Tapinolepis longitarsis

Several workers were taken by sweeping low herbage in Yemen but always singly and not in groups. Workers were often seen on the foliage of Leguminosae. Nests were not found. (Collingwood and Agosti, 1996)

Identification
A small, narrow-bodied species with large eyes and exceptionally long tarsi.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.

Nomenclature

 *  longitarsis. Anoplolepis longitarsis Collingwood & Agosti, 1996: 362 (w.) YEMEN. Combination in Tapinolepis: Bolton, 2003: 268.

Worker
Holotype: TL 2.35; HL 0.65; HW 0.55; SL 0.60; EL 0.23; hind femur 0.85; hind tibia 0.86; hind tarsus 1.00.

Antennae with 11 segments, the first funiculus segment nearly equal to the second plus third. All funiculus segments elongate. The laid back scape over-reaches the occipital margin by about the length of the first funiculus segment. The hind tarsi are long, the segments together being longer than either the tibia or the femur. The propodeal spiracle is large and prominent. The petiole is an upright scale. The alitrunk dorsal profile is flat with the outline interrupted by the shallow mesopropodeal furrow. The maxillary palps are longer than the head. The body colour is uniformly brown with the legs becoming paler towards the tibiae and tarsi, the latter being yellowish. The body, legs and antennae are clothed with short adpressed pubescence.

Type Material
Holotype: worker, Suq al-Ahad, 26.III.l983, C.A. Collingwood. - Paratypes: Yemen: workers from: Bajil-Zabid, 15.III.1993; Bajil-Khamis Bani Sad, 16.III.1993; A. van Harten, C.A. Collingwood.

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.
 * Collingwood C.A., D.Agosti, M.R. Sharaf, and A. van Harten. 2011. Order Hymenoptera, family Formicidae. Arthropod fauna of the UAE, 4: 405474
 * El-Hawagry M. S., M. W. Khalil, M. R. Sharaf, H. H. Fadl, and A. S. Aldawood. 2013. A preliminary study on the insect fauna of Al-Baha Province, Saudi Arabia, with descriptions of two new species. ZooKeys 274: 188. doi:10.3897/zookeys.274.4529