Messor rufotestaceus

This is a non-trail forming species living in small communities (Collingwood and Agosti 1996). Pashaei Rad et al. (2018) found this species in Iran in garden soil in a low rainfall area.

Identification
Collingwood and Agosti (1996) - HW 1.7; EL/HW 0.21. This interesting species stands apart from other Middle Eastern Messor species because the antennal segments are exceptionally thin and the nodes are comparatively low.

Distribution
Collingwood and Agosti (1996) - Known from Syria, Palestine and the northern Sahara.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates. Palaearctic Region: Algeria, Iran, Israel, Oman, Syrian Arab Republic.

Nomenclature

 *  rufotestaceus. Myrmica rufotestacea Foerster, 1850b: 489 (w.) ALGERIA. Emery, 1908e: 439 (s.q.); Forel, 1910a: 9 (m.). Combination in Aphaenogaster: Roger, 1863b: 30; in Messor: Emery, 1908e: 439. Senior synonym of thoracica: Roger, 1863b: 30; of gracilinodis: Dalla Torre, 1893: 104; Emery, 1921f: 74; Menozzi, 1933b: 56.
 * thoracica. Atta thoracica Mayr, 1862: 742, pl. 19, fig. 12 (w.) SYRIA. Junior synonym of rufotestaceus: Roger, 1863b: 30.
 * gracilinodis. Aphaenogaster gracilinodis Emery, 1878b: 55 (w.) SYRIA. Subspecies of rufotestaceus: Emery, 1880: 395. Junior synonym of rufotestaceus: Dalla Torre, 1893: 104.

Taxonomic Notes
Pashaei Rad et al. (2018): It appears there may be a second species M. thoracicus (Mayr, 1862) originally described as Atta thoracica. Type location Syria, again no type images, or of the junior synonym Aphaenogaster gracilinodis Emery 1878. Type location Syria, no type images.