Monomorium niloticum

In Oman this species was found nesting under a rock with several unidentified silverfish (Thysanura) in nest galleries. Several workers were observed foraging on the ground. (Sharaf et al 2018)

Identification
Collingwood and Agosti (1996) - This is the most conspicuous and abundant of the larger Monomorium species throughout western and central areas of Saudi Arabia, Oman and Yemen. It is not recorded from Kuwait or eastern coastal areas of Arabia and seems not to occur in desert sands away from townships, agricultural and irrigated areas. There is some variation in dorsal pilosity but the alitrunk always has several pairs of hairs.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates. Palaearctic Region: Egypt, Israel, Oman.

Nomenclature

 *  niloticum. Monomorium niloticum Emery, 1881b: 533 (w.) EGYPT. Combination in M. (Xeromyrmex): Emery, 1922e: 179. Subspecies of venustum: Forel, 1910a: 6; Wheeler, W.M. & Mann, 1916: 170; Stitz, 1917: 346; Finzi, 1936: 175. Revived status as species: Santschi, 1936a: 37. See also: Collingwood & Agosti, 1996: 352. Current subspecies: nominal plus gracilicorne, niloticoides.

Worker
Collingwood and Agosti (1996) - HW 0.80-0.88; CI 77-85; SI 100-120; EL/HW 0.285-0.32.

The head is somewhat rectangular in shape but narrowing above the eyes to the widely emarginate occiput. The rather flat mesonotum falls obliquely to the broad and deep mesopropodeal furrow. The propodeal dorsum is at a lower level than the mesonotum with the convex dorsum rounding smoothly into the descending face. The propodeal furrow is well defined with raised side margins. There are 3-4 pairs of hairs on the pronotum, 4-5 on the mesonotum, two on the propodeum, two on the petiole, three on the postpetiole and 6-7 on the first gastral tergite. The head and promesonotum have superficial sculpture with a general shining appearance; the propodeum is punctate with a transverse striate effect. Head, alitrunk and nodes are pale red with the gaster usually darker.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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 * Barech G., M. Khaldi, X. Espadaler, and H. Cagniant. 2017. The genus Monomorium Mayr, 1855 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in the Maghreb (North Africa): Identification key, redescription of Monomorium major Bernard, 1953 and new records from Algeria. Boletin de la Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa 61: 151-157.
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 * 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. "Hymenoptera: Fam. Formicidae of Saudi Arabia." Fauna of Saudi Arabia 7 (1985): 230-302.
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 * Emery, C. "Beiträge zur Monographie der Formiciden des paläarktischen Faunengebietes. (Hym.) Teil V. Monomorium." Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 1908 (1908): 663-686.
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 * 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.
 * Izhaki I., B. Idelovich, R. Laster, and Y. Ofer. 2009. The impact of macro- vs micro environmental factors on the structure of ant communities inhabiting East-Mediterranean Aleppo pine forests. Israel Journal of Entomology 39: 129-146.
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 * Mashaly A. M. A., N. I. Shoker, and M. Waleed Negm. 2011. Observations on mites (Arachnida: Acari) associated with three ant species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Saudi Arabia. Pakistan J. Zool. 43(6): 1095-1100.
 * 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
 * Orabi G. M., F. M. Semida, M. S. Abdel-Dayem, M. R. Sharaf, and S. M. Zalat. 2011. Diversity patterns of ants along an elevation gradient at St. Catherine Protectorate, South Sinai, Egypt (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zoology in the Middle East 54(1): 101-112.
 * Santschi, F. 1936. Étude sur les fourmis du genre Monomorium Mayr. Bulletin de la Société des Sciences Naturelles du Maroc 16: 32-64
 * 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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 * Wheeler W. M. and W. M. Mann. 1916. The ants of the Phillips Expedition to Palestine during 1914. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 60: 167-174.
 * Wheeler W. M., and W. M. Mann. 1916. The ants of the Phillips Expedition to Palestine during 1914. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 60: 167-174.