Messor arenarius

Identification
Collingwood and Agosti (1996) - HW 3.4-4.5; EL/HW 0.165. This is by far the largest Messor species in the Middle East. The subcephalic hairs are numerous but do not form a distinct psammophore. All body surfaces are covered with erect hairs. The propodeum is armed with short strong spines. The general body colour is brownish black but the alitrunk is occasionally somewhat reddish and such examples appear little different from Messor regalis of sub-Saharan Africa, sharing the same features: short first funiculus segment, pectinate tibial spurs, thick body pilosity, spined propodeum and rugose body sculpture extending to the first gastral tergite.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Saudi Arabia. Palaearctic Region: Algeria, Israel, Kuwait, Tunisia.

Nomenclature

 * . Formica arenaria Fabricius, 1787: 310 (w.) (no state data, “Habitat in Ba(r)bariae”).
 * Type-material: 3 syntype workers.
 * Type-locality: “Barbaria” (= North African coast from Morocco to Libya).
 * Type-depositories: ZMUC, ZMUK.
 * [Note: Zimsen, 1964: 426, reports 2 specimens in ZMUC, 1 in ZMUK.]
 * André, 1883b: 366 (q.); Emery, 1891b: 12 (q.m.); Forel, 1902a: 148 (m.).
 * Combination in Aphaenogaster: Roger, 1863b: 29;
 * combination in Atta: Mayr, 1863: 395;
 * combination in Aphaenogaster (Messor): Forel, 1890a: lxx; Forel, 1894d: 28;
 * combination in Stenamma (Messor): Emery, 1898c: 125;
 * combination in Cratomyrmex: Cagniant, 1970a: 414;
 * combination in Messor: Emery, 1908e: 439; Bolton, 1995b: 252.
 * Status as species: Gmelin, 1790: 2802; Olivier, 1792: 499; Latreille, 1802c: 288; Fabricius, 1804: 411; Roger, 1862c: 292; Roger, 1863b: 29; Mayr, 1863: 395; Emery, 1880: 392; Emery, 1881b: 534; André, 1881b: 74; André, 1883b: 353 (in key); Emery, 1884a: 382; Forel, 1890a: lxx; Emery, 1891b: 12; Dalla Torre, 1893: 98; Forel, 1894d: 28; Forel, 1895d: 233; Emery, 1898c: 125; Forel, 1902a: 148; Forel, 1904c: 5; Forel, 1907e: 15; Forel, 1908a: 14; Emery, 1908e: 439 (redescription); Forel, 1909e: 379; Karavaiev, 1911: 3; Karavaiev, 1912a: 5; Forel, 1913d: 428; Stitz, 1917: 342; Crawley, 1920a: 163; Emery, 1921f: 69; Emery, 1924a: 7; Menozzi, 1927g: 379; Kutter, 1928: 66; Finzi, 1930b: 15; Santschi, 1931a: 4; Menozzi, 1932e: 452; Menozzi, 1933b: 51; Menozzi, 1934: 158; Finzi, 1936: 158; Santschi, 1938a: 32 (redescription); Menozzi, 1940: 267; Finzi, 1940: 158; Cagniant, 1964: 87; Cagniant, 1968a: 143; Cagniant, 1970a: 414; Bernard, 1971: 6; Collingwood, 1985: 249; Kugler, J. 1988: 257; Bolton, 1995b: 252; Collingwood & Agosti, 1996: 316; Cagniant & Espadaler, 1998: 423; Cagniant, 2006a: 197; Vonshak, et al. 2009: 42; Borowiec, L. 2014: 102 (see note in bibliography); Tohmé, G. & Tohmé, 2014: 134; Barech, et al. 2020: 14.
 * Senior synonym of amaurocyclia: Roger, 1862c: 292; Mayr, 1863: 395; Roger, 1863b: 29; Dalla Torre, 1893: 98; Emery, 1921f: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 252.
 * Senior synonym of beduinus: Cagniant, 2006a: 197; Barech, et al. 2020: 14.
 * Senior synonym of bugnioni: Forel, 1904f: 424; Emery, 1908e: 439; Emery, 1921f: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 252.
 * Senior synonym of scalpturata: Roger, 1862c: 292; Mayr, 1863: 395; Roger, 1863b: 29; Dalla Torre, 1893: 98; Emery, 1921f: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 252.
 * Distribution: Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia.
 * Current subspecies: nominal plus alfierii, diabolus, ratus, thebaicus.
 * amaurocyclia. Myrmica amaurocyclia Foerster, 1850b: 486 (w.) ALGERIA.
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: Algeria: Algiers (no collector’s name).
 * Type-depository: MNHU (Horn & Kahle, 1935: 78).
 * [Note: perhaps type-material is also in MNHN as Foerster (p. 486) thanks “Leon Fairmaire in Paris” for the specimens.]
 * Combination in Aphaenogaster: Roger, 1863b: 29.
 * Junior synonym of arenarius: Roger, 1862c: 292; Mayr, 1863: 395; Roger, 1863b: 29; Dalla Torre, 1893: 98; Emery, 1921f: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 252.
 * beduinus. Messor barbarus st. beduinus Emery, 1922c: 93.
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: Tunisia: Kairouan (F. Santschi).
 * Type-depository: MSNG.
 * [First available use of Messor barbarus subsp. striativentris var. beduina Emery, 1908e: 453 (w.) TUNISIA; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
 * Santschi, 1910a: 45 (q.); Santschi, 1926e: 234 (m.).
 * As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Santschi, 1910a: 45; Emery, 1921f: 72.
 * Subspecies of barbarus: Emery, 1924a: 7; Kutter, 1928: 66.
 * Status as species: Santschi, 1923a: 134; Santschi, 1923f: 320 (in text); Menozzi, 1934: 158; Finzi, 1940: 156; Bolton, 1995b: 252; Borowiec, L. 2014: 102 (error).
 * Junior synonym of arenarius: Cagniant, 2006a: 197; Barech, et al. 2020: 14.
 * bugnioni. Stenamma (Messor) bugnioni Forel, 1904c: 13 (w.) ALGERIA.
 * Type-material: holotype worker.
 * Type-locality: Algeria: Biskra (Bugnion).
 * Type-depository: MHNG.
 * Junior synonym of arenarius: Forel, 1904f: 424; Emery, 1908e: 439; Emery, 1921f: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 253.
 * scalpturata. Myrmica scalpturata Nylander, 1856b: 83 (w.) ALGERIA, EGYPT.
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated), 1 syntype queen.
 * Type-localities: Algeria, Egypt (no further data).
 * Type-depository: ZMHF.
 * [Note: Nylander mentions that the specimens originated in the collections of Sichel and Fairmaire, both of which are in MNHN.]
 * Combination in Atta: Smith, F. 1858b: 165; Roger, 1859: 252;
 * combination in Aphaenogaster: Roger, 1863b: 29.
 * Status as species: Smith, F. 1858b: 165; Roger, 1859: 252.
 * Junior synonym of arenarius: Roger, 1862c: 292; Mayr, 1863: 395; Roger, 1863b: 29; Dalla Torre, 1893: 98; Emery, 1921f: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 257.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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