Monomorium albopilosum

Arnold (1916) characterizes albopilosum as a pugnacious species which stings freely. He adds that the nest is in the ground and surrounded by a large low mound of earth. Both alate and apterous females of albopilosum are known.

Identification
Bolton (1987) - A member of the M. opacum complex in the M. salomonis species group. One of only two very densely hairy species within the salomonis-group as it is represented in sub-Saharan Africa, the abundant pilosity of albopilosum will isolate this species from all others in the group except Monomorium hirsutum. This latter species, however, shows the strongly contrasting colours of the bicolor-complex and has a broader head and shorter scapes than in albopilosum; compare the hirsutum CI of 81-83 and SI of 99-103 with the measurements given above.

Within the opacum-complex only Monomorium junodi and albopilosum have hairs present on the dorsal alitrunk, but in junodi these are sparse and do not occur on the propodeum, whereas in albopilosum dense pilosity is present everywhere.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe.

Nomenclature

 * . Monomorium albopilosum Emery, 1895h: 24 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-localities: South Africa: Bloemfontein, 1893 (E. Simon), Kimberley, 1893 (E. Simon), Makapan, 1893 (E. Simon), Leribe (Weitzecker).
 * Type-depository: MSNG.
 * Combination in M. (Xeromyrmex): Santschi, 1919b: 235.
 * Status as species: Santschi, 1914e: 17; Arnold, 1916: 207; Emery, 1922e: 176; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 868; Arnold, 1926: 230; Arnold, 1946: 61; Ettershank, 1966: 87; Bolton, 1987: 335 (redescription); Bolton, 1995b: 259.
 * Senior synonym of clarithorax: Bolton, 1987: 335; Bolton, 1995b: 259.
 * Senior synonym of fingo: Bolton, 1987: 335; Bolton, 1995b: 259.
 * Senior synonym of paucipilosa: Bolton, 1987: 335; Bolton, 1995b: 259.
 * Senior synonym of thales: Bolton, 1987: 335; Bolton, 1995b: 259.
 * Distribution: Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe.
 * clarithorax. Monomorium (Xeromyrmex) albopilosum var. clarithorax Santschi, 1919b: 235 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: South Africa: Natal (Haviland).
 * Type-depositories: BMNH, NHMB.
 * As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Arnold, 1926: 230.
 * Subspecies of albopilosum: Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 868; Ettershank, 1966: 88.
 * Junior synonym of albopilosum: Bolton, 1987: 335; Bolton, 1995b: 260.
 * fingo. Monomorium albopilosum subsp. fingo Arnold, 1946: 61, fig. 13 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-localities: South Africa: Cape Prov., Albany Dist., Maastricht (J.W. Geyer).
 * Type-depository: BMNH.
 * Subspecies of albopilosum: Ettershank, 1966: 89.
 * Junior synonym of albopilosum: Bolton, 1987: 335; Bolton, 1995b: 261.
 * paucipilosa. Monomorium (Xeromyrmex) albopilosum st. paucipilosa Santschi, 1919b: 235 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-localities: South Africa: Natal, 1.v.1898 (Haviland).
 * Type-depository: NHMB.
 * Subspecies of albopilosum: Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 868; Arnold, 1926: 230; Ettershank, 1966: 91.
 * Junior synonym of albopilosum: Bolton, 1987: 335; Bolton, 1995b: 265.
 * thales. Monomorium albopilosum var. thales Forel, 1913a: 136 (w.) ZIMBABWE.
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: Zimbabwe (“Rhodesia”): Springvale, 5.x.1912 (G. Arnold).
 * Type-depositories: BMNH, MHNG.
 * Arnold, 1916: 208 (q.m.).
 * Subspecies of albopilosum: Arnold, 1916: 207; Forel, 1916: 417; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 868; Emery, 1922e: 176; Prins, 1963: 103; Ettershank, 1966: 92.
 * Junior synonym of albopilosum: Bolton, 1987: 335; Bolton, 1995b: 267.

Worker
Bolton (1987) - TL 3.4-4.4, HL 0.80-1.02, HW 0.58-0.78, CI 73-78, SL 0.68-0.90, SI 110-120, PW 0.42-0.52, AL 1.00-1.32 (30 measured).

Median portion of anterior clypeal margin concave. Head relatively long and narrow, scapes long (CI and SI, above). Eyes of moderate size, the maximum diameter 0.22-0.25 x HW and with 10-12 ommatidia in the longest row. Petiole node high and conical in profile; in dorsal view the two nodes usually of about equal width but sometimes the petiole slightly broader. Sculpture usually of fine dense and sharply defined reticulate-punctation all over the head and alitrunk, but sometimes it is reduced on the head posteriorly, or on the pronotum, or both. Petiole and postpetiole weakly reticulate-punctate to virtually smooth. Gaster shining but first tergite at least with superficial shagreening.

Entire body abundantly hairy; all dorsal surfaces of head and body with dense standing pilosity and sides of head in full-face view with freely projecting hairs both in front of and behind the eyes. Pubescence and pilosity of scapes and tibiae elevated, not appressed. Colour uniform light to dark brown, sometimes the gaster slightly darker than the head and alitrunk.

Type Material
Bolton (1987) - Syntype workers, South Africa: Bloemfontein, Kimberley, Makapan (E. Simon); Leribe (Weitzecker) [Kimberley syntypes examined].

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Arnold G. 1916. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Part II. Ponerinae, Dorylinae. Annals of the South African Museum. 14: 159-270.
 * Arnold G. 1926. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Appendix. Annals of the South African Museum. 23: 191-295.
 * Arnold G. 1946. New species of African Hymenoptera. No. 6. Occasional Papers of the National Museum of Southern Rhodesia. 2: 49-97.
 * Bolton B. 1987. A review of the Solenopsis genus-group and revision of Afrotropical Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology 54: 263-452.
 * Dean, W. R. J. and Bond, W. J. 1990. Evidence for Rapid Faunal Changes on Islands in a Man-Made Lake. Oecologia. 83:388-391.
 * Emery C. 1895. Voyage de M. E. Simon dans l'Afrique australe (janvier-avril 1893). 3e mémoire. Formicides. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 64: 15-56.
 * Ettershank G. 1966. A generic revision of the world Myrmicinae related to Solenopsis and Pheidologeton (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Aust. J. Zool. 14: 73-171.
 * Forel A. 1916. Fourmis du Congo et d'autres provenances récoltées par MM. Hermann Kohl, Luja, Mayné, etc. Revue Suisse de Zoologie 24: 397-460.
 * IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection
 * Parr C., and S. Chown. 2001. Inventory and bioindicator sampling: Testing pitfall and Winkler methods with ants in a South African savanna. Journal of Insect Conservation 5: 27-36.
 * Prins A. J. 1963. A list of the ants collected in the Kruger National Park with notes on their distribution. Koedoe 6: 91-108.
 * Prins A. J. 1964. Revised list of the ants collected in the Kruger National Park. Koedoe 7: 77-93.
 * Prins A. J., and J. J. Cillie. 1968. The ants collected in the Hluhluwe and Umfolozi game reserves. The Lammergeyer 8: 40-47.
 * Samways M. J. 1990. Species temporal variability: epigaeic ant assemblages and management for abundance and scarcity. Oecologia 84: 482-490.
 * Santschi F. 1914. Meddelanden från Göteborgs Musei Zoologiska Afdelning. 3. Fourmis du Natal et du Zoulouland récoltées par le Dr. I. Trägårdh. Göteborgs Kungliga Vetenskaps och Vitterhets Samhälles Handlingar. 15: 1-44.
 * Santschi F. 1919. Fourmis nouvelles éthiopiennes. Revue Zoologique Africaine (Brussels). 6: 229-240.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VIII. A synonymic list of the ants of the Ethiopian region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 711-1004