Cataglyphis ruber (Forel)

Type location Algeria (Myrmecocystus albicans var ruber, Forel, 1903c: 268, worker; Santschi, 1929b: 39, queen & male; raised to species Collingwood, 1985: 291, Wehner, 1986: 189).

Forel's (1903c) description is at . Santschi (1929b) gave a fresh description plus descriptions of the male and queen; these are at .

Collingwood (1985: 291), as rubra, noted -"This ant has the whole of the alitrunk and node shining yellowish red, the basal gaster tergite testaceous and the rest of the gaster shining brown; the legs and antennae are entirely yellowish red. Erect hairs are absent from the dorsum of the alitrunk except for an occasional hair on the propodeum or node. Colour, pilosity and the very sparse pubescence separate this species from the black C. albicans and from the somewhat similar but entirely yellow C. livida. C. rubra is recorded from deserts to the south of the Atlas Mountains [Saudi Arabia]. This species also occurs in Tunisia in semi desert country. The collated image of a cotype is from http://mcz-28168.oeb.harvard.edu/mcz/FMPro?-DB=Image.fm&-Lay=web&-Format=images.htm&Species_ID=21735&-Find

Egypt record in Mohamed et al (2001, illustrated). Sharaf list - Wadi El-Arbaein, St.Catherine (South Sinai), 19.ii.1999 (1); Wadi El-Arbaein, St.Catherine (South Sinai), 9.ix.1998 (1) (SHC); Wadi El-Arbaein, St.Catherine (South Sinai), 11.viii.1998 (1) Leg.M.R.Sharaf; Wadi El-Arbaein, St.Catherine (South Sinai), 5.iii.1998 (1) Leg.M.R.Sharaf (ASUC).

Diagnosis (Mostafa Sharaf)
Worker: TL 11.78 mm HL 3.56 HW 3.4 SL 3.98 SI 117. Bicoloured, head, alitrunk and petiole very shining yellowish red, the basal gastral tergite testaceous and the rest of the gaster shining brown, dark brown or blackish brown; legs and antennae entirely yellowish red. Pubescence pale, sparse except but dense on the propodeum. No erect hairs on the dorsum of the alitrunk except occasional hairs on the propodeum or petiole. Head nearly as long as broad. Petiole with one pair of short hairs. First gastral tergite completely bare while the second one with one pair of hairs; the end of the gaster with occasional few hairs.

Specimen photographed by Mostafa Sharaf

The photomontage is of a major worker from Kuwait, Camp Arifjan, 28°52'00"N 48°09'50"E, elev 42 m; 18.ix.2005; David King. Observed and collected while foraging singly during the day; also recorded at Camp Doha, west of Kuwait City, where it was active at night.

Other images can be seen in the folder at -

The photomontage is of a minor worker also from Kuwait.