Meranoplus magrettii

Colonies are found nesting in the soil of open habitats. There is a small round turret of vegetation at the nest opening. These small ants are relatively slow moving and inconspicuous. They forage at night.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zimbabwe.

Habitat
Known from savannah, open-woodland and grassland habitats.

Nomenclature

 * . Meranoplus magrettii André, 1884a: 245 (w.) SUDAN (date of publication 15.iv.1884).
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: Sudan: Suakin (P. Magretti).
 * Type-depositories: MNHN, MSNG.
 * [Also described as new by André, 1884b: 543 (date of publication 15.xi.1884).]
 * Menozzi & Consani, 1952: 66 (q.).
 * Status as species: Dalla Torre, 1893: 137; Mayr, 1893: 201; Forel, 1894b: 79; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 888; Emery, 1924d: 227; Menozzi & Consani, 1952: 66; Bolton, 1981a: 55 (redescription); Bolton, 1995b: 251; Hita Garcia, et al. 2013: 212.
 * Senior synonym of bondroiti: Bolton, 1981a: 55; Bolton, 1995b: 251.
 * Senior synonym of diversipilosus: Bolton, 1981a: 55; Bolton, 1995b: 251.
 * Senior synonym of nitidiventris: Bolton, 1981a: 55; Bolton, 1995b: 251.
 * Senior synonym of simoni: Bolton, 1981a: 55; Bolton, 1995b: 251.
 * Senior synonym of suturalis: Bolton, 1981a: 55; Bolton, 1995b: 251.
 * Material of the unavailable name springvalensis referred here by Bolton, 1981a: 55; Bolton, 1995b: 251.
 * Distribution: Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe.
 * bondroiti. Meranoplus bondroiti Santschi, 1915c: 254, fig. 4 (w.) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO.
 * Type-material: holotype worker.
 * Type-locality: Democratic Republic of Congo: Uzaga (Gérard).
 * [Note; Santschi merely says of the locality, “région des grandes Lacs”; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 887 provides “Belgian Congo”.]
 * Type-depository: NHMB.
 * Status as species: Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 887; Emery, 1924d: 227.
 * Junior synonym of magrettii: Bolton, 1981a: 55; Bolton, 1995b: 250.
 * diversipilosus. Meranoplus simoni var. diversipilosus Santschi, 1932a: 388 (w.) ZIMBABWE.
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: Zimbabwe (“S. Rhodesia”): Sawmills, 12.vii.1920 (G. Arnold).
 * Type-depositories: NHMB, SAMC.
 * Junior synonym of magrettii: Bolton, 1981a: 55; Bolton, 1995b: 251.
 * doddi. Meranoplus aerolus st. doddi Santschi, 1928e: 469 (q.) AUSTRALIA (Queensland).
 * [Note: aerolus is a misspelling of aureolus.]
 * Type-material: lectotype queen (by designation of Taylor, 1990c: 38), 4 paralectotype queens.
 * Type-locality: lectotype Australia: Queensland, Townsville, 25.v.1922 (F.P. Dodd); paralectotypes with same data.
 * Type-depositories: NHMB (lectotype); ANIC, NHMB (paralectotypes).
 * Subspecies of aureolus: Taylor & Brown, 1985: 66; Taylor, 1987a: 38.
 * Status as species: Taylor, 1990c: 38.
 * Species inquirenda, incertae sedis in Meranoplus: Taylor, 1990c: 38; Bolton, 1995b: 251.
 * Distribution: Australia.
 * nitidiventris. Meranoplus simoni subsp. nitidiventris Mayr, 1901b: 26 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: South Africa: Orange Free State, Bothaville (H. Brauns).
 * Type-depository: NHMW.
 * Arnold, 1917: 371 (q.m.).
 * Subspecies of simoni: Forel, 1913a: 116; Arnold, 1917: 370; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 888; Emery, 1924d: 227.
 * Junior synonym of magrettii: Bolton, 1981a: 55; Bolton, 1995b: 251.
 * simoni. Meranopus simoni Emery, 1895h: 41, pl. 2, fig. 23 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.
 * Type-material: holotype worker.
 * Type-locality: South Africa: Vrijburg, 1893 (E. Simon).
 * Type-depository: MSNG.
 * Status as species: Mayr, 1901b: 26; Arnold, 1917: 369; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 888; Emery, 1924d: 227; Menozzi, 1930b: 110.
 * Junior synonym of magrettii: Bolton, 1981a: 55; Bolton, 1995b: 251.
 * suturalis. Meranoplus simoni subsp. suturalis Forel, 1910e: 424 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: South Africa: Natal (Haviland).
 * Type-depository: MHNG.
 * Subspecies of simoni: Arnold, 1917: 370; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 889; Emery, 1924d: 227.
 * Junior synonym of magrettii: Bolton, 1981a: 55; Bolton, 1995b: 252.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Arnold G. 1917. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Part III. Myrmicinae. Annals of the South African Museum. 14: 271-402.
 * 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.
 * Diame L., B. Taylor, R. Blatrix, J. F. Vayssieres, J. Y. Rey, I. Grechi, and K. Diarra. 2017. A preliminary checklist of the ant (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) fauna of Senegal. Journal of Insect Biodiversity 5(15): 1-16.
 * Dieng M. M., A. B. Ndiaye, C. T. Ba, and B. Taylor. 2016. Les fourmis (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) de l’enclos d’acclimatation de Katane de la reserve de faune du Ferlo nord (Senegal). Int. J. Biol. Chem. Sci. 10(4): 1626-1636.
 * 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.
 * Forel A. 1910. Note sur quelques fourmis d'Afrique. Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique 54: 421-458.
 * 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
 * Koch F., and K. Vohland. 2004. Ants along a southern African transect - a basis for biodiversity change monitoring (Insecta, Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Zoosystematics and Evolution 80(2): 261-273.
 * Menozzi C. 1930. Formiche della Somalia italiana meridionale. Memorie della Società Entomologica Italiana. 9: 76-130.
 * Menozzi C., M. Consani. 1952. Missione biologica Sagan-Omo diretta dal Prof. E. Zavattari. Hymenoptera Formicidae. Rivista di Biologia Coloniale 11: 57-71.
 * Prins A. J., and J. J. Cillie. 1968. The ants collected in the Hluhluwe and Umfolozi game reserves. The Lammergeyer 8: 40-47.
 * Samways M. J. 1990. Species temporal variability: epigaeic ant assemblages and management for abundance and scarcity. Oecologia 84: 482-490.
 * Santschi F. 1915. Nouvelles fourmis d'Afrique. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 84: 244-282.
 * Santschi F. 1932. Formicides sud-africains. Pp. 381-392 in: Jeannel, R. (ed.) 1932. Société Entomologique de France. Livre du centenaire. Paris: Société Entomologique de France, xii + 729 pp.
 * 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