Monomorium ellenarium

Monomorium ellenarium
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Solenopsidini
Genus:	Monomorium
Species group:	monomorium
Species:	M. ellenarium
Binomial name
Monomorium ellenarium Shigayev & Snegovaya, 2022

The type locality of Monomorium ellenarium is a wild arid steppe located near a sandy beach between the areas of Shuvelyan and Dubendi. It was collected from several locations within the area including near the shore within litter around nests of Cataglyphis nodus and Messor laboriosus and from a nest within a pile of dry grass directly near the entrance to a large M. laboriosus nest. Most curiously, workers were sighted entering and exiting nests of C. nodus, with the much larger, aggressively territorial Cataglyphis ants showing no aggression. When the upper chambers of a Cataglyphis nest were excavated, groups of Monomorium ellenarium workers were also sighted evacuating from food chambers, along with the larger Cataglyphis. This strongly suggests M. ellenarium may cohabitate with Cataglyphis nodus as inquilines, perhaps feeding on food scraps or even consuming the brood of their hosts.

A nest was collected in dry grass, however due to its immediate vicinity of a M. laboriosus colony, we are unable to confidently say whether the species can live independently, or prefers to act as inquilines of the larger ants. Observation of the dry grass nest within captivity over approximately 3 months (contained within a 16x150mm test tube, half-full of water blocked off with cotton, fed raw honey and 1:4 sugar-to-water mix) has currently shown that, despite no individual within the colony showing typical dealate gyne traits, new brood is reared, which suggests the presence of one or several ergatoid gynes. Scarcity of surface plants and lack of sugar-producing mutualistic insects on the surface and stems of plants suggests M. ellenarium may tend to root aphids underground.

At a Glance

• Ergatoid queen  • Inquiline

Identification

Monomorium ellenarium, a member of the Monomorium monomorium group, only bears some resemblance to Monomorium ruzskyi, described from Kazakhstan and also found in Azerbaijan. It may be easily distinguished from M. ruzskyi by the following:

• Metanotal crossribs more distinct in M. ellenarium, feebly defined in M. ruzskyi
• Posterior margin of head possessing several long hairs in M. ellenarium
• Anterior pronotal margin with pair of longer hairs, pronotum with many shorter hairs
• Propodeal lobes more distinctly developed
• Gaster fully covered with long semi-erect to erect hairs
• Overall body coloration much darker in M. ellenarium than M. ruzskyi

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 40.46° to 40.46°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: Shigayev & Snegovaya, 2022

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: Azerbaijan (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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.

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.

Biology

Association with Other Organisms

 Explore: Show all Associate data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.

• This species is a inquiline for the ant Cataglyphis nodus (a host) in Azerbaijan (Shigayev & Snegovaya, 2022).

Nomenclature

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

• ellenarium. Monomorium ellenarium Shigayev & Snegovaya, 2022: 1198, figs. 1, 2 (w.) AZERBAIJAN.

Type Material

• Holotype worker. Azerbaijan, Absheron, 40.46541 50.24801, 6.VII.2021 (C. Shigayev); Baku Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Science of Azerbaijan.
• Paratypes 14 workers, same locality and data as holotype; deposited same as holotype.

References

• Shigayev, C., Snegovaya, N. 2022. Monomorium ellenarium sp. nov., a new inquilinous ant species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Monomorium monomorium group from Azerbaijan Republic. Munis Entomology & Zoology, 17 (2): 1197-1202.