Plagiolepis boltoni

Plagiolepis boltoni was collected from an arid area planted with small neglected date palm trees. Some of the ants were observed foraging close to the bases of the trees. Nothing more is known about the biology of the colony except that it was small and in soil close to the road surrounding Riyadh. The second paratype series also was found nesting near a palm tree; in this case the soil was moist because of irrigation. The ants were coexisting with other ant species including Brachyponera sennaarensis, Camponotus sericeus, Cataglyphis abyssinica and Cardiocondyla emeryi. The area was abundantly inhabited also by springtails, lygaeid bugs, web spinners, staphylinid and tenebrionid beetles. It appears that P. boltoni prefers areas around palm trees. (Sharaf et al. 2011)

Identification
Sharaf et al. (2011) - P. boltoni is morphologically similar to Plagiolepis exigua, sharing the following characters: color yellow, integument smooth and shining, head longer than broad with convex sides, segment distinctly shorter than third. P. boltoni can be separated from P. exigua by the scapes surpassing the posterior margin of head, whereas in the latter the scapes do not reach the posterior margin of head. P. boltoni has larger eyes containing eleven ommatidia in the longest row (EL 0.30-0.35x HW), whereas in P. exigua, eyes are smaller with only six ommatidia (EL 0.19x HW). P. boltoni also is consistently larger, TL 1.35-1.60 versus TL 1.23, and has a slightly higher mesosomal length, ML 0.40-0.44 versus ML 0.35. The anterior clypeal margin of P. exigua has two lateral pairs of long yellow hairs, posterior margin with one pair of long hairs situated between antennal insertions. The anterior clypeal margin of P. exigua has several pairs of long yellow hairs and posterior margin bare. The mesosoma profile is elongated in P. boltoni with a relatively flat dorsal surface and weak metanotal suture. The mesosoma of P. exigua is more compact, short with a convex pronotum and mesonotum and a distinct metanotal groove.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Saudi Arabia. Palaearctic Region: Oman.

Biology
Sharaf et al (2018) - Oman: Found nesting in dry soil under a stone at the edge of a pomegranate field and coexisting with Brachyponera sennaarensis. Several additional workers were found inhabiting leaf litter where soil was dry.

Nomenclature

 *  boltoni. Plagiolepis boltoni Sharaf & Aldawood, in Sharaf, Aldawood & Taylor, 2011: 204, figs. 2a-c (w.) SAUDI ARABIA.

Worker
Holotype: TL 1.40, HL 0.43, HW 0.40, SL 0.41, EL 0.14, ML 0.43, SI 103, CI 93. Paratypes: TL 1.35-1.60, HL 0.41-0.44, HW 0.36-0.40, SL 0.36-0.41, ML 0.40-0.44, EL 0.11-0.14, SI 100-103, CI 88-93 (N=5).

Unicolorous yellow, eyes and apex of gaster black, mandible teeth brown. Head distinctly longer than broad, second funicular segment distinctly shorter than the third, fourth funicular segment distinctly longer than broad, nearly subequal to the third; antennae with abundant decumbent yellow pubescence. Head in full face view with distinctly convex sides and the eyes just breaking the outline; the occiput straight or weakly concave with clearly rounded corners. Scapes surpass the occiput by about a quarter of their length. Head dorsum smooth and brilliant but with abundant scattered hair pits. Eyes large (EL 0.30-0.35x HW) with 12 ommatidia in the longest row. Anterior clypeal margin with two lateral pairs of long yellow hairs, posterior margin with one pair of long hairs situated between antennal insertions. Profile of mesosoma elongated, with a flattish dorsal surface and a weak metanotal suture. The propodeal spiracle is minute and circular. The whole mesosoma is bare except for short pubescence on the pronotum and mesonotum. The gaster has a few long sub-erect yellow hairs on each tergite.

Queen
Sharaf et al. (2018) - Head. Nearly as long as broad or little broader than long, with convex sides and straight posterior margin, narrower anteriorly than posteriorly; scapes when laid back from their insertions surpass posterior margin of head by about ¼ of its length; anterior clypeal margin convex; mandibles armed with five teeth; eyes conspicuously large (EL 0.41 × HW); ocelli well-developed. Mesosoma. Robust with flat dorsal outline in profile; propodeal spiracle relatively large and circular; dorsal face of propodeum long, sloping abruptly to a short descending face. Sculpture. Head and mesosoma smooth and shining; gaster finely shagreened. Pilosity. Body covered with dense appressed pubescence, clypeus and mandibles with longer pale suberect hairs. Colour. Head, mesosoma, antennae, legs uniform yellow; gastral tergites yellow with anterior two-thirds of each tergite brown.

Type Material
Holotype worker.Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Al Diri’yah, 23.xii.2009, 24°44’N, 46°35’E, altitude 688 m.a.s.l. (Mostafa R. Sharaf & Abdulrahman S. Aldawood); deposited in. Paratypes. 7 workers with same data as holotype deposited at, in Kiko Gomez collection, , , , and KSUC. 17 workers; Saudi Arabia: Al Hilwa village (Hawtat Bani Tamim) ca 180 km suth of Riyadh city, 8.xi.2010, 23°25’N, 46°46’E, altitude 631 m.a.s.l. (Mostafa R. Sharaf) deposited in KSMA.

Etymology
The species is named in gratitude and honor of Barry Bolton.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Salata S., L. Borowiec, and A. G. Radchenko. 2018. Description of Plagiolepis perperamus, a New Species from East Mediterranean and Redescription of Plagiolepis pallescens Forel, 1889 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Annales Zoologici (Warsaw) 68(4): 809-824.
 * Sharaf M. R., B. L. Fisher, H. M. Al Dhafer, A. Polaszek, and A. S. Aldawood. 2018. Additions to the ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Oman: an updated list, new records and a description of two new species. Asian Myrmecology 10: e010004