
 * Subspecies of nanus: Weber, 1943c: 317.
 * Junior synonym of inermis: Bolton, 1981a: 52; Bolton, 1995b: 251.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Abera-Kalibata A. M., C. S. Gold, R. G. Van Driesche, and P. E. Ragama. 2007. Composition, distribution, and relative abundance of ants in banana farming systems in Uganda. Biological Control 40: 168-178.
 * Arnold G. 1917. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Part III. Myrmicinae. Annals of the South African Museum. 14: 271-402.
 * Belshaw R., and B. Bolton. 1994. A survey of the leaf litter ant fauna in Ghana, West Africa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research 3: 5-16.
 * Bolton B. 1981. A revision of the ant genera Meranoplus F. Smith, Dicroaspis Emery and Calyptomyrmex Emery (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Ethiopian zoogeographical region. Bull. Br. Mus. (Nat. Hist.) Entomol. 42: 43-81.
 * Emery C. 1895. Voyage de M. E. Simon dans l'Afrique australe (janvier-avril 1893). 3e mémoire. Formicides. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 64: 15-56.
 * Finzi B. 1939. Materiali zoologici dell'Eritrea raccolti da G. Müller durante la spedizione dell'Istituto Sieroterapico Milanese e conservati al Museo di Trieste. Parte III. Hymenoptera: Formicidae. Atti del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Trieste 14: 153-168.
 * 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
 * IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection
 * Karavaiev V. 1931. Ameisen aus Englisch-Ostafrika. Zool. Anz. 95: 42-51.
 * 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.
 * Nsengimana V., K. A. Beth, F. Frederic, K. M. M. Lombart, D. Wouter, and N. Donat. 2018. Use of soil and litter ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as biological indicators of soil quality under different land uses in Southern Rwanda. Environmental Entomology 47(6): 1394-1401.
 * Samways M. J. 1990. Species temporal variability: epigaeic ant assemblages and management for abundance and scarcity. Oecologia 84: 482-490.
 * Taylor B., N. Agoinon, A. Sinzogan, A. Adandonon, Y. N'Da Kouagou, S. Bello, R. Wargui, F. Anato, I. Ouagoussounon, H. Houngbo, S. Tchibozo, R. Todjhounde, and J. F. Vayssieres. 2018. Records of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Republic of Benin, with particular reference to the mango farm ecosystem. Journal of Insect Biodiversity 8(1): 006–029.
 * 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. II. The ants collected by the American Museum Congo Expedition. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 39-269.
 * 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