Messor structor

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia.

Habitat
A range of xeric habitats and, in some areas, open well drained anthropogenic habitats (lawns, abandoned fields, etc.).

Biology
Stoyanov et al. (2015) - Messor structor are harvester ants storing seeds in underground granaries. Being major seed consumers in xeric habitats they influence the vegetation by depleting and dispersing seeds (Azcarate, Peco 2003, MacMahon et al. 2000, Schlick-Steiner et al. 2005). According to Seifert (1996), Central European populations of the harvester ant genus Messor are currently considered to constitute a single species Messor structor. It has been reported that M. structor ants live mainly in polygynous colonies and could be members of unicolonial populations (Schlick-Steiner et al. 2005). Messor structor is one of the most widespread steppe species. It is well adapted to different conditions and occurs in all of Europe. In Bulgaria this ant is found all over the country in medium-sized populations and occur in plain desolate terrains, mountainous slopes, outskirts of mixed woodland zones and in open well-drained areas such as abandoned fields, pastures, and overgrown lawns.

This study examined genetic variability among populations of Messor structor from various localities (n=36 nests) in from Southern Bulgaria using isoenzymic analysis. Three of the four enzyme loci used were found to be polymorphic. Observed and expected heterozygosities (Ho and He) ranged from 0.0 to 0.111 and from 0.168 to 0.372, respectively. Nei’s (1972) genetic distance was found to range from 0.001 (between Boliarino and Lubenova mahala) to 0.462 (between Chirpan and Merichleri). The estimated mean F-IS and F-ST values from isozyme data were 0.8738 and 0.1432, respectively. Two of the studied populations were grouped separately in dendrograms as compared to all other populations which formed a large cluster consisting of three sub-clusters.

Nomenclature

 *  structor. Formica structor Latreille, 1798: 46 (w.m.) FRANCE.
 * Latreille, 1802c: 237 (q.).
 * Combination in Manica: Jurine, 1807: 279.
 * Combination in Atta: Latreille, 1809: 130; Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau, 1835: 174; Mayr, 1855: 464; Smith, F. 1858b: 162.
 * Combination in Myrmica: Nylander, 1856b: 85.
 * Combination in Aphaenogaster: Roger, 1863b: 29.
 * Combination in A. (Messor): Forel, 1892i: 316.
 * Combination in Stenamma (Messor): Emery, 1898c: 126.
 * Combination in Messor: Emery, 1897f: 238; Ruzsky, 1903b: 315; Emery, 1908e: 455.
 * Subspecies of barbarus: Emery, 1908e: 455; Forel, 1910a: 9; Karavaiev, 1910b: 67; Forel, 1911d: 346; Emery, 1912f: 96; Karavaiev, 1912a: 10; Stitz, 1914: 69; Emery, 1914d: 156; Emery, 1915h: 1; Wheeler, W.M. & Mann, 1916: 170; Emery, 1916b: 143; Santschi, 1917e: 91; Escherich, 1917: 327; Menozzi, 1918: 83; Santschi, 1921a: 110; Menozzi, 1921: 26; Emery, 1921b: 210; Emery, 1921f: 73; Soudek, 1922: 34; Finzi, 1923: 3; Emery, 1924b: 12; Ceballos, 1956: 301.
 * Status as species: Latreille, 1802c: 236; Latreille, 1809: 130; Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau, 1835: 174; Schilling, 1839: 56; Brullé, 1840: 84; Schenck, 1852: 113; Mayr, 1855: 464 (redescription); Nylander, 1856b: 85; Gredler, 1858: 30; Smith, F. 1858b: 162; Roger, 1859: 253; Mayr, 1861: 66 (in key); Smith, F. 1861a: 35; Roger, 1863b: 29; Mayr, 1863: 397; Mayr, 1867a: 93 (redescription); Emery, 1869b: 17; Walker, 1871: 10; Forel, 1874: 74 (in key); André, 1874: 195 (in key); Mayr, 1877: 14; Emery, 1878b: 58; Emery & Forel, 1879: 461; Mayr, 1880: 33; Emery, 1881b: 534; André, 1883b: 353 (in key); Forel, 1886e: clxviii; Forel, 1889: 257; Nasonov, 1889: 37; Saunders, E. 1890: 204; Forel, 1892i: 316; Dalla Torre, 1893: 105; Forel, 1895d: 227; Ruzsky, 1896: 74; Emery, 1898c: 140; Ruzsky, 1902a: 235; Ruzsky, 1902d: 27; Ruzsky, 1903b: 315; Forel, 1904b: 373; Ruzsky, 1905b: 728; Forel, 1906c: 190; Forel, 1907e: 15; Forel, 1909c: 104; Forel, 1915d: 35 (in key); Bondroit, 1918: 150; Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1923: 256; Müller, 1923b: 60; Finzi, 1924a: 13; Lomnicki, 1925b: 2; Wheeler, W.M. 1926: 2; Donisthorpe, 1926a: 7; Menozzi, 1926b: 181; Karavaiev, 1926b: 101; Karavaiev, 1927a: 286; Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1927a: 92 (in key); Karavaiev, 1927c: 261 (in key); Kutter, 1927: 99; Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1929d: 12; Finzi, 1929: 90; Karavaiev, 1929b: 209; Finzi, 1930d: 312; Cori & Finzi, 1931: 238; Santschi, 1931a: 4; Soudek, 1931: 8; Arnol'di, 1933b: 600 (in key); Karavaiev, 1934: 108; Grandi, 1935: 100; Zimmermann, 1935: 14; Finzi, 1936: 160; Finzi, 1939c: 155; Donisthorpe, 1950e: 1059; Consani & Zangheri, 1952: 40; Bernard, 1955a: 361 (in key); Bernard, 1956b: 258; Baroni Urbani, 1964a: 2; Baroni Urbani, 1964b: 41; Baroni Urbani, 1964c: 150; Bernard, 1967: 144 (redescription); Baroni Urbani, 1968b: 436; Collingwood & Yarrow, 1969: 64; Baroni Urbani, 1971c: 66; Baroni Urbani, 1974: 232; Collingwood, 1978: 81 (in key); Schembri & Collingwood, 1981: 427; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987b: 271 (in key); Dlussky, Soyunov & Zabelin, 1990: 224; Casevitz-Weulersse, 1990b: 156 (in key); Arakelian, 1994: 38; Bolton, 1995b: 257; Mei, 1995: 762; Cagniant & Espadaler, 1998: 423; Czechowski, et al. 2002: 37; Bračko, 2006: 137; Cagnaint, 2006a: 197; Bračko, 2007: 17; Seifert, 2007: 214; Werner & Wiezik, 2007: 140, 147; Zryanin & Zryanina, 2007: 231; Wetterer, et al. 2007: 14; Gratiashvili & Barjadze, 2008: 139; Casevitz-Weulersse & Galkowski, 2009: 489; Lapeva-Gjonova, et al. 2010: 15; Boer, 2010: 61; Csösz, et al. 2011: 56; Legakis, 2011: 11; Borowiec, L. & Salata, 2012: 515; Czechowski, et al. 2012: 119; Borowiec, L. 2014: 112; Radchenko, 2016: 171; Steiner, Csösz, et al. 2018: 399 (redescription).
 * Senior synonym of aedificator: Mayr, 1855: 464; Smith, F. 1858b: 162; Mayr, 1863: 397; Roger, 1863b: 29; André, 1874: 203 (in list); Forel, 1874: 101 (in list); Emery & Forel, 1879: 462; Dalla Torre, 1893: 105; Emery, 1921f: 73; Bolton, 1995b: 252; Radchenko, 2016: 171; Steiner, Csösz, et al. 2018: supplementary material, 6.
 * Senior synonym of darianus: Dlussky, Soyunov & Zabelin, 1990: 224; Radchenko, 2016: 171.
 * Senior synonym of jakowlevi: Dlussky, Soyunov & Zabelin, 1990: 224; Radchenko, 2016: 171.
 * Senior synonym of lapidum: Nylander, 1856b: 85; Smith, F. 1858b: 162; Smith, F. 1861a: 35; Mayr, 1863: 397; Roger, 1863b: 29; Forel, 1874: 100 (in list); Emery & Forel, 1879: 462; Dalla Torre, 1893: 105; Ruzsky, 1905b: 728; Emery, 1921f: 73; Bolton, 1995b: 257; Radchenko, 2016: 171; Steiner, Csösz, et al. 2018: 399.
 * Senior synonym of romanus: Dlussky, Soyunov & Zabelin, 1990: 224; Bolton, 1995b: 257.
 * Senior synonym of rubella: Dlussky, Soyunov & Zabelin, 1990: 224; Radchenko, 2016: 171.
 * Senior synonym of rufitarsis Fabricius: Nylander, 1856b: 85; Smith, F. 1858b: 162; Mayr, 1863: 397; Roger, 1863b: 29; Forel, 1874: 101 (in list); Emery & Forel, 1879: 462; Nasonov, 1889: 37; Dalla Torre, 1893: 105; Ruzsky, 1905b: 728; Emery, 1921f: 73; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987a: 54; Casevitz-Weulersse, 1990a: 154; Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 115; Bolton, 1995b: 256; Gratiashvili & Barjadze, 2008: 139; Csösz, et al. 2011: 56; Radchenko, 2016: 171; Steiner, Csösz, et al. 2018: 399.
 * Senior synonym of subpolitus: Dlussky, Soyunov & Zabelin, 1990: 224; Radchenko, 2016: 171.
 * Senior synonym of turanicus: Dlussky, Soyunov & Zabelin, 1990: 224; Bolton, 1995b: 257; Radchenko, 2016: 171.
 * Current subspecies: nominal plus platyceras, tyrrhenus.
 * lapidum. Formica lapidum Fabricius, 1804: 407 (w.) AUSTRIA.
 * Combination in Aphaenogaster: Roger, 1863b: 29.
 * Junior synonym of rufitarsis Fabricius: Emery, 1921b: 211.
 * Junior synonym of structor: Nylander, 1856b: 85; Smith, F. 1858b: 162; Smith, F. 1861a: 35; Mayr, 1863: 397; Roger, 1863b: 29; Forel, 1874: 100 (in list); Emery & Forel, 1879: 462; Dalla Torre, 1893: 105; Ruzsky, 1905b: 728; Emery, 1921f: 73; Bolton, 1995b: 255; Radchenko, 2016: 171; Steiner, Csösz, et al. 2018: 399.
 * rufitarsis. Formica rufitarsis Fabricius, 1804: 406 (w.) AUSTRIA.
 * Combination in Aphaenogaster: Roger, 1863b: 29.
 * Combination in Messor: Emery, 1921b: 211.
 * Subspecies of barbarus: Emery, 1921b: 211.
 * Subspecies of structor: Santschi, 1926f: 290; Santschi, 1927d: 247; Menozzi, 1933b: 54; Santschi, 1934d: 275; Santschi, 1939c: 6; Pisarski, 1975: 16.
 * Status as species: Röszler, 1942a: 51; Röszler, 1942b: 32; Röszler, 1951: 88; Bernard, 1955a: 361 (in key); Bernard, 1956b: 258; Baroni Urbani, 1964b: 41; Pisarski, 1967: 383; Bernard, 1967: 144 (redescription); Kutter, 1968a: 59; Pisarski, 1970: 306; Arnol’di, 1970a: 79; Tarbinsky, 1976: 54; van Boven, 1977: 88; Baroni Urbani, 1971c: 63; Kutter, 1977c: 82; Arnol'di, 1977b: 1643 (in key); Arnol'di & Dlussky, 1978: 537 (in key); Bernard, 1981b: 143.
 * Junior synonym of structor: Nylander, 1856b: 85; Smith, F. 1858b: 162; Smith, F. 1861a: 35; Roger, 1863b: 29; Mayr, 1863: 397; Emery & Forel, 1879: 462; Nasonov, 1889: 37; Emery, 1921f: 73; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987a: 54; Casevitz-Weulersse, 1990a: 154; Bolton, 1995b: 256; Steiner, Csösz, et al. 2018: 399.
 * aedificator. Formica aedificator Schilling, 1839: 56 (w.) POLAND.
 * [Misspelled as aedificans by Mayr, 1855: 464, Smith, F. 1858b: 162.]
 * Combination in Aphaenogaster: Roger, 1863b: 29.
 * Junior synonym of rufitarsis Fabricius: Emery, 1921b: 211; Pisarski, 1975: 16.
 * Junior synonym of structor: Mayr, 1855: 464; Smith, F. 1858b: 162; Mayr, 1863: 397; Roger, 1863b: 29; André, 1874: 203 (in list); Forel, 1874: 101 (in list); Emery & Forel, 1879: 462; Dalla Torre, 1893: 105; Emery, 1921f: 73; Bolton, 1995b: 252; Radchenko, 2016: 171; Steiner, Csösz, et al. 2018: supplementary material, 6.
 * rubella. Messor platyceras var. rubella Crawley, 1920a: 164 (s.w.m.) IRAN.
 * Junior synonym of clivorum: Emery, 1921b: 210 (footnote); Bolton, 1995b: 256 (error).
 * Junior synonym of structor: Dlussky, Soyunov & Zabelin, 1990: 224; Radchenko, 2016: 171.
 * turanicus. Messor structor subsp. turanicus Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1927a: 91 (in key) (w.) UZBEKISTAN.
 * Subspecies of structor: Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1929d: 14.
 * Synonym of darianus: Santschi, 1927d: 247; Pisarski, 1967: 383; Pisarski, 1970: 306; Tarbinsky, 1976: 54; Arnol'di, 1977b: 1644.
 * [Note: Santschi, Pisarski, Tarbinsky, and Arnol’di all give darianus as senior synonym, but turanicus has priority (Bolton, 1995b: 258).]
 * Junior synonym of structor: Dlussky, Soyunov & Zabelin, 1990: 224; Bolton, 1995b: 258; Radchenko, 2016: 171.
 * darianus. Messor rufitarsis subsp. darianus Pisarski, 1967: 383 (w.) UZBEKISTAN.
 * [First available use of Messor structor st. rufitarsis var. darianus Santschi, 1926f: 291 (w.) UZBEKISTAN; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
 * [Misspelled as dariagus by He & Song, 2009: 724.]
 * As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Santschi, 1927d: 247; Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1929d: 22.
 * Material referred to structor by Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1927a: 92 (in key).
 * Subspecies of rufitarsis Fabricius: Tarbinsky, 1976: 54; He & Song, 2009: 724.
 * Synonym of turanicus: Santschi, 1927d: 247; Pisarski, 1967: 383; Pisarski, 1970: 306; Tarbinsky, 1976: 54; Arnol'di, 1977b: 1644 (in key).
 * [Note: Santschi, Pisarski, Tarbinsky, and Arnol’di, all give darianus as senior synonym, but turanicus has priority (Bolton, 1995b: 253).]
 * Junior synonym of structor: Dlussky, Soyunov & Zabelin, 1990: 224; Radchenko, 2016: 171.
 * jakowlevi. Messor rufitarsis subsp. jakowlevi Arnol'di, 1977b: 1643 (w.) UKRAINE.
 * [First available use of Aphaenogaster (Messor) barbarus subsp. capitatus var. jakowlevi Ruzsky, 1905b: 750 (w.) UKRAINE; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
 * [Misspelled as jakovlevi by Arnol’di & Dlussky, 1978: 537 (in key).]
 * As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Emery, 1908e: 450; Emery, 1921f: 72; Emery, 1922c: 96; Karavaiev, 1927a: 287.
 * Subspecies of rufitarsis Fabricius: Arnol’di & Dlussky, 1978: 537 (in key); Steiner, Csösz, et al. 2018: supplementary material, 8 (nomen dubium).
 * [Note: because Steiner, Csösz, et al. 2018: 399, establish rufitarsis Fabricius as a junior synonym of structor, the synonymy of jakowlevi under structor, below, still stands.]
 * Junior synonym of structor: Dlussky, Soyunov & Zabelin, 1990: 224; Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 114; Bolton, 1995b: 254.
 * Material of the unavailable name salina referred here by Arnol'di, 1977b: 1643 (in key).
 * subpolitus. Messor structor var. subpolitus Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1927a: 92 (in key) (w.) KYRGYZSTAN, UZBEKISTAN.
 * Subspecies of structor: Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1929d: 15.
 * Junior synonym of clivorum: Tarbinsky, 1976: 56; Bolton, 1995b: 257.
 * Junior synonym of structor: Dlussky, Soyunov & Zabelin, 1990: 224; Radchenko, 2016: 171.