Messor arenarius

Identification
Collingwood and Agosti (1996) - HW 3.4-4.5; EL/HW 0.165. This is by far the largest Messor species in the Middle East. The subcephalic hairs are numerous but do not form a distinct psammophore. All body surfaces are covered with erect hairs. The propodeum is armed with short strong spines. The general body colour is brownish black but the alitrunk is occasionally somewhat reddish and such examples appear little different from Messor regalis of sub-Saharan Africa, sharing the same features: short first funiculus segment, pectinate tibial spurs, thick body pilosity, spined propodeum and rugose body sculpture extending to the first gastral tergite.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Saudi Arabia. Palaearctic Region: Algeria, Israel, Kuwait, Tunisia.

Nomenclature

 * . Formica arenaria Fabricius, 1787: 310 (w.) (no state data, “Habitat in Ba(r)bariae”, = North African coast from Morocco to Libya).
 * André, 1883b: 366 (q.); Emery, 1891b: 12 (q.m.); Forel, 1902a: 148 (m.).
 * Combination in Aphaenogaster: Roger, 1863b: 29;
 * combination in Atta: Mayr, 1863: 395;
 * combination in Aphaenogaster (Messor): Forel, 1890a: lxx; Forel, 1894d: 28;
 * combination in Stenamma (Messor): Emery, 1898c: 125;
 * combination in Cratomyrmex: Cagniant, 1970a: 414;
 * combination in Messor: Emery, 1908e: 439; Bolton, 1995b: 252.
 * Status as species: Gmelin, 1790: 2802; Olivier, 1792: 499; Latreille, 1802c: 288; Fabricius, 1804: 411; Roger, 1862c: 292; Roger, 1863b: 29; Mayr, 1863: 395; Emery, 1880: 392; Emery, 1881b: 534; André, 1881b: 74; André, 1883b: 353 (in key); Emery, 1884a: 382; Forel, 1890a: lxx; Emery, 1891b: 12; Dalla Torre, 1893: 98; Forel, 1894d: 28; Forel, 1895d: 233; Emery, 1898c: 125; Forel, 1902a: 148; Forel, 1904c: 5; Forel, 1907e: 15; Forel, 1908a: 14; Emery, 1908e: 439 (redescription); Forel, 1909e: 379; Karavaiev, 1911: 3; Karavaiev, 1912a: 5; Forel, 1913d: 428; Stitz, 1917: 342; Crawley, 1920a: 163; Emery, 1921f: 69; Emery, 1924a: 7; Menozzi, 1927g: 379; Kutter, 1928: 66; Finzi, 1930b: 15; Santschi, 1931a: 4; Menozzi, 1932e: 452; Menozzi, 1933b: 51; Menozzi, 1934: 158; Finzi, 1936: 158; Santschi, 1938a: 32 (redescription); Menozzi, 1940: 267; Finzi, 1940: 158; Cagniant, 1964: 87; Cagniant, 1968a: 143; Cagniant, 1970a: 414; Bernard, 1971: 6; Collingwood, 1985: 249; Kugler, J. 1988: 257; Bolton, 1995b: 252; Collingwood & Agosti, 1996: 316; Cagniant & Espadaler, 1998: 423; Cagniant, 2006a: 197; Vonshak, et al. 2009: 42; Borowiec, L. 2014: 102 (see note in bibliography); Tohmé, G. & Tohmé, 2014: 134; Barech, et al. 2020: 14.
 * Senior synonym of amaurocyclia: Roger, 1862c: 292; Mayr, 1863: 395; Roger, 1863b: 29; Dalla Torre, 1893: 98; Emery, 1921f: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 252.
 * Senior synonym of beduinus: Cagniant, 2006a: 197; Barech, et al. 2020: 14.
 * Senior synonym of bugnioni: Forel, 1904f: 424; Emery, 1908e: 439; Emery, 1921f: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 252.
 * Senior synonym of scalpturata: Roger, 1862c: 292; Mayr, 1863: 395; Roger, 1863b: 29; Dalla Torre, 1893: 98; Emery, 1921f: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 252.
 * Current subspecies: nominal plus alfierii, diabolus, ratus, thebaicus.
 * amaurocyclia. Myrmica amaurocyclia Foerster, 1850b: 486 (w.) ALGERIA.
 * Combination in Aphaenogaster: Roger, 1863b: 29.
 * Junior synonym of arenarius: Roger, 1862c: 292; Mayr, 1863: 395; Roger, 1863b: 29; Dalla Torre, 1893: 98; Emery, 1921f: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 252.
 * beduinus. Messor barbarus st. beduinus Emery, 1922c: 93.
 * [First available use of Messor barbarus subsp. striativentris var. beduina Emery, 1908e: 453 (w.) TUNISIA; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
 * Santschi, 1910a: 45 (q.); Santschi, 1926e: 234 (m.).
 * As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Santschi, 1910a: 45; Emery, 1921f: 72.
 * Subspecies of barbarus: Emery, 1924a: 7; Kutter, 1928: 66.
 * Status as species: Santschi, 1923a: 134; Santschi, 1923f: 320 (in text); Menozzi, 1934: 158; Finzi, 1940: 156; Bolton, 1995b: 252; Borowiec, L. 2014: 102 (error).
 * Junior synonym of arenarius: Cagniant, 2006a: 197; Barech, et al. 2020: 14.
 * bugnioni. Stenamma (Messor) bugnioni Forel, 1904c: 13 (w.) ALGERIA.
 * Junior synonym of arenarius: Forel, 1904f: 424; Emery, 1908e: 439; Emery, 1921f: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 253.
 * scalpturata. Myrmica scalpturata Nylander, 1856b: 83 (w.) ALGERIA, EGYPT.
 * Combination in Atta: Smith, F. 1858b: 165; Roger, 1859: 252;
 * combination in Aphaenogaster: Roger, 1863b: 29.
 * Status as species: Smith, F. 1858b: 165; Roger, 1859: 252.
 * Junior synonym of arenarius: Roger, 1862c: 292; Mayr, 1863: 395; Roger, 1863b: 29; Dalla Torre, 1893: 98; Emery, 1921f: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 257.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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