A new ant species of the genus Tapinoma (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from Saudi Arabia with a key to the Arabian species

By

Sharaf, Mostafa
Aldawood, Abdulrahman Saad
El-Hawagry, Magdi

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2012

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

212

Pages

35-43

Subjects

Al Sarawat Mountains , Dolichoderinae , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , Middle East , new species , Palaearctic

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.212.3325

 

Abstract

Tapinoma wilsoni sp. n. is described and illustrated from Saudi Arabia based on the worker caste collected from Al Baha, Saudi Arabia. It closely resembles Tapinoma lugubre Santschi 1917, from Zimbabwe in body measurements but can be distinguished from the latter species by the yellowish brown color; the yellowish pubescence, the two pairs of hairs present on the anterior part of the head; and the distinctly concave anterior clypeal margin. Biological and ecological notes of the new species are presented. An identification key to the workers of the Arabian species of the genus Tapinoma is given.