Messor eglalae

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
Fadl et al. (2007) - This species cannot be separated from Bolton's key in (1982) on the Afrotropical Messor or from Collingwood and Agosti’s key in (1996) on the Arabian Messor. It resembles Messor muraywahus which was described from Saudi Arabia in the following characters: the first finicular segment distinclty longer than the second; first gaster tergite hairy with long pale hairs; occiput has four or five prjecting hairs at each side of the midline; genae below the eyes with few short projecting hairs. But differ from the mentioned species by the following characters: propodeum armed with two well developed and relatively long acute spines; subcephalic hairs more profuse forming a distinct psammophore; Petiole and postpetiole pilosity more abundant, eight pairs of hairs on the petiole and eleven pairs on the postpetiole.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Egypt.

Castes
Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

 * . Messor eglalae Sharaf, in Fadl et al. 2007: 239, figs. 5, 6 (w.) EGYPT.
 * Type-material: holotype worker, 1 paratype worker.
 * Type-locality: holotype Egypt: N Sinai, Zaranik, 31.08°N, 33.48°E, 7.v.2003 (M.R. Sharaf); paratype with same data but 4.v.2003.
 * Type-depositories: EESC (holotype); ASUC or MACG (not specified) (paratype).
 * Status as species: Borowiec, L. 2014: 105.
 * Distribution: Egypt.

Worker
Holotype: TL: 8.8; HL: 1.9; HW: 1.9; SL: 1.7; SI: 89.4; CI: 100.

Unicolorous black, tarsi, funiculus and mandibles reddish. Head as long as braod with dense granulate sculpture; the area between frontal carinae and in front and back of the eyes with longitudinal striations; the area adjacent to the antennal insertions with pale pubescence; underside of head with long J-shaped hairs; antennal scape with dense short hairs; mandibles edentate, shining, with strong longitudinal striae and few sparse short hairs; clypeus with reddish lateral parts and longitudinal striations; eyes relatively large; occiput straight with abundant pairs of short hairs. Alitrunk sides with strong granulate sculpture whereas its dorsum with strong irregular sculpture; propodeal spines short and abrupt; propodeal spiracles well developed; the whole alitrunk dorsum with abundant short yellow hairs. Petiole and postpetiole with very fine granulate sculpture and abundant hairs. Gaster smooth and shining, with abundant short yellow pilosity.

Type Material
Holotype: 1 worker, Egypt, Zaranik, North Sinai, 7.V.2003; N: 31.08; E: 33.48; M.R.Sharaf; Paratype: 1 worker, Zaranik, North Sinai, 4.V.2003; N: 3 1.08; E: 33.48; M.R.Sharaf.

Etymology
This species is named after the name of Mrs. Eglal H. El-Saadany (mother of the last author, Mostafa Sharaf).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
 * Fadl H., R. F. Bakr, and R. M. Badawy. 2007. Six new species of ants (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Egypt. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference of the Entomological Society of Egypt 2: 235-249.
 * Fadl, H., R. F. Bakr, M. Bawady, and M. R. Sharaf. "Six new species of ants (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Egypt." In Proceedings of the Second International Conference of Economic Entomology, 235-249. Vol. 1. Cairo: Entomological Society of Egypt, 2007.