Monomorium

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Infraclassis: Neoptera
Cladus: Eumetabola
Cladus: Endopterygota
Superordo: Hymenopterida
Ordo: Hymenoptera
Subordo: Apocrita
Superfamilia: Formicoidea

Familia:Formicidae
Subfamilia: Myrmicinae
Tribus: Solenopsidini
Genus: Monomorium
Species: M. abeillei – M. acutinode – M. advena – M. aeyade – M. affabile – M. afrum – M. aithoderum – M. alamarum – M. albipes – M. albopilosum – M. algiricum – M. altinode – M. anceps – M. anderseni – M. andrei – M. angustinode – M. annamense – M. antarcticum – M. anthracinum – M. antipodum – M. aper – M. arboreum – M. arenarium – M. areniphilum – M. arnoldi – M. asiriense – M. atomum – M. australe – M. baal – M. balathir – M. banksi – M. barbatulum – M. baushare – M. bequaerti – M. bevisi – M. bicolor – M. bicorne – M. bidentata – M. bidentatum – M. bifidoclypeatum – M. bifidum – M. bihamatum – M. bimaculatum – M. biroi – M. biroianum – M. boerorum – M. bogischi – M. boltoni – M. borlei – M. brachythrix – M. brasiliense – M. braunsi – M. broschorum – M. brunneolucidulum – M. buettikeri – M. burchera – M. butteli – M. buxtoni – M. capeyork – M. capito – M. captator – M. carbo – M. carbonarium – M. carinatum – M. castaneum – M. cekalovici – M. centrale – M. chilense – M. chinense – M. chnodes – M. clavicorne – M. compressum – M. concolor – M. crawleyi – M. creticum – M. crinitum – M. croceiventre – M. cyaneum – M. dakarense – M. damarense – M. dammame – M. decuria – M. delabiei – M. delagoense – M. demisum – M. denticulatum – M. denticulum – M. dentigerum – M. dichroum – M. dictator – M. dirie – M. disertum – M. disetigerum – M. disoriente – M. dolatu – M. draculai – M. drapenum – M. draxocum – M. dryhimi – M. durokoppinense – M. ebangaense – M. ebeninum – M. edentatum – M. effractor – M. egens – M. elegantulum – M. elongatum – M. emarginatum – M. eremoides – M. eremophilum – M. eremum – M. ergatogyna – M. esharre – M. euryodon – M. evansi – M. excelsior – M. excensurae – M. exiguum – M. falcatum – M. fasciatum – M. fastidium – M. fayfaense – M. fezzanense – M. fieldi – M. firmum – M. flavimembra – M. flavonigrum – M. flavum – M. floricola – M. forcipatum – M. fridae – M. fugelanum – M. gabrielense – M. gallagheri – M. geminum – M. gilberti – M. grassei – M. guillarmodi – M. guineense – M. hainanense – M. hanaqe – M. hanneli – M. hannonis – M. harithe – M. havilandi – M. hemame – M. hercules – M. herero – M. hertogi – M. hesperium – M. hirsutum – M. hiten – M. hoffmanni – M. holothir – M. hospitum – M. humilior – M. ilgii – M. impexum – M. indicum – M. indicus – M. inquietum – M. inquilinum – M. insolescens – M. intrudens – M. invidium – M. iyenasu – M. jacksoni – M. jizane – M. junodi – M. katir – M. kelapre – M. kidman – M. kiliani – M. kineti – M. kitectum – †M. knappi – M. kugitangi – M. kugleri – M. lacunosum – M. laeve – M. latastei – M. latinodoides – M. leae – M. leda – M. legulum – M. lene – M. lepidum – M. libanicum – M. liliuokalanii – M. lindbergi – M. longi – M. longiceps – M. longinode – M. longipes – M. lubricum – M. luisae – M. luteum – M. macarthuri – M. macrops – M. madecassum – M. mahyoubi – M. majarishe – M. majeri – M. major – M. malatu – M. manir – M. mantazenum – M. marjoriae – M. marmule – M. marshi – M. maryannae – M. matame – M. mavide – †M. mayrianum – M. medinae – M. mediocre – M. megalops – M. melleum – M. merepah – M. micrommaton – M. micropacum – M. mictilis – M. micula – M. minimum – M. minor – M. mirandum – M. mitchell – M. moathi – M. monomorium – M. montanum – M. musicum – M. najrane – M. nanum – M. nightcapense – M. nigricans – M. nigriceps – M. niloticum – M. nimihil – M. nirvanum – M. nitidiventre – M. notulum – M. noualhieri – M. noxitum – M. nuptualis – M. occidaneum – M. occidentale – M. ocellatum – M. oodnadatta – M. opacior – M. opacum – M. ophthalmicum – M. orangiae – M. orientale – M. osiridis – M. pacis – M. pallidipes – M. parantarcticum – M. parvinode – M. paternum – M. pergandei – M. personatum – M. petiolatum – M. pharaonis – M. phoenicum – M. pilbara – †M. pilipes – M. platynode – M. pseudoepixenus – M. pubescens – M. pulchrum – M. punctipectore – M. punctulatum – M. qarahe – M. rabirium – M. rastractum – M. ravenshoense – M. rhopalocerum – M. rimae – M. riyadhe – M. rosae – M. rothsteini – M. rotundatum – M. rubriceps – M. rufonigrum – M. rufulum – M. rugifrons – M. ruzskyi – M. sagei – M. sahlbergi – M. sakalavum – M. salomonis – M. sarawatense – M. schultzei – M. schurri – M. sculpturatum – M. senegalense – M. setuliferum – M. shattucki – M. shilohense – M. sichelii – M. silaceum – M. silvestrii – M. smithii – M. sommieri – M. sordidum – M. spatulicorne – M. spectrum – M. speculum – M. speluncarum – M. springvalense – M. sryetum – M. stagnum – M. stictonotum – M. strangulatum – M. striatifrons – M. subapterum – M. subcomae – M. subdentatum – M. subdenticorne – M. sublamellatum – M. subopacum – M. suleyile – M. sutu – M. sydneyense – M. symmotu – M. syriacum – M. tablense – M. taedium – M. talbotae – M. tambourinense – M. tanysum – M. taprobanae – M. tchelichofi – M. tenebrosum – M. termitarium – M. termitobium – M. topend – M. torrens – M. torvicte – M. trageri – M. trake – M. tricolor – M. triviale – M. tumaire – M. tynsorum – M. vaguum
Name

Monomorium Mayr, 1855

Type species: Monomorium minutum Mayr, by monotypy.
Synonyms

Antichthonidris Snelling, 1975: 5. Type: Monomorium denticulatum Mayr, by original designation.
Chelaner Emery, 1914: 410. Type: Monomorium (Chelaner) forcipatum Emery, designated by Emery (1922). Described as subgenus of Monomorium Mayr.
Corynomyrmex Viehmeyer, 1916: 133. Type: Monomorium (Corynomyrmex) hospitum Viehmeyer, by monotypy. Described as subgenus of Monomorium Mayr.
Epixenus Emery, 1908: 556. Type: Epixenus andrei Emery, designated by Wheeler (1911).
Epoecus Emery, 1893: cclxxvi. Type: Epoecus Pergandei Emery by monotypy.
Holcomyrmex Mayr, 1879: 671. Type: Holcomyrmex scabriceps Mayr, designated by Bingham (1903).
Lampromyrmex Mayr, 1868: 79, 93. Type: Lampromyrmex gracillimus Mayr, by monotypy. Keyed.
Mitara Emery, 1913: 261. Type: Monomorium laeve Mayr, by monotypy and original designation. Described as subgenus of Monomorium Mayr.
Myrmica (Monomarium) Mayr: Buckley, 1867: 337. Spelling error, treated as subgenus of Myrmica Latreille.
Phacota Roger, 1862: 260. Type: Phacota Sichelii Roger, by monotypy.
Protholcomyrmex Wheeler, 1922
Schizopelta McAreavey, 1949
Trichomyrmex Mayr, 1865: 19. Type: Trichomyrmex Rogeri Mayr, by monotypy.
Wheeleria Forel, 1905: 171. Type: Wheeleria Santschii Forel, by monotypy.
Wheeleriella Forel: Emery, 1907: 145. Replacement name for Wheeleria Forel.
Phacota Roger, 1862
Authority for synonymy: Fernández, 2007: 130 ('Syn. rev.')
Nothidris Ettershank, 1966
Authority for synonymy: Fernández, 2007: 130 ('Syn. n.')
Epelysidris Bolton, 1987
Authority for synonymy: Fernández, 2007: 130 ('Syn. n.')

References

Mayr, G. 1855: Formicina austriaca. Beschreibung der bisher im oesterreichischen Kaiserstaate aufgefundenen Ameisen nebst Hinzufuegung jener in Deutschland, in der Schweiz und in Italien vorkommenden Ameisen. Verhandlungen des Zoologisch-Botanischen Vereins in Wien, 5: 273–478. PDF
Boer, P., Loss, A.C., Bakker, F., Beentjes, K. & Fisher, B.L. 2020. Monomorium sahlbergi Emery, 1898 (Formicidae, Hymenoptera): a cryptic globally introduced species. ZooKeys, 979: 87–97. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.979.55342 Open access Reference page.
Emery & Forel. 1879: Catalogue des fourmis d'Europe. Mitteilungen der Schweizerischen Entomologischen Gesellschaft, 5: 441–484.
Dalla Torre. 1893: Catalogus hymenopterorum hucusque descriptorum systematicus et synonymicus. Volumen VII: Formicidae (Heterogyna). Sumptibus Guilelmi Engelmann, Lipsiae. 289 pp.
Creighton. 1950: The ants of North America. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology of Harvard College, 104: 1–585.
Radchenko. 1997: Review of the ants of the scabriceps group of the genus Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Annales zoologici, 46: 211–224.
Heterick, B.E. 2001: Revision of the Australian ants of the genus Monomorium (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Invertebrate taxonomy, 15 (3): 353–459. DOI: 10.1071/IT00003
Heterick. 2006: A revision of the Malagasy ants belonging to genus Monomorium Mayr, 1855 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 57 (3): 69–202.
Fernández, F. 2007: Two new South American species of Monomorium Mayr with taxonomic notes on the genus. Pp. 128-145 in: Snelling, R.R.; Fisher, B.L.; Ward, P.S. (eds.) Advances in ant systematics (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): homage to E.O. Wilson - 50 years of contributions. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute, 80 PDF
Don, W. 2007: Ants of New Zealand. Otago University Press, New Zealand.
Gunawardana, D. 2005: Monomorium fieldi Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is the current name to use for ants previously known as Monomorium antipodum Forel and Monomorium orientale Mayr in New Zealand. Weta, 30: 14–15. PDF
Heterick, B.E. 2001: Revision of the Australian ants of the genus Monomorium (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Invertebrate taxonomy, 15: 353–459. DOI: 10.1071/IT00003
Sparks, K.S. et al. 2013 (Online) 2014 (Print): Navigating the mtDNA road map out of the morphological maze: interpreting morphological variation in the diverse Monomorium rothsteini (Forel) complex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Systematic entomology 39(2): 264-278. DOI: 10.1111/syen.12051 Reference page.
Sparks, K.S.; Andersen, A.N; Austin, A.D. 2014: Systematics of the Monomorium rothsteini Forel species complex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), a problematic ant group in Australia. Zootaxa 3893(4): 489–529. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3893.4.2 Reference page.

Vernacular names
日本語: ヒメアリ属

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]

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]

While the worker caste is monomorphic in some species, 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

This large genus 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 yet to be determined. It has no distinct morphological trait that sets 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. Monomorium as it currently stands is paraphyletic, but it is used as a provisional group. Similar problems are found in the genera Camponotus and Leptothorax.[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.[6] Many species have venom containing alkaloids, which they use as a defense from predators.[7] Besides its morphological variation, the genus is also variable in chromosome number, with 2n of 16 to 70 recorded.[8]
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.[5]
Selected species
Main article: List of Monomorium species

Monomorium antarcticum
Monomorium bidentatum
Monomorium chinense
Monomorium delabiei Fernández, 2007
Monomorium dentatum
Monomorium denticulatum
Monomorium effractor
Monomorium fieldi
Monomorium floricola – flower ant
Monomorium hospitum
Monomorium inquilinum
Monomorium inusuale Fernández, 2007
Monomorium kondratieffi Sharaf & Aldawood, 2013[9]
Monomorium minimum – little black ant
Monomorium monomorium Bolton, 1987
Monomorium noualhieri
Monomorium pergandei
Monomorium pharaonis – pharaoh ant
Monomorium rubriceps
Monomorium santschii
Monomorium smithi
Monomorium talbotae

References

Monomorium. AntWeb. v5.1.17.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

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.

External links

Monomorium. Japanese Ant Image Database.

Further reading
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Monomorium.

Mashaly, Ashraf Mohamed Ali (2010). "Monomorium ant's trail pheromones: Glandular source, optimal concentration, longevity and specificity" (PDF). Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology. 13: 23–26. doi:10.1016/j.aspen.2009.11.001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-11-13.
Mayr, G. (1855). Formicina austriaca. Beschreibung der bisher im oesterreichischen Kaiserstaate aufgefundenen Ameisen nebst Hinzufuegung jener in Deutschland, in der Schweiz und in Italien vorkommenden Ameisen. Verhandlungen des Zoologisch-Botanischen Vereins in Wien 5, 273-478.