Cataglyphis nigra

This species is common at Rawdhat Khorim, Saudi Arabia, with peak abundance in June and decreasing during cooler months. Workers were collected from the following plants: Acacia gerrardii Benth (Fabaceae), Calotropis procera (Aiton) W. T. Aiton (Apocynaceae), Rhazya stricta Decne (Apocynaceae) and Ziziphus nummularia (Burm. f) Wight & Arn. (Rhamnaceae) (Sharaf et al., 2013). Pashaei Rad et al. (2018) found this species in Iran in areas with moderate to very low rainfall.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates. Palaearctic Region: Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman.

This species was originally described from Israel and recorded from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Yemen (Collingwood, 1985; Collingwood and Agosti, 1996), UAE (Collingwood et al. 2011) and Syria (Santschi, 1929b) (Sharaf et al., 2013).

Nomenclature

 * . Myrmecocystus viaticus var. niger André, 1881b: 56 (w.) ISRAEL.
 * Forel, 1913d: 434 (q.).
 * Combination in M. (Cataglyphis): Forel, 1913d: 434;
 * combination in Cataglyphis: Emery, 1925b: 265;
 * combination in C. (Cataglyphis): Santschi, 1929b: 50.
 * As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Emery, 1906d: 58; Forel, 1908a: 14; Emery, 1908g: 217; Wheeler, W.M. & Mann, 1916: 173.
 * Subspecies of viatica: André, 1882b: 167 (in key); Emery, 1891b: 16; Dalla Torre, 1893: 219; Emery, 1898c: 126; Forel, 1903c: 267; Forel, 1904b: 382; Forel, 1910a: 13; Forel, 1911h: 458; Forel, 1913d: 434; Tinaut, 1991: 216.
 * Subspecies of bicolor: Forel, 1908a: 15; Emery, 1924a: 9; Emery, 1925b: 265; Menozzi, 1927f: 380; Menozzi, 1927g: 380; Santschi, 1929b: 50; Menozzi, 1929e: 128; Finzi, 1930c: 24; Menozzi, 1933b: 86; Menozzi, 1934: 166; Santschi, 1934d: 282; Finzi, 1936: 193.
 * Status as species: Collingwood, 1985: 290; Kugler, J. 1988: 259; Agosti, 1990b: 1489; Bolton, 1995b: 136; Collingwood & Agosti, 1996: 381; Radchenko, 1997c: 432; Radchenko, 1998: 505 (in key); Mohamed, Zalat, et al. 2001: 45; Paknia, et al. 2008: 154; Vonshak, et al. 2009: 39; Collingwood, et al. 2011: 458; Sharaf, Abdel-Dayem, et al. 2013: 572; Borowiec, L. 2014: 58.

Taxonomic Notes
The taxonomic status of the Jordanian populations of Cataglyphis nigra are uncertain due to the complex genetic structure of members of the Cataglyphis bicolor group (Eyer et al. 2017; Borowiec & Salata, 2020).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Agosti D. 1990. Review and reclassification of Cataglyphis (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Journal of Natural History 24: 1457-1505.
 * Agosti, D. 1990. Review and reclassification of Cataglyphis (Hymentopera: Formicidae) . Journal of Natural History 24:1457-1505.
 * Ahmad G. M. M., and M. I. Basuony. 2003. Taxonomy and biodiversity of ant fauna of the Mediterranean coastal desert (Western desert-Egypt). J. Egypt. Ger. Soc. Zool. 42E: 69-83.
 * Al-Houty W. 1989. Insect fauna of Kuwait. University of Kuwait. Formicidae p 155-156. 187 pages
 * Ben Mordechai J., and J. Kugler. 1976. Ecology of ants in the desert loess plain (Sede Zin) of Sede Boqer (Central Negev). Israel Journal of Zoology 25: 216-217.
 * Borowiec L. 2014. Catalogue of ants of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent regions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 25(1-2): 1-340.
 * Collingwood C. A., D. Agosti, M. R. Sharaf, A. Van Harten, 2011. Order Hymenoptera, family Formicidae. Arthropod Fauna of the UAE 4: 405-474
 * Collingwood, C. A. and D. Agosti. 1996. Formicidae (Insects: Hymenoptera) of Saudi Arabia (Part 2) Fauna of Saudi Arabia 15: 300-385.
 * Collingwood, C. A., and Donat Agosti. "Formicidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) of Saudi Arabia (Part 2)." Fauna of Saudi Arabia 15 (1996): 300-385.
 * El-Hawagry M. S., M. W. Khalil, M. R. Sharaf, H. H. Fadl, and A. S. Aldawood. 2013. A preliminary study on the insect fauna of Al-Baha Province, Saudi Arabia, with descriptions of two new species. ZooKeys 274: 188. doi:10.3897/zookeys.274.4529
 * Emery, C.. "Beiträge zur Kenntniss der palaearktischen Ameisen." Öfversigt af Finska Vetenskaps-Societetens Förhandlingar (Helsinki) 20 (1898): 124-151.
 * Finzi B. 1930. Hymenopteren aus Palästina und Syrien. (Zoologische Studienreise von R. Ebner 1928 mit Unterstützung der Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien.) Formicidae. Sitzungsberichte der Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien. Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Klasse. Abteilung I 139:22-24.
 * Forel A. 1904. Note sur les fourmis du Musée Zoologique de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences à St. Pétersbourg. Ezheg. Zool. Muz. 8: 368-388.
 * Forel A. 1910. Glanures myrmécologiques. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 54: 6-32.
 * Forel A. 1911. Sur le genre Metapone n. g. nouveau groupe des Formicides et sur quelques autres formes nouvelles. Rev. Suisse Zool. 19: 445-459.
 * Forel, A. 1908. Fourmis de Ceylan et d'Égypte récoltées par le Prof. E. Bugnion. Lasius carniolicus. Fourmis de Kerguelen. Pseudandrie? Strongylognathus testaceus. Bull. Soc. Vaudoise Sci. Nat. 44: 1-22
 * Forel, A.. "Fourmis de la faune méditerranéenne récoltées par MM. U. et J. Sahlberg." Revue Suisse de Zoologie 21 (1913): 427-438.
 * Ghigi, A.. "Elenco descrittivo del Materiale zoologico racolto in : L Cirenaica geografica, economica, politica; a cura dil Olinto Marinelli." Milano (A. Valvar (1923): 249-261.
 * Kugler J. 1988. The zoogeography of Israel. 9. The zoogeography of social insects of Israel and Sinai. Monographiae biologicae 62: 251-275.
 * Medina, M.. "Catálogo provisional de las hormigas de Andalucía." Actas de la Sociedad Española de Historia Natural 20 (1891): 95-104.
 * Menozzi C. 1927. Risultati zoologici della Missione inviata dalla R. Società Geografica Italiana per l'esplorazione dell'Oasi di Giarabub (1926-1927). Formicidae (Hymenoptera).. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria. 52: 379-382.
 * Menozzi C. 1929. Formiche del Sinai raccolte dal Dr. F. S. Bodenheimer, con descrizione di una nuova specie di Monomorium del sottogen. Equestrimessor.. Pp. 125-128 in: Bodenheimer, F. S., Theodor, O. Ergebnisse der Sinai-Expedition 1927 der Hebräischen Universität, Jerusalem. Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs'schum, 142 pp.
 * Menozzi C. 1934. Reperti mirmecofaunistici raccolti dal Prof. L di Caporiacco nelle oasi di Cufra e in altre localita del deserto Libico. Atti della Societa dei Naturalisti e Matematici di Modena (6)13(65): 153-166
 * Mohamed, S., S. Zalat, H. Fadl, S.Gadalla and M. Sharaf. 2001. Taxonomy of ant species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) collected by pitfall traps from Sinai and Delta region, Egypt. Egyptian Journal of Natural History 3:40-61
 * Omid P., and H. G. Kami. 2007. New and additional records for the formicid fauna (Insecta: Hymenoptera) of Iran. Zoology in the Middle East 40(1): 85-90.
 * Orabi G. M., F. M. Semida, M. S. Abdel-Dayem, M. R. Sharaf, and S. M. Zalat. 2011. Diversity patterns of ants along an elevation gradient at St. Catherine Protectorate, South Sinai, Egypt (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zoology in the Middle East 54(1): 101-112.
 * Paknia O., A. Radchenko, H. Alipanah, and M. Pfeiffer. 2008. A preliminary checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Iran. Myrmecological News 11: 151-159.
 * Paknia O., and M. Pfeiffer. 2011. Hierarchical partitioning of ant diversity: implications for conservation of biogeographical diversity in arid and semi-arid areas. Diversity and Distributions 17: 122-131.
 * Paknia O., and M. Pfeiffer. 2014. Niche-based processes and temporal variation of environment drive beta diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in dryland ecosystems of Iran. Myrmecological News 20: 15-23.
 * Pashaei Rad S., B. Taylor, R. Torabi, E. Aram, G. Abolfathi, R. Afshari, F. Borjali, M. Ghatei, F. Hediary, F. Jazini, V. Heidary Kiah, Z. Mahmoudi, F. Safariyan, and M. Seiri. 2018. Further records of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Iran. Zoology in the Middle East 64(2): 145-159.
 * Radchenko, A.G. 1998. A key to ants of the genus Cataglyphis Foerster (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Asia. Entomological Review 78(4):475-480.
 * Rafinejad J., A. Zareii, K. Akbarzadeh, M. Azad, F. Biglaryan, S. Doosti, and M. M. Sedaghat. 2009. Faunestic study of ants with emphasis on the health risk of stinging ants in Qeshm Island, Iran. Iranian J. Arthropod-Borne Dis 3(1): 53-59.
 * Santschi, F.. "Étude sur les Cataglyphis." Revue Suisse de Zoologie 36 (1929): 25-70.
 * 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
 * Tigar B. J., and C. A. Collingwood. 1993. A preliminary list of ant records from Abu Dhabi Emirate, U.A.E. Tribulus 3(2): 13-14.
 * Vonshak M., and A. Ionescu-Hirsch. 2009. A checklist of the ants of Israel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Israel Journal of Entomology 39: 33-55.
 * Wheeler W. M., and W. M. Mann. 1916. The ants of the Phillips Expedition to Palestine during 1914. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 60: 167-174.