Messor structor

Widespread in southern Europe and NW Africa. In the Middle East and Central Asia there are some forms which have never been taxonomically reviewed (Rigato & Toni, 2011).

Distribution
This taxon was described from France. It is also found in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.

Nomenclature

 *  structor. Formica structor Latreille, 1798: 46 (w.m.) FRANCE. Latreille, 1802c: 237 (q.). Combination in Manica: Jurine, 1807: 279; in Atta: Mayr, 1855: 464; in Myrmica: Nylander, 1856b: 85; in Aphaenogaster: Roger, 1863b: 29; in A. (Messor): Forel, 1892i: 316; in Stenamma (Messor): Emery, 1898c: 126; in Messor: Emery, 1897f: 238; Ruzsky, 1903b: 315. Subspecies of barbarus: Emery, 1908e: 455; Forel, 1910a: 9; Emery, 1914d: 156; Santschi, 1917e: 91; Menozzi, 1918: 83; Santschi, 1921a: 110; Emery, 1924b: 12. Status as species: Nasonov, 1889: 37; Ruzsky, 1905b: 728; Forel, 1915d: 35; Bondroit, 1918: 150; Finzi, 1924a: 13; Menozzi, 1926b: 181; Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1927a: 92; Finzi, 1930d: 312; Karavaiev, 1934: 108; Bernard, 1967: 144; Baroni Urbani, 1971c: 66. Senior synonym of aedificator: Mayr, 1855: 464; of mutica: Mayr, 1855: 464; Nylander, 1856b: 85; Smith, F. 1858b: 162; Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 114; Radchenko, 2007: 31; of lapidum: Nylander, 1856b: 85; of tyrrhena: Emery, 1921b: 210; of rufitarsis: Nylander, 1856b: 85; Smith, F. 1858b: 162; Mayr, 1863: 397; Nasonov, 1889: 37; Emery, 1921f: 73; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987a: 54; Casevitz-Weulersse, 1990a: 154; Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 115; of clivorum (and its junior synonyms rubella, subpolitus), jakowlevi, tataricus, turanicus (and its junior synonym darianus) and material of the unavailable name romana referred here: Dlussky, Soyunov & Zabelin, 1990: 224; of novaki, varrialei: Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 114; of sevani: Arakelian, 1994: 39. Current subspecies: nominal plus aegaeus, platyceras, tadzhikorum.
 * lapidum. Formica lapidum Fabricius, 1804: 407 (w.) AUSTRIA. Junior synonym of structor: Nylander, 1856b: 85.
 * rufitarsis. Formica rufitarsis Fabricius, 1804: 406 (w.) AUSTRIA. Combination in Aphaenogaster: Roger, 1863b: 29; in Messor: Emery, 1921b: 211. Junior synonym of structor: Nylander, 1856b: 85; Smith, F. 1858b: 162; Mayr, 1863: 397; Nasonov, 1889: 37; Emery, 1921f: 73. Revived from synonymy as subspecies of barbarus: Emery, 1921b: 211. Subspecies of structor: Santschi, 1926f: 290; Menozzi, 1933b: 54. Status as species: Röszler, 1942a: 51; Bernard, 1955a: 361 (in key); Bernard, 1967: 144; Baroni Urbani, 1971c: 63; Kutter, 1977c: 82; Arnol'di, 1977b: 1643; Arnol'di & Dlussky, 1978: 537 (in key). Junior synonym of structor: Agosti & Collingwood, 1987a: 54; Casevitz-Weulersse, 1990a: 154.
 * aedificator. Formica aedificator Schilling, 1839: 56 (w.) POLAND. Junior synonym of structor: Mayr, 1855: 464.
 * mutica. Myrmica mutica Nylander, 1849: 39 (w.q.m.) RUSSIA. Combination in Aphaenogaster: Roger, 1863b: 29; in Stenamma (Messor): Emery, 1898c: 126; in Messor: Ruzsky, 1903b: 315. Junior synonym of structor: Mayr, 1855: 464; Nylander, 1856b: 85; Smith, F. 1858b: 162. Revived from synonymy as subspecies of structor: Emery, 1898c: 126; Ruzsky, 1904b: 4; Bondroit, 1918: 151; Santschi, 1934d: 275. Junior synonym of rufitarsis: Bernard, 1967: 144. Revived from synonymy as subspecies of rufitarsis: Arnol'di, 1977b: 1643. Revived status as species: Agosti & Collingwood, 1987a: 54. Junior synonym of structor: Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 114; Radchenko, 2007: 31.
 * tyrrhena. Stenamma (Messor) structor var. tyrrhena Emery, 1898c: 141 (w.q.m.) ITALY. Combination in Messor: Emery, 1908e: 456. Junior synonym of structor: Emery, 1921b: 210.
 * clivorum. Messor structor var. clivorum Ruzsky, 1905b: 735 (s.w.) KAZAKHSTAN. Karavaiev, 1927a: 286 (q.m.). Subspecies of barbarus: Emery, 1908e: 454; Forel, 1910a: 24. Raised to species: Emery, 1921b: 210 (footnote); Dlussky, 1962: 179; Tarbinsky, 1976: 56; Arnol'di, 1977b: 1639. Senior synonym of rubella: Emery, 1921b: 210; of subpolitus: Tarbinsky, 1976: 56. Junior synonym of structor: Dlussky, Soyunov & Zabelin, 1990: 224; Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 114.
 * tataricus. Messor tataricus Ruzsky, 1905b: 738 (w.) KAZAKHSTAN. Subspecies of clivorum: Arnol'di, 1977b: 1644. Junior synonym of structor: Dlussky, Soyunov & Zabelin, 1990: 224; Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 114.
 * rubella. Messor platyceras var. rubella Crawley, 1920a: 164 (s.w.m.) IRAN. Junior synonym of clivorum: Emery, 1921b: 210.
 * varrialei. Messor barbarus subsp. varrialei Emery, 1921b: 215, fig. 6 (s.) TURKEY. Junior synonym of structor: Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 114.
 * turanicus. Messor structor subsp. turanicus Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1927a: 91 (in key) (w.) UZBEKISTAN. Senior synonym of darianus: Pisarski, 1967: 383; Pisarski, 1970: 306; Tarbinsky, 1976: 54; Arnol'di, 1977b: 1644 (all these authors give darianus as the senior name, but turanicus has priority). Junior synonym of structor: Dlussky, Soyunov & Zabelin, 1990: 224.
 * novaki. Messor structor subsp. novaki Finzi, 1929: 92 (w.) YUGOSLAVIA. Junior synonym of structor: Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 114.
 * darianus. Messor rufitarsis subsp. darianus Pisarski, 1967: 383 (w.) KAZAKHSTAN. [First available use of Messor structor st. rufitarsis var. darianus Santschi, 1926f: 291; unavailable name.] Junior synonym of turanicus: Pisarski, 1967: 383; Pisarski, 1970: 306; Tarbinsky, 1976: 54; Arnol'di, 1977b: 1644 (in all these darianus is given seniority over turanicus, but the latter is the first available name).
 * jakowlevi. Messor rufitarsis subsp. jakowlevi Arnol'di, 1977b: 1643 (w.) UKRAINE. [First available use of Messor barbarus subsp. capitatus var. jakowlevi Ruzsky, 1905b: 750; unavailable name.] Material of the unavailable name salina referred here by Arnol'di, 1977b: 1643. Junior synonym of structor: Dlussky, Soyunov & Zabelin, 1990: 224; Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 114.
 * sevani. Messor clivorum subsp. sevani Arnol'di, 1977b: 1644 (s.w.) CAUCASUS. [First available use of Messor structor subsp. striaticeps var. sevany Karavaiev, 1926b: 103; unavailable name.] Junior synonym of structor: Arakelian, 1994: 39.

Additional References

 * Khaustov, A.A. 2009. New and Little Known Species of Mites of the Genus Caesarodispus (Acari, Heterostigmata, Microdispidae) Associated with Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from Ukraine. Vestnik zoologii, 43(5): 387–393 (DOI 10.2478/v10058-009-0017-7).
 * Rigato, F.; Toni, I. 2011. Short notes 21. Hymenoptera, Formicidae. Pp. 873-882 in: Nardi, G.; Whitmore, D.; Bardiani, M.; Birtele, D.; Mason, F.; Spada, L.; Cerretti, P. (eds.) 2011. Biodiversity of Marganai and Montimannu (Sardinia). Research in the framework of the ICP Forests network. Conservazione Habitat Invertebrati, 5. Sommacampagna, Verona: Cierre Edizioni, 896 pp.