Messor syriacus

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Messor syriacus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Stenammini
Genus: Messor
Species group: instabilis
Species complex: semirufus
Species: M. syriacus
Binomial name
Messor syriacus
Tohmé, G., 1969

Messor syriacus casent0913178 p 1 high.jpg

Messor syriacus casent0913178 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Pashaei Rad et al. (2018) found this species in Iran on the ground in moderate to low rainfall areas. Salata et al. (2023) report that this is a thermophilous species, noted from low to mid altitudes, with most records from the seacoast to 400 m. The highest sites were in agricultural habitat with terraced crops at an altitude of 1325 m. Prefers sunny areas like dirt roadsides, salt lakes coasts, dry riverbanks, maquis and luminous pine forests with Mediterranean bushes, gravel areas on riverbanks and sunny rock with xerothermic meadow. Unlike the other two species of Messor known from Cyprus, it has not been observed in cities or in touristy beaches. Nests directly in the ground, workers penetrate small areas around the nest’s entrance.

Identification

Collingwood and Agosti (1996) - HW 1.7-2.3; EL/HW 0.24-0.28. This species has large eyes and a well-developed psammophore. The propodeum is rounded in profile, not angulate.

Salata et al. (2023) - Messor syriacus belongs to the Messor instabilis species-group (sensu Santschi (1927)).

Messor syriacus belongs to the complex of species with a small body size (HL < 2.3 mm and HW < 2.5 mm), bicolored body with completely or partly reddish mesosoma and entirely or predominantly black head and gaster, postpetiole not or only slightly wider than the petiolar node, and lack or presence of very sparse and short setosity on the first gastral tergite. In the Mediterranean Basin such combinations of characters share Messor laboriosus, Messor mediosanguineus, Messor minor calabricus, Messor rufus and Messor syriacus. Messor laboriosus differs in a strongly angulate propodeum often forming an obtuse propodeal spine and presence of sparse erect setae on the whole surface of the first gastral tergite; M. rufus differs in its bicolored head (gena and clypeus broadly yellow to red, the occipital area with a pale spot) and presence of sparse erect setae on the whole surface of the first gastral tergite; M. mediosanguineus differs in presence of a lobiform, obtuse propodeal spines on propodeum; M. minor calabricus differs in rounded in profile propodeum in major workers and never completely red mesosoma, this species also is the most geographically separated from M. syriacus (occurs in southern Italy). Small major workers of Messor intermedius with completely black head are similar to M. syriacus but differ in an obtuse propodeal angle, lack of erect setae on the first gastral tergite and presence of at most four erect setae on the occipital margin of the head.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 37.049722° to 25.366667°.

   
North
Temperate 		North
Subtropical 		Tropical South
Subtropical 		South
Temperate
  • Salata et al. (2023), Fig. 23. Distribution of Messor species in Cyprus.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Saudi Arabia.
Palaearctic Region: Armenia, Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria (type locality), Türkiye.

Distribution based on AntMaps

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Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
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Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
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Biology

Castes

  • Salata et al. (2023), Figs. 15–16. Major worker of Messor syriacus. (15) dorsal, (16) lateral (scale bar = 1 mm).
  • Salata et al. (2023), Figs. 17–18. Minor worker of Messor syriacus. (17) dorsal, (18) lateral (scale bar = 1).
  • Salata et al. (2023), Figs. 19–20. Head of Messor syriacus. (19) major worker, (20) minor worker (scale bar = 1 mm).
  • Salata et al. (2023), Figs. 21–22. Color variation of Messor syriacus. (21) the palest form, (22) the darkest form (scale bar = 1 mm).

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • syriacus. Messor syriacus Tohmé, G. 1969: 9.
    • Type-material: holotype worker.
    • Type-locality: Syria: Damas (= Damascus) (G. de Kerville).
    • Type-depository: NHMB.
    • [First available use of Messor minor st. laboriosus var. syriacus Santschi, 1927c: 241 (w.m.) SYRIA; unavailable (infrasubspecific) name.]
    • Tohmé, G. 1969: 9 (m.); Tohmé, G. & Tohmé, H. 1981: 146 (q.m.).
    • As unavailable (infrasubspecific) name: Santschi, 1927d: 247.
    • Subspecies of minor: Arnol'di, 1977b: 1640 (in key); Arakelian, 1994: 37.
    • Status as species: Tohmé, G. & Tohmé, H. 1981: 145; Collingwood, 1985: 252; Kugler, J. 1988: 257; Bolton, 1995b: 257; Collingwood & Agosti, 1996: 322; Vonshak, et al. 2009: 43; Kiran & Karaman, 2012: 21; Borowiec, L. 2014: 113; Tohmé, G. & Tohmé, 2014: 135; Khalili-Moghadam, et al. 2019: 177.
    • Distribution: Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey.

Type Material

Salata & Borowiec (2019): syntype (w.): M. aralocaspius | laboriosus | v. syriacus Sanschi || TYPE || Syrie | Damas. | G. de Kerville || Sammlung | Dr. F. Santschi || Kairouan || ANTWEB | CASENT0913178 (NHMB).

Taxonomic Notes

Salata et al. (2023) - Messor syriacus was described from Syria, Damas (= Damascus) and later recorded also from Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and eastern Türkiye (Borowiec 2014). Populations from Iran and Saudi Arabia slightly differ from populations of more western and northern distribution and maybe represent another cryptic species. However, this statement needs verification based on molecular data. Cypriot records of M. intermedius, M. meridionalis and M. wasmanni most likely refer to M. syriacus.

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

Description

Worker

Major

Salata et al. (2023) - (n=5): HL: 2.066 (1.92–2.23); HW: 2.18 (2.00–2.38); SL: 1.749 (1.62–1.82); EL: 0.396 (0.37–0.42); PW: 1.266 (1.16–1.36); PRL: 1.082 (1.02–1.16); PRW: 0.866 (0.79–0.94); PTL: 0.742 (0.63–0.82); PTH: 0.502 (0.47–0.54); WL: 2.424 (2.21–2.60); HFL: 2.138 (2.01–2.31); CI: 0.949 (0.918–0.990); SI: 0.749 (0.706–0.780); PI: 1.477 (1.286–1.569); FI: 0.883 (0.856–0.914); L/WI: 1.915 (1.846–2.000); PRI: 1.253 (1.170–1.294).

Color. In typically colored specimens (as in syn-types described from Damascus) head black with narrowly reddish gena, mesosoma almost uniformly red, petiole and postpetiole reddish ventrally and reddish-brown dorsally, gaster black with yellowish transparent posterior margin of tergites. In Cyprus this form is rare (approximately 10% of examined specimens) a form with the head and gaster colored as in the typical form but with mesosoma with mixed red, brown and black in various proportions is more common, in an extreme dark rare form the mesosoma is almost completely black. Legs in all forms dark colored, coxa, trochanters, femora and tibiae black only knee yellowish to yellowish-brown, tarsi dorsally yellowish-brown, ventrally yellow. Antennae usually black, in the palest typical form scapi black, funicle usually black basally then gradually paler colored apically with the last segments being brown. Head. Subrectangular, approximately 0.9 × as long as wide, sides below eyes almost parallel, above eyes gently convex, posterior margin concave. Anterior clypeal margin straight, with a row of 6–8 marginal yellow setae, the longest slightly shorter than the clypeal length. Clypeus without appressed pubescence, with a pair of long erect setae, slightly shorter than the marginal setae, and with a few very short erect hairs. Surface on the sides with thick longitudinal striae, central plate on the sides with oblique striae, medially without striae with slightly irregular surface. Eyes small and oval, approximately 1.4 × as long as wide and 0.7–0.8 × as long as the gena. Frontal triangle impressed, with slightly irregular surface and two longitudinal striae, shiny. Frontal carinae short, slightly extending beyond frontal lobes. Frons narrow, in the narrowest part approximately 0.25 × as wide as the head width. Antennal fossa deep, with sculpture forming semicircular striae only in the basal half of fossa, interspaces shiny. Head mostly smooth or with diffused microreticulation, shiny, usually without striae or only frons close to frontal carinae with rudiments of striation and with fine median sulcus, gena with short, longitudinal striae. Surface covered with short and sparse, white appressed pubescence, especially around the eyes, sides of the head and occipital area but also in the frontal area. Frons on the sides with a pair of long erect setae, and a few short sparse, yellowish suberect and erect setae, occipital corners usually with 3–9 erect setae, between the frons and the occipitum a few suberect to erect setae also occur but the sides of the head and gena are without standing setae. Ventral part of the head with numerous, long erect setae, partly forming a J-shaped psammophores. Antennal scape moderately long, in frontal view almost straight, 0.7–0.8 × as long as the width of the head; base moderately extended, outer angle acute, inner angle rounded. Scape before its apex not constricted; funiculus distinctly longer than scape, pedicel moderately elongated, approximately 0.75 × as long as segments 2 and 3 combined and 1.2–1.3 × as long as segment 2. Surface of the scape smooth to diffusely microreticulated and shiny, covered with long and sparse white subdecumbent to suberect hairs. Mandibles rounded, with deep grooves, surface shiny with a few long and short yellow setae, cutting edge in large majors often with serrulate edge. Mesosoma. Moderately long, approximately 1.8–2.0 × as long as wide. Pronotum regularly convex in profile and on sides. In lateral view promesonotum form regular convexity, propodeum positioned lower than the promesonotum, flat anteriorly then distinctly angulate posteriorly, angulation margined by short, thick carina lateral and often form small denticle. Pronotal dorsum with strong transverse to slightly irregular striae, on the sides with distinct semicircular striae, interspaces shiny, sometimes posterolateral corners of pronotal sides with diffused striation. Elevated dorsum of mesonotum slightly irregular surface or short striae, posterior part and sides with longitudinal striae, interspaces shiny. Mesopleura with dense, thick transverse striae, interspaces with diffused microreticulation but appear shiny. Propodeum dorsally with thick transverse striae and around the spiracle with circular striae. Metapleura with dense, high longitudinal striae, interspaces on the whole propodeal surface smooth and shiny. Vestiture and setation of mesosoma variable, pronotum with extremely sparse, short appressed hairs and dorsolaterally with 6–10 short to very long, white erect setae, the longest with a length up to 0.365 mm, sides of the pronotum without suberect setae, mesonotum with 12–16 long erect setae, only slightly shorter than the longest setae on pronotum, and with several short erect setae, propodeal dorsum usually only with a pair of long erect setae, slightly shorter than setae on mesonotum and with a few short erect setae, sometimes with 1–2 additional erect setae in its anterolateral corners and single seta at the base of the propodeal denticle, mesopleuron close to posterior margin without suberect setae, metapleuron in posterolateral corners with a group of moderately long suberect setae. Petiole. Elongate, with long pedicel and moderately high triangular node, thin, PI 1.29–1.57, pedicel, anterior face and base of the node with distinct reticulate sculpture, posterior face with strong longitudinal sculpture, top of the petiole obtusely angulate, upper margin and sides with 3–10 erect setae, the longest with a length of 0.254 mm. Postpetiole. Rounded in profile, globular in dorsal view, 1.2–1.3 × as wide as the petiole, whole surface with numerous erect setae, as long as setae on the petiolar node. Gaster. Whole surface with diffused microreticulation, shiny, covered with very sparse and short appressed hairs, first tergite without erect setae except for a row of short erect setae close to posterior margin, or in fresh specimens the base of the first tergite with a group of 2–7 very short erect setae, sometimes also posterolateral corners with 1–3 similar setae. Legs. Moderately elongate, FI 0.856–0.914, femora distinctly swollen in the middle, tibiae moderately widened apically, tarsi longer than tibiae. Whole surface of the legs diffusely microreticulate, covered with moderately dense and long, subdecumbent to erect setae.

Minor

Salata et al. (2023) - smallest minor worker: HL: 1.13; HW: 1.02; SL: 1.05; EL: 0.24; PW: 0.70; PRL: 0.70; PRW: 0.51; PTL: 0.43; PTH: 0.28; WL: 1.49; HFL: 1.35; CI: 1.108; SI: 1.029; PI: 1.536; FI: 0.906; L/WI: 2.129; PRI: 1.373.

Color. Similar to majors but often head brown with reddish-brown spots, legs often yellowish-brown to brown. Antennae sometimes with reddish-brown scapi and slightly obscure funicle. Head. Slightly more elongated than in major workers, approximately 1.1 × as long as wide, softly converging anterad and posterad, behind the eyes regularly rounded, occipital margin of the head slightly convex. Clypeus not as strongly sculptured as in majors, central plate mostly without longitudinal striae, smooth and shiny. Eyes large but less oval than in major workers, 1.3 × as long as wide and 0.7 × as long as the gena. Frons smooth and shiny, without longitudinal striation, gena mostly smooth and shiny with very short striae at the anterior margin. Mesosoma. Slimmer than in majors, WL/PW ratio approximately 2.1. Dorsum of pronotal surface anteriorly with transverse striae, on the top with diffused striae or only irregular, sides mostly smooth and shiny except for remnants of semicircular striation. Sculpture of mesonotum and propodeum as in majors. Setation and vestiture of mesosoma as in majors but with less number of setae, especially mesonotum with only 4–6 erect setae, propodeum dorsum with only a pair of setae. Petiole and postpetiole. As in major workers but the posterior face of the petiole without longitudinal striae. Gaster. Smooth and shiny or only with remnants of reticulate microsculpture, setation as in majors. Legs. Relatively longer than in majors, mean FI approximately 0.91, sculpture and setation as in major workers.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • 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. 1985. Hymenoptera: Fam. Formicidae of Saudi Arabia. Fauna of Saudi Arabia 7: 230-302.
  • Khalili-Moghadam A., L. Borowiec, and A. Nemati. 2019. New records of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari Province of Iran with taxonomic comments. Polish Journal of Entomology 88 (2): 163–182.
  • 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.
  • Santschi, F.. "Revision des Messor du groupe instabilis Sm. (Hymenopt.)." Boletín de la Real Sociedad española de Historia natural (Madrid) 27 (1927): 225-250.
  • Tohme G. 1996. Formicidae. Etude de la diversité biologique n° 4 . Ministère de l’Agriculture à Beyrouth (Eds.). P85-87.
  • Tohme G., and H. Tohme. 2014. Nouvelles liste des especes de fourmis du Liban (Hymenoptera, Formicoidea). Lebanese Science Journal 15(1): 133-141.
  • Tohmé, G., and H. Tohmé. "Les fourmis du genre Messor en Syrie. Position systématique. Description de quelques ailés et de formes nouvelles. Répartition géographique." Ecologia Mediterranea 7 (1) (1981): 139-153, fig. 1-22.
  • Vonshak M., and A. Ionescu-Hirsch. 2009. A checklist of the ants of Israel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Israel Journal of Entomology 39: 33-55.
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