Cataglyphis agostii Sharaf

Sharaf in Fadl et al, 2007: 238, holotype worker only) 1 worker.

Sharaf's (2007) description is at

Originally thought by Sharaf to be Cataglyphis minimus, that now is deleted from the known Egyptian species.

Holotype: 1 worker, Egypt, Gebel Ras Abuhebeig, Gebel Serbaal, S.Sinai 23.V.1997; M. R. Sharaf (SHC). Type locality: Egypt, Gebel Ras Abuhebeig, Gebel Serbaal, S.Sinai.

Measurements of Holotype: TL 10.79 mm, HL 3.32, HW 2.73, SL 3.56, SI 130.4

*Diagnosis: (Fig.53, 54) - WORKER: Colour dark brown, anterior part of the head and the distal part of the femur yellowish; antennae, mandibles and tarsi clear yellow; femur brown or pale brown. Head longer than broad; the area between the short frontal carinae finely longitudinally striated; the whole head with fine sculpturation; mandibles smooth and shining, longitudinally striated, armed with five strong brown teeth and having many long yellow hairs; posterior part of clypeus having a pair of long yellow hairs; occiput straight with four pairs of hairs. Pronotum with one pair of short hairs, mesonotum bare, propodeum moderately low with 9 long yellow hairs. Petiole is a truncated node with a flat dorsal surface sloping forward, with relatively dense whitish pubescence in the dorsal and lateral sides, also two pairs of erect hairs. Gaster globular and shining; the first gastral tergite bare while the second has one pair of hairs at the posterior margin; the end of the gaster has a few long scattered yellow hairs.

Etymology: This species is named after the very kind Swiss ant taxonomist, Dr. Donat Agosti, the specialist of the genus Cataglyphis, research associate, American Museum of Natural History, New York.

Remarks: This species was collected from an elevated and semi-isolated site on Gebel Sebaal, over 1500 m, and was found nesting under a rock. Only one individual was collected (the holotype).

Photomontage of Mostafa Sharaf originals.

From Egypt, what appears to be this species was illustrated by Savigny (Audouin, J.-V. 1825-27: Plate 20 Fig 6). Earlier BT felt this might be laevior.