Messor barbarus

Distribution
This taxon was described from Morocco. Specimens have also been found in Algeria, Tunisia, Bulgaria, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Balearic Islands and France.

Nomenclature

 *  barbarus. Formica barbara Linnaeus, 1767: 962 (w.) MOROCCO. Mayr, 1861: 67 (q.m.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1953b: 65 (l.). Combination in Aphaenogaster: Roger, 1863b: 29; in A. (Messor): Forel, 1890a: lxviii; in Messor: Forel, 1894d: 8; in Stenamma (Messor): Emery, 1898c: 125; in Messor: Ruzsky, 1903b: 315; Bingham, 1903: 278. Senior synonym of binodis, juvenalis: Smith, F. 1858b: 162; of megacephala: Mayr, 1863: 395; of rufitarsis Foerster: Roger, 1863b: 29; of ambiguus, nigriceps: Collingwood, 1978: 68; of sordida: Cagniant & Espadaler, 1998: 424. Current subspecies: nominal plus gallaoides, mediosanguineus, politus, sahlbergi, santschii, varrialei.
 * binodis. Formica binodis Fabricius, 1775: 393 (w.) EGYPT. [Unresolved junior primary homonym of Formica binodis Linnaeus, 1763: 413 (now in Tetramorium).] Junior synonym of barbarus: Smith, F. 1858b: 162.
 * juvenilis. Formica juvenilis Fabricius, 1804: 405 (w.) FRANCE. Junior synonym of barbarus: Smith, F. 1858b: 162.
 * megacephala. Formica megacephala Leach, 1825: 292 (w.q.m.) FRANCE. [Unresolved junior primary homonym of Formica megacephala Fabicius, 1793: 361 (now in Pheidole).] Junior synonym of barbarus: Mayr, 1863: 395.
 * rufitarsis. Myrmica rufitarsis Foerster, 1850b: 485 (w.) ALGERIA. [Unresolved junior primary homonym of rufitarsis Fabricius, above.] Junior synonym of barbarus: Roger, 1863b: 29.
 * sordida. Aphaenogaster (Messor) barbara r. sordida Forel, 1892g: 452 (w.) SPAIN. Santschi, 1917e: 89 (s.). Combination in Messor: Emery, 1897f: 239. Subspecies of barbarus: Santschi, 1925g: 342 (in key); Wheeler, W.M. 1927g: 104. Raised to species: Bondroit, 1918: 152; Cagniant, 1964: 88; Bernard, 1967: 145. Junior synonym of barbarus: Cagniant & Espadaler, 1998: 424.
 * ambiguus. Messor barbarus var. ambiguus Santschi, 1925g: 342 (w.) TUNISIA. Junior synonym of barbarus: Collingwood, 1978: 68.
 * nigriceps. Messor barbarus var. nigriceps Santschi, 1925g: 341 (w.q.) SPAIN. Junior synonym of barbarus: Collingwood, 1978: 68.