The Ants of Egypt

The Ants of Egypt
SUBFAMILY MYRMICINAE - Genus Messor - Messor ebeninus Forel

Messor ebeninus Forel

Type location Lebanon (Messor barbarus ssp semirufus var ebeninus, Forel, 1910a: 10; Santschi, 1927c: 229, worker; Finzi, 1936: 160, queen; raised to species Thomé, G., 1971: 569, illustrated all forms; illustration in Tohmé & Tohmé (1981b); see Collingwood, 1985: 259).

Forel's (1910a) description is at . Santschi's (1927c) description is at .

Note - Forel (1910a) noted that (BT translation) the propodeum has large teeth, quite strong but obtuse; colour entirely ebony black; sculpture stronger (than semirufus) and alitrunk more matt.

{Mesor ebeninus} From Egypt, what appears to be ebeninus was illustrated by Savigny (Audouin, J.-V. 1825-27: Plate 20 Figs 14 & 15).

{Mesor ebeninus}

Egypt record - Finzi (1936: 160) Marsa Matrouh (17.iii.1933) and Alexandria (11.i.1933); Mohamed et al (2001, illustrated) & in El-Moursy et al (2001)

Sharaf list - material examined: Wadi El-Arbaein, St.Catherine (South Sinai), 19.ii.1999 (2); Wadi El-Arbaein, St.Catherine (South Sinai), 5.iii.1998 (2); El-Mafareq (South Sinai), 3.v.1998 (1); El-Mafareq (South Sinai), 18.ii.1999 (1); El-Mafareq (South Sinai), 10.viii.1998 (1) Leg.Sharaf; Abu-Mena, 8.iv.1954 (8); Burg-El-Arab (Alexandria), 20.iii.1955 (5); Daqahliya, Egypt, 2.iii.1955 (1). (ASUC).
Mohamad thesis (1979) had - Mariut, 29.iii.1927 (Coll.Alf.) Abu Mena, 8.iv.1954; Maamura (Alexandria), 2.iii.1955; Burg El-Arab (Alexandria), 20.iii.1956; Durunka, 4.ii.1975; Heliopolis,16,18.iii.1975; Pyramids, 5.xii.1975; Tanta (Nile Delta), 7.xii.1977; Wadi El-Natroun (Western desert), 1.ii.1978 (Coll.Ain.)

{Messor ebeninus major} The photomontage is of a major specimen from Egypt, Ageba, Marsa Matrouh; 31°21' N 27°14'E; 17.viii.2007; collector M R Sharaf. Images of other morphs can be seen on Morphs from Egypt and Morphs from Israel (Haeva Field School, 10.ii.2001, collector I Yarom, sent to BT by Armin Ionescu).

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