Messor medioruber

Identification
Collingwood and Agosti (1996) - HW 2.0; EL/HW 0.245. This bicoloured species differs from Messor meridionalis by the numerous dorsal hairs over the alitrunk and gaster and the shape of the postpetiole which has a flat ventral surface without a protruding process when viewed in full profile.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates. Palaearctic Region: Algeria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Morocco, Tunisia.

It is known to occur in North Africa, Saudi Arabia and Iraq (Abdul-Rassoul et al. 2013).

Nomenclature

 * . Messor barbarus st. mediorubra Santschi, 1910a: 44.
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated), 1 syntype queen.
 * Type-locality: Tunisia: Kairouan (F. Santschi).
 * Type-depository: MHNG.
 * [First available use of Stenamma (Messor) barbarum r. capitatum var. mediorubra Forel, 1905b: 176 (w.q.m.) TUNISIA; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
 * [Misspelled as mediorufa by Santschi, 1908: 518, Finzi, 1940: 159, and others.]
 * As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Emery, 1908e: 450; Santschi, 1908: 518; Emery, 1912f: 98; Emery, 1921f: 71; Emery, 1922c: 94; Viehmeyer, 1923: 87; Emery, 1924a: 8.
 * Subspecies of barbarus: Karavaiev, 1912a: 9; Santschi, 1917e: 92.
 * Subspecies of instabilis: Santschi, 1923f: 325; Finzi, 1940: 159; Cagniant, 1964: 87; Cagniant, 1966b: 279.
 * Subspecies of minor: Santschi, 1927c: 237 (redescription).
 * Status as species: Cagniant, 1968a: 143; Cagniant, 1970a: 415; Bernard, 1971: 7; Collingwood, 1985: 251; Bolton, 1995b: 255; Collingwood & Agosti, 1996: 318; Cagniant & Espadaler, 1998: 426; Cagniant, 2006a: 197; Collingwood, et al. 2011: 426; Borowiec, L. 2014: 108 (see note in bibliography); Barech, et al. 2020: 16.
 * Senior synonym of sublaeviceps: Cagniant & Espadaler, 1998: 426.
 * Distribution: Algeria, Kuwait, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates.
 * Current subspecies: nominal plus montanus.
 * sublaeviceps. Messor sublaeviceps Santschi, 1927c: 241.
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: Israel (“Syria”): Jerusalem.
 * Type-depository: NHMB.
 * [First available use of Messor barbarus st. mediorubra var. sublaeviceps Santschi, 1910a: 45 (w.q.) TUNISIA; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
 * As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Emery, 1912f: 98; Santschi, 1917e: 90.
 * [Note: Santschi, 1917e: 90, Emery, 1921f: 71, refer sublaeviceps material to meridionalis.]
 * Status as species: Santschi, 1927c: 241 (redescription); Santschi, 1939d: 71; Finzi, 1940: 159.
 * Subspecies of medioruber: Cagniant, 1970a: 416; Bolton, 1995b: 257.
 * Junior synonym of instabilis: Bernard, 1953a: 141 (in text).
 * Junior synonym of medioruber: Cagniant & Espadaler, 1998: 426.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Barech G., M. Khaldi, S. Ziane, A. Zedam, S. Doumadji, M. Sharaf, and X. Espadaler. 2016. A first checklist and diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the saline dry lake Chott El Hodna in Algeria, a Ramsar Conservation Wetland. African Entomology 24(1): 143–152.
 * Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
 * Bouzekri M. A. 2011. Bioecologie des Formicidae dans la region de Djelfa: nidification et relation avec les plantes. Mphil Ecole National Superieure agronomique. 153pp.
 * Bouzekri M., S. Daoudi-Hacini, H. Cagniant, and S. E. Doumandji. 2015. Etude comparative des associations (plantes-fourmis) dans une region steppique (cas de la region de Djelfa, Algerie). Lebanese Science Journal 16(1): 69-77.
 * Cagniant, H., and X. Espadaler. "Le genre Messor au Maroc." Annales de la Société Entomologique de France (N.S.) 33 (4) (1998): 419-434.
 * Cagniant, H.. "Contribution à la connaissance des fourmis marocaines: Aphaenogaster atlantis Santschi, 1929 bona species (n. status) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae)." Bulletin du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle Section A Zoologie, Biologia et Écologie Animales (4)12 (1990): 123-133.
 * Cagniant, H.. "Deuxième liste de fourmis d'Algérie récoltées principalement en forêt. (1re partie)." Bulletin de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle de Toulouse 105 (1970): 405-430.
 * Cagniant, H.. "Liste préliminaire de fourmis forestières d'Algérie. Résultats obtenus de 1963 à 1966." Bulletin de la Societe d'Histoire Naturelle de Toulouse 104 (1968): 138-147.
 * Cagniant, H.. "Note sur le peuplement en fourmis d'une montagne de la région d'Alger, l'Atlas de Blida." Bulletin de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle de Toulouse 102 (1966): 278-284.
 * Cagniant, H.. Les peuplements de fourmis des forêts algériennes: écologie, biocénotique, essai biologique. Universite de Toulouse, 1973.
 * Chemala A., M. Benhamacha, D. M. Ould el Hadj, F. Marniche, and S. Daoudi. 2017. A preliminary list of the ant fauna in Northeastern Sahara of Algeria (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology 64(2): 146-154.
 * Collingwood C. A., D. Agosti, M. R. Sharaf, A. Van Harten, 2011. Order Hymenoptera, family Formicidae. Arthropod Fauna of the UAE 4: 405-474
 * Collingwood C.A., D.Agosti, M.R. Sharaf, and A. van Harten. 2011. Order Hymenoptera, family Formicidae. Arthropod fauna of the UAE, 4: 405474
 * Delye, G., and J. L. Bonaric. "Fourmis du sud Marocain." Etude de certains milieux du Maroc et de leux evolution recente RCP 249 (1973).
 * Emery, C.. "Beiträge zur Monographie der Formiciden des paläarktischen Faunengebietes. (Hym.) Teil III. Messor, Goniomma, Oxyopomyrmex." Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 1908 (1908): 437-465.
 * Forel A. 1905. Miscellanea myrmécologiques II (1905). Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 49: 155-185.
 * Forel, A.. "Miscellanea myrmécologiques II (1905)." Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique 49 (1905): 155-185.
 * Ghahari H., C. A. Collingwood, M. Tabari, and H. Ostovan. 2009. Faunistic notes on Formicidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) of rice fields and surrounding grasslands in northern Iran. Mun. Ent. Zool. 4(1): 184-189.
 * Menozzi C. 1934. Reperti mirmecofaunistici raccolti dal Prof. L di Caporiacco nelle oasi di Cufra e in altre localita del deserto Libico. Atti della Societa dei Naturalisti e Matematici di Modena (6)13(65): 153-166
 * Santschi, F. 1927. Révision des Messor du groupe instabilis Sm. (Hymenopt.). Boletin de la Real Sociedad Española de Historia Natural 27: 225-250.
 * Santschi, F.. "Nouvelles fourmis de Tunisie (3e note)." Bulletin de la Société d' Histoire naturelle de l' Afrique du Nord 1 (1910): 43-46.
 * Santschi, F.. "Revision des Messor du groupe instabilis Sm. (Hymenopt.)." Boletín de la Real Sociedad española de Historia natural (Madrid) 27 (1927): 225-250.
 * Santschi, F. 1910. Nouvelles fourmis de Tunisie (3e note). Bulletin de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle de l'Afrique du Nord 1: 43-46.
 * Viehmeyer H. 1923. Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der mit Unterstützung der Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien aus der Erbschaft Treitl von F. Werner unternommenen zoologischen Expedition nach dem anglo-ägyptischen Sudan (Kordofan) 1914. VII. Hymenoptera A. Formicidae. Denkschriften der Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien. Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Klasse 98: 83-94.