Technomyrmex montaseri

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
Sharaf et al. (2011) - This new species is characterized by the combination of the following characters: Head, mesosoma and all gastral tergites without setae. Anterior clypeal margin with a shallow but distinct median concavity. In full-face view the occipital margin and the sides of the head are convex.

This new species is a member of the Technomyrmex gibbosus-group as defined by Bolton (2007) and cannot be identified with any of the Technomyrmex species in his extensive review. T. montaseri appears taxonomically closest to Technomyrmex vexatus, known only from Morocco and Gibraltar, and Technomyrmex gibbosus, which was described from Japan and otherwise know only from North Korea (Radchenko 2005). All three species are completely without setae on the head behind the clypeus, or on the mesosoma including the propodeal declivity. With the mesosoma in profile the mesonotal dorsal outline is convex, consisting of a shallowly convex anterior section that curves broadly and evenly into a more sloping shallow convexity that descends to the metanotal groove. The propodeum in profile has a short convex dorsal surface that rounds into the declivity. Scapes and tibiae without setae. T. montaseri may be closer to T. vexatus, but differs in colour which is uniform yellow while it is brown in T. vexatus. T. montaseri also is consistently smaller, TL 2.8-2.9 versus TL 3.-3.4. T. montaseri has the eyes located in front of the midlength of the head, whereas in T. vexatus they are situated close to the midlength; thus the eye position index is larger, EPI 80-125, versus EPI 68-76. T. montaseri has a higher scape index, SI 97-109 versus SI 90-94; has a smaller Weber’s length of mesosoma, WL 0.65-0.80 versus WL 0.90-0.96, and has a clearly convex occipital margin, that is very shallowly impressed in T. vexatus. Additionally, T. montaseri has completely bare gastral tergites, while in T. vexatus gastral tergites 1-3 are without setae but the fourth has 2-3 pairs. T. montaseri lacks pubescence on the first gastral tergite, whereas short and sparse pubescence is present in T. vexatus.

T. montaseri and T. gibbosus are similar in most measurements but the scape length in T. montaseri is consistently larger, SL 0.58-0.62 versus SL 0.50-0.54. T. montaseri has a higher cephalic index, CI 95-97 versus SI 86-91, a higher scape index, SI 97-109 versus SI 85-93; a significantly higher eye position index, EPI 80-125 versus EPI 50-58; and a smaller Weber’s length of mesosoma, WL 0.65-0.80 versus WL 0.76-0.84. In T. montaseri the posterior margin of the head and the sides are broadly convex, whereas in T. gibbosus the posterior margin of the head has a median indentation and the sides are only shallowly convex. In T. montaseri all gastral tergites are bare whereas in T. gibbosus gastral tergites 1-3 lack setae but the fourth tergite has 1-2 pairs. T. montaseri is yellow while T. gibbosus has a medium to dark brown mesosoma, often with a reddish tint; the gasters are about the same medium to dark brown, with the legs dull yellow to yellowish brown. Moreover, T. gibbosus has very fine, short, appressed pubescence present on the first and second gastral tergites. This pubescence is somewhat more dense in T. gibbosus than T. vexatus.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Saudi Arabia, Yemen. Palaearctic Region: Oman.

Nomenclature

 *  montaseri. Technomyrmex montaseri Sharaf, Collingwood & Aldawood, 2011: 14, figs. 1-3 (w.) OMAN.

Worker
Holotype: TL: 2.90; HL: 0.60; HW: 0.57; SL: 0.62; PW: 0.37; WL: 0.80; EL: 0.15; Indices: CI: 95; SI: 109; OI: 26; EPI: 80; DTI: 122

Paratype: TL: 2.80; HL: 0.62; HW: 0.60; SL: 0.58; PW: 0.38; WL:0.65; EL: 0.15; Indices: CI: 97; SI: 97; OI: 25; EPI: 125; DTI: 126

Other workers, as Technomyrmex species B, measurements given by Collingwood (1985) are as follows: TL:2.20, HL:0.52; HW:0.52; SL:0.62; EL: 0.16; SI:119

Dorsum of head behind clypeus entirely lacks setae. Anterior clypeal margin with a shallow but distinct median concavity. In full-face view the posterior margin of the head and the sides clearly convex. Eyes of moderate size, located in front of the midlength and their outer margins just failing to break the outline of the sides. Sculpture of head a very weak, superficial and effaced microreticulum. Dorsum of mesosoma and propodeal declivity entirely lack setae. With mesosoma in profile the mesonotal dorsal outline consists of an anterior section that is short and flat to feebly convex; posterior to this the surface curves broadly and evenly into a larger, more steeply sloped posterior section that descends to the narrow mesonotal groove. Propodeum in profile with a short convex dorsal surface that rounds evenly into the declivity, the two surfaces not separating by an angle. Sculpture reduced and superficial on dorsal mesosoma and all gastral tergites; the latter without pubescence. All gastral tergites, scapes and tibiae without setae. Colour uniform yellow.

Type Material
Holotype worker. Oman, Bani Sur, 7.iii.1984 (W. Büttiker); the entomological Collection,, deposited by Mr Guy T. Knight). Paratypes. 7 workers with same data as holotype in the World Museum, Liverpool (WML) (deposited by the senior author), 1 worker with same data as holotype, The Natural History Museum, London (deposited by B. Bolton) and 1 worker, Oman Eastern sand project (Leg. Collingwood) at WML.

Etymology
A patronymic name (T. montaseri) is proposed in honor of Mosrafa Sharaf's friend the famous Egyptian journalist Mr. Salah Montaser (Al-Ahram News paper).