Melophorus marius

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 * . Melophorus marius Forel, 1910b: 66 (s.) AUSTRALIA.
 * Combination in M. (Erimelophorus): Wheeler, W.M. 1935c: 71.
 * Status as species: Emery, 1925b: 12; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 124; Bolton, 1995b: 250.
 * Junior synonym of biroi: Heterick, et al. 2017: 162.
 * Status as species: Heterick, 2021: 18.

Taxonomic Notes
Heteric (2021): Syntype specimen code ANT44020 (Melophorus biroi) illustrated on AntWeb and regarded by Heterick et al. (2017) as a senior synonym of M. marius and Melophorus fieldi propinquus is identical with what is ‘castanopus’ in Heterick et al. (2017). The former names were synonymised under Melophorus biroi based on a less detailed image of the same ant, and the new evidence reveals ‘marius’ and ‘fieldi propinqua’ are not in fact conspecific with ‘biroi’. Melophorus biroi is here treated as a senior synonym of Melophorus castanopus, and M. marius is given revived status as a senior synonym of M. fieldi propinqua. ‘Melophorus marius’ needs to be revisited as the molecular data indicate a species complex still exists under this name.