Monomorium

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Monomorium
Temporal range: Eocene–Recent
Monomorium pharaonis.jpg
Monomorium pharaonis , and the tip of a pen for scale comparison
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Solenopsidini
Genus: Monomorium
Mayr, 1855
Type species
Monomorium minutum
Mayr, 1855
Species

about 396

Synonyms

Antichthonidris
Nothidris
Phacota
 others

Monomorium is a genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. As of 2013 it contains about 396 species. [1] It is distributed around the world, with many species native to the Old World tropics. [2] It is considered to be "one of the more important groups of ants," considering its widespread distribution, its diversity, and its variety of morphological and biological characteristics. [3] It also includes several familiar pest species, such as the pharaoh ant (M. pharaonis) and the flower ant (M. floricola). [3]

Contents

Description

This genus is very diverse in morphology, with species of many shapes and sizes that "do not necessarily even remotely resemble one another" at first glance. [3]

In certain species, the worker caste is monomorphic, whereas in others, it is polymorphic. In some species the workers are minute, in others they are rather large. Large, multifaceted eyes are common, but M. inusuale has much reduced eyes, as do some species from Africa. The sting is always functional. [4]

Taxonomy

By the early 20th century Monomorium was already a large genus, with 10 subgenera. [5] It was further expanded in 2007, when the genera Nothidris, Epelysidris, and Phacota were synonymized with Monomorium. The small genera Anillomyrma , Megalomyrmex , and perhaps Bondroita should possibly also be included in Monomorium. [4]

The exact boundaries of the genus are still to be determined: it has no distinct morphological traits that set it apart from other genera in the tribe Solenopsidini. If cladistics were strictly applied, all Solenopsidini would be grouped in the single genus Solenopsis , but the tribe lacks a strong synapomorphy. As with the genera Camponotus and Leptothorax,Monomorium as it currently stands is paraphyletic. [6]

Subsequent studies using molecular techniques have suggested ways to break up the genus. A 2015 study resurrected the previously synonymised genus Syllophopsis (including Ireneidris ) from within Monomorium. Epelysidris was also resurrected to contain the species E. brocha. [7] In 2019 the genus Chelaner was resurrected for 53 Australasian and Pacific species, including the common New Zealand species Chelaner antipodum . [5]

Biology

Most ants of this genus nest in rotting wood, under rocks, or in the soil. [2] Some species are scavengers, while others are seed collectors. [8] Many species have venom containing alkaloids, which they use as a defense from predators. [9] Besides its morphological variation, the genus is also variable in chromosome number, with 2n of 16 to 70 recorded. [10]

Distribution

As of 2006, 36 species are described from Madagascar, 19 of which were described in that year alone. About 43 species are known from Australia and 30 from Arabia. [6]

Selected species

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myrmicinae</span> Subfamily of ants with cosmopolitan distribution whose pupae do not create cocoons

Myrmicinae is a subfamily of ants, with about 140 extant genera; their distribution is cosmopolitan. The pupae lack cocoons. Some species retain a functional sting. The petioles of Myrmicinae consist of two nodes. The nests are permanent and in soil, rotting wood, under stones, or in trees.

<i>Tapinoma</i> Genus of ants

Tapinoma is a genus of ants that belongs to the subfamily Dolichoderinae. The genus currently comprises 74 described species distributed worldwide in tropical and temperate regions. Members of are generalized foragers, nesting in a wide variety of habitats, ranging from grasslands, open fields, woodlands, to inside buildings. The majority of species nest in the ground under objects such as stones or tree logs, other species build nests under bark of logs and stumps, in plant cavities, insect galls or refuse piles.

<i>Monomorium antarcticum</i> Species of ant

Monomorium antarcticum is an ant of the family Formicidae, endemic to New Zealand. Also known as the southern ant, this is likely New Zealand's most common native ant species. Because it is highly variable in size (3–5mm), colour, and colony structure, it is possible that it consists of a complex of closely related species. It has a generalist diet, including small arthropods, nectar, and seeds, and it also tends aphids, scale insects, and mealybugs to obtain honeydew.

<i>Iridomyrmex</i> Genus of ants

Iridomyrmex is a genus of ants called rainbow ants first described by Austrian entomologist Gustav Mayr in 1862. He placed the genus in the subfamily Dolichoderinae of the family Formicidae. It has 79 described species and five fossil species. Most of these ants are native to Australia; others are found in Asia and Oceania, and they have been introduced to Brazil, New Zealand, and the United Arab Emirates. Fossil species are known from China, France, and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gustav Mayr</span> Austrian entomologist (1830–1908)

Gustav L. Mayr was an Austrian entomologist and professor in Budapest and Vienna. He specialised in Hymenoptera, being particularly known for his studies of ants.

<i>Monomorium bidentatum</i> Species of ant

Monomorium bidentatum is a species of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae. It is endemic to two South American countries, Chile and Argentina.

<i>Megalomyrmex</i> Genus of ants

Megalomyrmex is a genus of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae. The genus is known only from the Neotropics, where some of the species are specialized parasites or predators of Attini.

<i>Tetramorium inquilinum</i> Species of ant

Tetramorium inquilinum is an ectoparasitic ant found in Europe. It was discovered by Swiss myrmecologist Heinrich Kutter. The species is unusual for lacking a worker caste, the queens and males living entirely off the care of the pavement ant. It has been called "the 'ultimate' parasitic ant" by myrmecologists Edward O. Wilson and Bert Hölldobler.

<i>Aenictus</i> Genus of ants

Aenictus is a large army ant genus distributed in the Old World tropics and subtropics. It contains about 181 species, making it one of the larger ant genera of the world.

<i>Diaphoromyrma</i> Genus of ants

Diaphoromyrma is a genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. It contains the single species Diaphoromyrma sofiae, known only from workers from the type locality in Bahia, Brazil. The genus is apparently close to Allomerus and Diplomorium in the Solenopsidini, but its tribal attribution remains uncertain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agroecomyrmecinae</span> Subfamily of ants

Agroecomyrmecinae is a subfamily of ants containing two extant and two fossil genera. The subfamily was originally classified in 1930 by Carpenter as Agroecomyrmecini, a Myrmicinae tribe. Bolton raised the tribe to subfamily status in 2003, suggesting that Agroecomyrmecinae might be the sister taxon to Myrmicinae. It has since been discovered to be one of the earliest lineages of ants, a clade from the basal polytomy for all ants. In 2014, the subfamily was expanded to two tribes. The tribe Ankylomyrmini was moved from the subfamily Myrmicinae to Agroemyrmecinae.

<i>Carebara</i> Genus of ants

Carebara is a genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. It is one of the largest myrmicine genera with more than 200 species distributed worldwide in the tropics and the Afrotropical region. Many of them are very tiny cryptic soil and leaf-litter inhabitants. They nest in rotten wood to which the bark is still adherent in the Afrotropical region, or may be lestobiotic nesting near other ant species. Some species are known to exist parasitically within termite nests. Little is known about the biology of the genus, but they are notable for the vast difference in size between queens and workers.

<i>Ankylomyrma</i> Genus of ants

Ankylomyrma is a genus of large arboreal ants in the subfamily Agroecomyrmecinae. It contains the single species Ankylomyrma coronacantha, the sole member of the tribe Ankylomyrmini. The genus is known from Africa. Nothing is known about their biology. The genus was moved from the subfamily Myrmicinae to Agroecomyrmecinae in 2014.

<i>Tyrannomyrmex</i> Genus of ants

Tyrannomyrmex is a rare tropical genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. Three similar species, only known from workers, are recognized and share small eyes and edentate mandibles.

<i>Royidris</i> Genus of ants

Royidris is a Malagasy genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. Described in 2014, the genus contains 15 species endemic to Madagascar.

Kempfidris is a Neotropical genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae containing the single species Kempfidris inusualis. Known from Brazil, Ecuador and Venezuela, the species was originally described as Monomorium inusuale in 2007, but was reclassified as the type species for the new genus Kempfidris in 2014. The species is only known from workers and almost nothing is known about their natural history.

<i>Trichomyrmex</i> Genus of ants

Trichomyrmex is a genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. Described by Mayr in 1865, it was raised as a genus in 2015. These ants are endemic to multiple continents.

References

  1. ↑ Monomorium. AntWeb. v5.1.17.
  2. 1 2 Aldawood, A. S.; Sharaf, M. R. (2011). "Monomorium dryhimi sp. n., a new ant species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of the M. monomorium group from Saudi Arabia, with a key to the Arabian Monomorium monomorium-group". ZooKeys (106): 47–54. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.106.1390 . PMC   3119320 . PMID   21852921.
  3. 1 2 3 Heterick, Brian E. (2003). "Two new Australian Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), including a highly distinctive species" (PDF). Australian Journal of Entomology. 42 (3): 249–253. doi:10.1046/j.1440-6055.2003.00352.x. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-11-13.
  4. 1 2 Fernández, F. (2007). Two new South American species of Monomorium Mayr with taxonomic notes on the genus. In: Snelling, R. R., et al. (eds). Advances in ant systematics (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): homage to E. O. Wilson – 50 years of contributions. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 80, 128-45.
  5. 1 2 Sparks, Kathryn S.; Andersen, Alan N.; Austin, Andrew D. (2019). "A multi-gene phylogeny of Australian Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera : Formicidae) results in reinterpretation of the genus and resurrection of Chelaner Emery". Invertebrate Systematics. doi:10.1071/IS16080. ISSN   1445-5226. S2CID   92210728.
  6. 1 2 Heterick, Brian (2006). "A revision of the Malagasy ants belonging to Genus Monomorium Mayr, 1855 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)" (PDF). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences. 57 (3): 69–202.
  7. ↑ Ward, Philip S.; Brady, Seán G.; Fisher, Brian L.; Schultz, Ted R. (2015). "The evolution of myrmicine ants: phylogeny and biogeography of a hyperdiverse ant clade (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Phylogeny and evolution of myrmicine ants". Systematic Entomology. 40 (1): 61–81. doi:10.1111/syen.12090.
  8. ↑ Mashaly, Ashraf Mohamed Ali; Ali, Asmaa Saber; Ali, Mahmoud Fadl (2010). "Source, optimal dose concentration and longevity of trail pheromone in two Monomorium ants (Formicidae: Hymenoptera)". Journal of King Saud University - Science. 22: 57–60. doi: 10.1016/j.jksus.2009.12.009 .
  9. ↑ Jones, T. H.; Zottig, V. E.; Robertson, H. G.; Snelling, R. R. (2003). "The Venom Alkaloids from Some African Monomorium Species". Journal of Chemical Ecology. 29 (12): 2721–2727. doi:10.1023/B:JOEC.0000008015.42254.c3. PMID   14969358. S2CID   29729484.
  10. ↑ Lorite, Pedro; Carrillo, Jose A.; Tinaut, Alberto; Palomeque, Teresa (2002). "Chromosome numbers in Spanish Formicidae (Hymenoptera) IV. New data of species from the genera Camponotus, Formica, Lasius, Messor, and Monomorium" (PDF). Sociobiology. 40 (2): 331–342. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-07-13.
  11. ↑ Sharaf, M. R.; Aldawood, A. S. (2013). "First occurrence of the Monomorium hildebrandti-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in the Arabian Peninsula, with description of a new species M. kondratieffi n. sp". Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 115 (1): 75–84. doi:10.4289/0013-8797.115.1.75. S2CID   85281879.

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