Monomorium pharaonis

Identification
Reddish yellow, head and alitrunk closely punctured, dull. Length 2-2.4 mm (Collingwood 1979).

Distribution
This taxon was described from Egypt. It is also found in Mozambique, Australia, Philippines, Ecuador, Brazil, New Guinea, Bolivia, Uruguay, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, Suriname, Paraguay, French Guiana, Guyana, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Canada, United States, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Israel, Eritrea, Kenya, Tanzania, India, Zimbabwe, Seychelles, Réunion, Angola, Cameroon, Egypt, Sudan, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Kyrgyzstan, Japan, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Bangladesh, Viet Nam, Thailand, and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Biology
Collingwood (1979) -Colonies are very large, polygynous and polycalic often with several millions of individuals. Workers and queens forage in long trails and live by scavenging on food materials, dead animals and insects. Nests are often sited deep in foundations and are very difficult to eradicate by fumigation or insecticides.

Nomenclature

 *  pharaonis. Formica pharaonis Linnaeus, 1758: 580 (w.) EGYPT. Mayr, 1865: 90 (m.); André, 1883a: 338 (q.); Forel, 1891b: 164 (w.q.m.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1955c: 121 (l.); Petralia & Vinson, 1980: 383 (l.); Imai, 1966: 119 (k.). Combination in Monomorium: Mayr, 1862: 752. Senior synonym of antiguensis, domestica: Roger, 1862c: 294; of contigua, fragilis: Mayr, 1886c: 359; of minuta: Emery, 1892b: 165; Bolton, 1987: 288; of vastator: Donisthorpe, 1932c: 449. See also: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1383; Bolton, 1987: 356; Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 164; Heterick, 2006: 100.
 * antiguensis. Formica antiguensis Fabricius, 1793: 357 (w.) WEST INDIES. Junior synonym of pharaonis: Roger, 1862c: 294.
 * domestica. Myrmica domestica Shuckard, 1838: 627 (w.q.) GREAT BRITAIN. Smith, F. 1851: 119 (m.). Junior synonym of pharaonis: Roger, 1862c: 294. See also: Curtis, 1854: 217; Bolton, 1987: 356.
 * minuta. Atta minuta Jerdon, 1851: 105 (w.q.) INDIA. Junior synonym of pharaonis: Emery, 1892b: 165; Bolton, 1987: 288, 356.
 * vastator. Myrmica vastator Smith, F. 1857a: 71 (w.) SINGAPORE. Combination in Monomorium: Mayr, 1886c: 359. Junior synonym of destructor: Dalla Torre, 1893: 66; of pharaonis: Donisthorpe, 1932c: 449.
 * contigua. Myrmica contigua Smith, F. 1858b: 125 (q.) SRI LANKA. Junior synonym of pharaonis: Mayr, 1886c: 359.
 * fragilis. Myrmica fragilis Smith, F. 1858b: 124 (w.) SINGAPORE. Junior synonym of pharaonis: Mayr, 1886c: 359.