Monomorium areniphilum

Identification
Bolton (1987):

Worker. TL 3.1-4.3, HL 0.86-1.04, HW 0.67-0.88, CI 78-88, SL 0.68-0.88, SI 98-104, PW 0.40-0.53, AL 0.95-1.24 (30 measured).

Anterior margin of median portion of clypeus evenly shallowly concave. Eyes large, the maximum diameter 0.30-0.35 x HW and with 12-14 ommatidia in the longest row. Sides of head evenly shallowly convex in full-face view, the occipital margin approximately transverse to broadly but shallowly concave. Pronotum and anterior portion of mesonotum in profile evenly convex; median portion of mesonotum flat to shallowly convex, sometimes even slightly indented; posterior one-third (approximately) of mesonotum suddenly sloping much more steeply to the conspicuously impressed metanotal groove. Highest point of propodeal dorsum behind the metanotal groove on a much lower level than the highest point of the promesonotum. In dorsal view the propodeum with a narrow flattened median longitudinal strip, the dorsum and sides separated by bluntly rounded margins.

Dorsum of head with 1-2 pairs of standing hairs, which straddle the midline; occipital corners without hairs. Dorsal alitrunk without standing hairs. Petiole node with one pair, postpetiole with 2-3 pairs (very rarely with 4 pairs) of backward directed hairs. First gastral tergite without standing hairs except for the apical transverse row, or at most with a single pair at or near the midlength of the sclerite.

Dorsum of head with fine dense reticulate to reticulate-shagreenate sculpture; this often extensively overlaid, especially mid-dorsally, by exceptionally fine dense scratch-like longitudinal sculpture. Dorsal alitrunk reticulate to shallowly reticulate-punctate, the propodeum more strongly sculptured than the pronotum; intensity of sculpture variable between series. First gastral tergite at least with superficial reticular patterning, more often this is overlaid by a secondary fine shagreening. Colour brown, very variable in shade.

I am grouping the names areniphilum, lepineyi and pullulum as a single species here, based on the following combination of five characters within the Salomonis-group.


 * Eyes both relatively and absolutely large (see measurements above).
 * Antennal scapes of moderate length (SI 98-104).
 * Characteristic outline shape of dorsal alitrunk (Fig. 46).
 * Cephalic sculpture (as described above).
 * Very reduced dorsal pilosity (as described above).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Mali, Niger, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sudan, United Arab Emirates. Palaearctic Region: Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Tunisia.

Nomenclature

 *  areniphilum. Monomorium salomonis var. areniphila Santschi, 1911f: 84 (w.) TUNISIA. Emery, 1915e: 378 (q.). Combination in M. (Xeromyrmex): Emery, 1922e: 177. Subspecies of salomonis: Santschi, 1936a: 50. Raised to species: Collingwood, 1985: 269. Senior synonym of lepineyi, pullula: Bolton, 1987: 336.
 * pullula. Monomorium (Xeromyrmex) salomonis var. pullula Santschi, 1919: 235 (w.) SENEGAL. Subspecies of salomonis: Santschi, 1934b: 33. Junior synonym of areniphilum: Bolton, 1987: 336.
 * lepineyi. Monomorium (Xeromyrmex) salomonis var. lepineyi Santschi, 1934b: 34, figs. 5, 6 (w.) SUDAN. Junior synonym of areniphilum: Bolton, 1987: 336.