Trichomyrmex perplexus

Trichomyrmex perplexus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Crematogastrini
Genus:	Trichomyrmex
Species group:	scabriceps
Species:	T. perplexus
Binomial name
Trichomyrmex perplexus (Radchenko, 1997) Specimen Labels

Sharaf et al. (2016) - Granivorous species. It prefers open and dry habitats including pastures, shores of artificial lakes, seashore with phrygana, abandoned gardens, but also found in limestone gorges with Platanus trees, open pine forests and open oak woodlands. Nests are built directly in the ground and under stones. Lowland species, the highest locality in Greece was recorded at about 570 m a.s.l. (L. Borowiec pers. comm.).

Identification

Sharaf et al. (2016) - Trichomyrmex abyssinicus and Trichomyrmex perplexus can be distinguished from other Arabian species by the vertical ellipse or slit propodeal spiracle. Trichomyrmex abyssinicus is similar to T. perplexus but can be separated from it by the convex promesonotum outline, the distinctly longer propodeal dorsum, and the irregularly rugulose propodeum, petiole and postpetiole.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Arabian Trichomyrmex species

Distribution

Sharaf et al. (2016) - Trichomyrmex perplexus was described from Armenia and recorded from United Arab Emirates (Collingwood et al. 2011), the Middle East including Jordan, and Syria (Borowiec 2014), Eastern Europe and from the Mediterranean Basin including Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus (Borowiec 2014). It is common in the Aegean Islands, Crete, Macedonia, Dodecanese Islands, Ionian Islands, and Thessaly (Borowiec & Salata 2012, 2013; L. Borowiec pers. comm.).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: United Arab Emirates.
Palaearctic Region: Armenia (type locality), Greece, Iran, Russian Federation.

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Castes

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Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's New General Catalogue, a catalogue of the world's ants.

• perplexus. Monomorium perplexum Radchenko, 1997f: 213, figs. 1-11 (w.q.m.) ARMENIA.
  • Combination in Trichomyrmex: Ward, et al. 2015: 76.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Sharaf et al. (2016) - HL 0.69–1.37; HW 0.62–1.38; EL 0.15; SL 0.52–0.87; ML 0.83–1.37 (Radchenko 1997). Large worker: TL 3.50–4.89; HL 1.03–1.31; HW 1.01–1.43; SL 0.70–0.91; EL 0.15–0.16; ML 1.05–1.40; PW 0.55–0.66; PTL 0.22–0.33; PTW 0.15–0.21; PPL 0.18–0.23; PPW 0.20–0.23; CI 107–109; EI 11–14; SI 64 (CASENT0281551, CASENT0914153). Small worker: TL 2.15; HL 0.55; HW 0.54; SL 0.42; EL 0.11; ML 0.68; PW 0.31; PTL 0.13; PTW 0.10; PPL 0.13; PPW 0.13; CI 98; EI 20; SI 78 (CASENT0281552).

Head. Slightly longer than broad (CI 98–109) with concave posterior margin and convex sides; anterior clypeal margin shallowly concave; scapes short, when laid back from their insertions failing to reach posterior margin of head.

Mesosoma. Convex in profile; promesonotal outline flat; metanotal groove impressed; propodeum angular in profile or with short blunt rounded denticle; propodeal dorsum as long as declivity in profile; propodeal declivity with feeble longitudinal impression.

Petiole. Peduncle long; petiolar node low, triangular and rounded in profile.

Postpetiole. Node low and rounded in profile.

Pilosity. Underside of head with numerous straight short hairs not forming a psammophore; cephalic surface with abundant subdecumbent pubescence; posterior margin of head with numerous long curved hairs; mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole with many projecting hairs, varying in length; gastral pilosity numerous and sparse.

Sculpture. Head smooth and shining, with sparse fine punctures; mandibles longitudinally rugulose; promesonotum and mesonotum smooth and shining, rest of mesosoma densely punctulate-reticulate.

Colour. Head, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole orange red to reddish brown, gaster dark brown, legs brownish or reddish yellow.

References

• Borowiec, L. & Salata, S. 2013. Ants of Greece – additions and corrections (Hymenoptera Formicidae). Genus (Wroclaw) 24, 335-401.
• Radchenko, A. G. 1997g. Review of the ants of scabriceps group of the genus Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Ann. Zool. (Warsaw) 46: 211-224 (page 213, figs. 1-11 worker, queen, male described)
• Sharaf, M.R., Salman, S., Al Dhafer, H.M., Akbar, S.A., Abdel-Dayem, M.S. and Aldawood, A.S. 2016. Taxonomy and distribution of the genus Trichomyrmex Mayr, 1865 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Arabian Peninsula, with the description of two new species. European Journal of Taxonomy. 246:1-36. (DOI 10.5852/ejt.2016.246).
• Ward, P.S., Brady, S.G., Fisher, B.L. & Schultz, T.R. 2014. The evolution of myrmicine ants: phylogeny and biogeography of a hyperdiverse ant clade (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Systematic Entomology, DOI: 10.1111/syen.12090.