Monomorium

Bolton (1987) and Hita Garcia, Wiesel and Fischer (2013) - Monomorium is a large and extremely diverse genus (~400 species) with about half of its constituent species occuring in the Afrotropical zoogeographical region. The vast majority of Monomorium species inhabit the Old World, particularly the tropics. Very few endemic species occur in North America (DuBois, 1986), and even fewer in the neotropical region where Monomorium is mostly replaced by an extensive Solenopsis fauna (Kempf, 1972). The main centres of speciation of Monomorium include Africa and Australia, with secondary centres in the Oriental region (Bingham, 1903) and Madagascar. Workers of Monomorium show a striking morphological diversity from group to group but within species-groups tend to be relatively uniform in structure. This genus contains some of the world's most widely distributed and successful tramp-species. Considering the wide distribution and species richness, it is not surprising that Monomorium are found in many terrestrial habitats and microhabitats. Astonishingly, very little is known of the natural history of most species (Ettershank, 1966). Feeding habits of most species seem to be generalistic, or more rarely granivorous. Several species are lestobiotic or parasitic and in addition, some species belong to the most successful and broadly distributed ant tramps (Ettershank, 1966; Bolton, 1987).

Species richness
Species richness by country based on regional taxon lists (countries with darker colours are more species-rich). View Data



Regional Species List
Australian Monomorium Species

Biology
Eguchi, Bui and Yamane (2011) - Monomorium species are found in various habitats such as bare lands, grasslands, forest edges and well-developed forests. Their nests are usually found under stones and in soil. Most species forage on the ground (Eguchi & Bui 2009).

Castes
Monomorium is generally known to be polygynous, including species with winged queens, e.g., M. pharaonis (see Schmidt & al. 2011), M. subopacum; species with ergatoid queens, e.g., M. creticum (A. Buschinger, unpubl.), M. medinae (Espadaler 1982), M. hesperium (Espadaler & Agosti 1985); species with both types of queens, e.g., M. ergatogyna (Ward 2005), M. cf. rubriceps (Buschinger 2011), M. subapterum (Fersch & al. 2000). M. algiricum has ergatoid queens only, and Peeters & Tinaut 2014 found both monogynous and polygynous colonies.

Nomenclature

 *  MONOMORIUM [Myrmicinae: Solenopsidini]
 * Monomorium Mayr, 1855: 452. Type-species: Monomorium minutum (junior secondary homonym in Monomorium, replaced by Monomorium monomorium), by monotypy.
 * Monomorium senior synonym of †Lampromyrmex: Wheeler, W.M. 1915h: 45; Ettershank, 1966: 82; Bolton, 1987: 287.
 * Monomorium senior synonym of Paraphacota: Santschi, 1927d: 243; Ettershank, 1966: 82; Bolton, 1987: 287.
 * Monomorium senior synonym of Epixenus: Brown & Wilson, 1957b: 244; Ettershank, 1966: 82; Bolton, 1987: 287; Tinaut & Ortiz, 1988: 167.
 * Monomorium senior synonym of Corynomyrmex, Epixenus, Epoecus, Equestrimessor, Holcomyrmex, Ireneidris, Isolcomyrmex, †Lampromyrmex (and its junior synonym Mitara), Paraphacota, Parholcomyrmex, Trichomyrmex, Wheeleria (homonym), Wheeleriella, Xenhyboma, Xeromyrmex: Ettershank, 1966: 82; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1381; Bolton, 1987: 287.
 * Monomorium senior synonym of Chelaner (and its junior synonyms Notomyrmex, Protholcomyrmex, Schizopelta): Bolton, 1987: 287.
 * Monomorium senior synonym of Antichthonidris: Heterick, 2001: 361.
 * Monomorium senior synonym of Nothidris, Phacota: Fernández, in Heterick, 2006: 79; Fernández, 2007b: 130.
 * ANTICHTHONIDRIS [junior synonym of Monomorium]
 * Antichthonidris Snelling, R.R. 1975: 5. Type-species: Monomorium denticulatum, by original designation.
 * Antichthonidris junior synonym of Monomorium: Heterick, 2001: 361.
 * CHELANER [junior synonym of Monomorium]
 * Chelaner Emery, 1914f: 410 [as subgenus of Monomorium]. Type-species: Monomorium (Chelaner) forcipatum, by subsequent designation of Emery, 1922e: 168.
 * Chelaner raised to genus: Ettershank, 1966: 93.
 * Chelaner senior synonym of Notomyrmex, Protholcomyrmex, Schizopelta: Ettershank, 1966: 93.
 * Chelaner (and its junior synonyms Notomyrmex, Protholcomyrmex, Schizopelta) junior synonym of Monomorium: Bolton, 1987: 300.
 * CORYNOMYRMEX [junior synonym of Monomorium]
 * Corynomyrmex Viehmeyer, 1916a: 133 [as subgenus of Monomorium]. Type-species: Monomorium (Corynomyrmex) hospitum, by monotypy.
 * Corynomyrmex junior synonym of Monomorium: Bolton, 1987: 287.
 * EPIXENUS [junior synonym of Monomorium]
 * Epixenus Emery, 1908f: 556. Type-species: Epixenus andrei (junior secondary homonym in Monomorium, replaced by Monomorium advena), by subsequent designation of Wheeler, W.M. 1911f: 163.
 * Epixenus junior synonym of Monomorium: Brown & Wilson, 1957b: 244; Ettershank, 1966: 82; Bolton, 1987: 292; Tinaut & Ortiz, 1988: 167.
 * EPOECUS [junior synonym of Monomorium]
 * Epoecus Emery, 1893a: cclxxvi. Type-species: Epoecus pergandei, by monotypy.
 * Epoecus junior synonym of Monomorium: Ettershank, 1966: 82; Bolton, 1987: 298.
 * ISOLCOMYRMEX [junior synonym of Monomorium]
 * Isolcomyrmex Santschi, 1917b: 296 [as subgenus of Monomorium]. Type-species: Holcomyrmex santschii (junior secondary homonym in Monomorium, replaced by Monomorium santschianum), by monotypy.
 * Isolcomyrmex junior synonym of Monomorium: Ettershank, 1966: 82; Bolton, 1987: 296.
 * †LAMPROMYRMEX [junior synonym of Monomorium]
 * †Lampromyrmex Mayr, 1868c: 93. Type-species: †Lampromyrmex gracillimus (junior secondary homonym in Monomorium, replaced by †Monomorium mayrianum), by monotypy.
 * †Lampromyrmex junior synonym of Monomorium: Wheeler, W.M. 1915h: 45.
 * †Lampromyrmex revived from synonymy as subgenus of Monomorium: Emery, 1922e: 183; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 676.
 * †Lampromyrmex senior synonym of Mitara: Emery, 1922e: 183; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 676.
 * †Lampromyrmex junior synonym of Monomorium: Ettershank, 1966: 82; Bolton, 1987: 299.
 * MITARA [junior synonym of Monomorium]
 * Mitara Emery, 1913b: 261 [as subgenus of Monomorium]. Type-species: Monomorium laeve, by original designation.
 * Mitara junior synonym of †Lampromyrmex: Emery, 1922e: 183; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 162, 676.
 * Mitara junior synoynm of Monomorium: Ettershank, 1966: 82; Bolton, 1987: 299.
 * NOTHIDRIS [junior synonym of Monomorium]
 * Nothidris Ettershank, 1966: 105. Type-species: Monomorium latastei, by original designation.
 * Monomorium senior synonym of Nothidris: Fernández, in Heterick, 2006: 79; Fernández, 2007b: 130.
 * NOTOMYRMEX [junior synonym of Monomorium]
 * Notomyrmex Emery, 1915i: 190 [as subgenus of Monomorium]. Type-species: Atta antarctica, by original designation.
 * Notomyrmex raised to genus: Kusnezov, 1957a: 269 (in key); Kusnezov, 1960b: 343.
 * Notomyrmex junior synonym of Chelaner: Ettershank, 1966: 93
 * Notomyrmex junior synonym of Monomorium: Bolton, 1987: 287.
 * PARAPHACOTA [junior synonym of Monomorium]
 * Paraphacota Santschi, 1919d: 90. Type-species: Paraphacota surcoufi, by monotypy.
 * [Type-species not Phacota noualhieri, unjustified subsequent designation by Santschi, 1927d: 245; this error repeated in Ettershank, 1966: 82 and Bolton, 1973a: 352.]
 * Paraphacota junior synonym of Monomorium: Santschi, 1927d: 243; Bolton, 1987: 293.
 * PHACOTA [junior synonym of Monomorium]
 * Phacota Roger, 1862b: 260. Type-species: Phacota sichelii, by monotypy.
 * Phacota junior synonym of Monomorium: Ettershank, 1966: 82.
 * Phacota revived from synonymy: Bolton, 1987: 281.
 * Monomorium senior synonym of Phacota: Fernández, in Heterick, 2006: 79; Fernández, 2007b: 130.
 * PHARAOPHANES [junior synonym of Monomorium]
 * Pharaophanes Bernard, 1967: 168, attributed to Santschi [as subgenus of Monomorium]. Type-species: Formica pharaonis, by monotypy.
 * Pharaophanes junior synonym of Monomorium: Bolton, 2003: 213.
 * [Pharaophanes Bernard, 1953b: 238, attributed to Santschi [as subgenus of Monomorium]. Unavailable name; proposed without designation of type-species. Species included by Bernard (1953b) are all referable to Monomorium: Bolton, 1987: 288; Bolton, 1995b: 42 (see also note in Baroni Urbani, 1971c: 90).]
 * PROTHOLCOMYRMEX [junior synonym of Monomorium]
 * Protholcomyrmex Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 162 [as subgenus of Monomorium]. Type-species: Monomorium rothsteini, by original designation.
 * Protholcomyrmex junior synonym of Chelaner: Ettershank, 1966: 93.
 * Protholcomyrmex junior synonym of Monomorium: Bolton, 1987: 287, 300].
 * SCHIZOPELTA [junior synonym of Monomorium]
 * Schizopelta McAreavey, 1949: 14. Type-species: Schizopelta falcata, by original designation.
 * Schizopelta junior synonym of Chelaner: Ettershank, 1966: 93.
 * Schizopelta junior synonym of Monomorium: Bolton, 1987: 287.
 * WHEELERIELLA [junior synonym of Monomorium]
 * Wheeleriella Forel, 1907f: 145. Replacement name for Wheeleria Forel, 1905b: 171. [Junior homonym of Wheeleria Tutt, 1905: 37 (Lepidoptera).]
 * Wheeleriella junior synonym of Monomorium: Ettershank, 1966: 82; Bolton, 1987: 291.
 * XENHYBOMA [junior synonym of Monomorium]
 * Xenhyboma Santschi, 1919g: 405. Type-species: Xenhyboma mystes (junior synonym of Monomorium medinae), by monotypy.
 * Xenhyboma junior synonym of Monomorium: Espadaler, 1982: 112; Bolton, 1987: 293.
 * XEROMYRMEX [junior synonym of Monomorium]
 * Xeromyrmex Emery, 1915i: 190 [as subgenus of Monomorium]. Type-species: Formica salomonis, by original designation.
 * Xeromyrmex junior synonym of Monomorium: Ettershank, 1966: 82; Bolton, 1987: 294.