Lioponera longitarsus

Lioponera longitarsus was originally described from India and subsequently recorded from UAE (Collingwood et al., 2011); Egypt (Sharaf, 2006); Philippines, North Australia, and Taiwan (Terayama et al., 1988). At Rawdhat Khorim, Saudi Arabia, this species is considered rare, with only four specimens. All are alate males, three attracted to a light trap and one collected by a pitfall trap. They were collected in April, October and November (Sharaf et al., 2013).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates. Australasian Region: Australia. Indo-Australian Region: New Guinea, Philippines. Oriental Region: Bangladesh, India, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam. Palaearctic Region: China, Egypt, Israel.

Biology
Heterick (2009) - The existence of this ant in Perth (WA) is interesting, given its tropical distribution elsewhere in Australia and overseas (south and south-east Asia). The species doubtless occurs as a tramp here: I have never seen specimens from outside of the Perth metropolitan area, and it is the only Dorylinae that can be found in built-up suburbs in Perth. Brown (1975) speculated that since it is a hollow twig dweller, L. longitarsus could have been transported across water in floating branches. However, the workers I have seen have all been found crawling on paths or grass.

Nomenclature

 *  longitarsus. Lioponera longitarsus Mayr, 1879: 667 (w.q.) INDIA.
 * Forel, 1900d: 329 (m.).
 * Combination in Cerapachys: Brown, 1975: 23.
 * Combination in Lioponera: Borowiec, M.L. 2016: 164.
 * Status as species: Emery, 1887b: 444; Dalla Torre, 1893: 17; Forel, 1895f: 422; Forel, 1900d: 329; Emery, 1902c: 24; Rothney, 1903: 97; Bingham, 1903: 27; Emery, 1911d: 12; Forel, 1913f: 187; Donisthorpe, 1939a: 253; Chapman & Capco, 1951: 21; Brown, 1975: 23; Collingwood, 1985: 237; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 26; Terayama, et al. 1988: 38; Bolton, 1995b: 143; Tang, Li, et al. 1995: 26; Wu, J. & Wang, 1995: 48; Collingwood & Agosti, 1996: 312; Tiwari, 1999: 33; Mathew & Tiwari, 2000: 269; Framenau & Thomas, 2008: 58; Heterick, 2009: 127; Terayama, 2009: 122 (in key); Collingwood, et al. 2011: 408; Sharaf, Abdel-Dayem, et al. 2013: 570; Bharti & Akbar, 2013a: 83 (in key); Bharti & Wachkoo, 2013d: 1192 (in key); Borowiec, L. 2014: 62; Chen, Shi & Zhou, 2016: 9 (in key).
 * Senior synonym of aegyptiacus: Bolton, 1995b: 143.
 * Senior synonym of alfierii: Bolton, 1995b: 143.
 * Senior synonym of australis Forel, 1895f: 422; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 26.
 * Senior synonym of bicolor: Brown, 1975: 23.
 * Senior synonym of cooperi: Bolton, 1995b: 143.
 * Senior synonym of parva: Brown, 1975: 23.
 * Senior synonym of pygmaeus: Brown, 1975: 23; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 26.
 * australis. Lioponera longitarsus var. australis Forel, 1895f: 422 (w.) AUSTRALIA.
 * Raised to species: Wheeler, W.M. 1918a: 264.
 * Junior synonym of longitarsus: Brown, 1975: 23.
 * parva. Lioponera longitarsus r. parva Forel, 1900d: 330 (w.m.) INDIA.
 * Raised to species: Bingham, 1903: 27.
 * Junior synonym of longitarsus: Brown, 1975: 23.
 * [Incorrectly revived from synonymy by Tang, Li, et al. 1995: 26.]
 * bicolor. Lioponera bicolor Wheeler, W.M. & Chapman, 1925: 54, pl. 1, figs. 15, 16 (w.q.m.) PHILIPPINES.
 * Junior synonym of longitarsus: Brown, 1975: 23.
 * pygmaeus. Phyracaces pygmaeus Clark, 1934b: 26, pl. 2, fig. 7 (w.) AUSTRALIA.
 * Junior synonym of longitarsus: Brown, 1975: 23.
 * alfierii. Lioponera alfierii Donisthorpe, 1939a: 256 (m.) EGYPT.
 * Combination in Cerapachys: Brown, 1975: 22.
 * Junior synonym of longitarsus: Bolton, 1995b: 142.
 * cooperi. Lioponera cooperi Donisthorpe, 1939a: 255 (m.) EGYPT.
 * [Junior secondary homonym of cooperi Arnold, 1915: 14.]
 * Replacement name: aegyptiacus Brown, 1975: 22.
 * aegyptiacus. Cerapachys aegyptiacus Brown, 1975: 22.
 * Replacement name for Lioponera cooperi Donisthorpe, 1939a: 255. [Junior secondary homonym of Cerapachys cooperi Arnold, 1915: 14.]
 * Junior synonym of longitarsus: Bolton, 1995b: 142.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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