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Formicidae
Messor Forel, 1890
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Messor is a myrmicine genus of ants with more than 100 species, all of which are harvester ants; the generic name comes from the Roman god of crops and harvest, Messor. The subterranean colonies tend to be found in open fields and near roadsides, openings are directly to the surface. The Vessomessor genus was recently added to messor adding 8 more species.[citation needed]
Colonies can achieve huge sizes and are notable for their intricately designed granaries in which seeds are stored in dry conditions, preventing germination. The structure of Messor spp. nests is complex and the genus on the whole is one of very accomplished architects.[citation needed]
Messor spp. are polymorphic and have a distinct caste of macrocephalic dinoergates whose role is of carrying and cutting the large seeds which comprise much of the colonies' subsistence. Althouth they primarily feed on seeds, they occasionally eat insects and snails.[citation needed] Some snail shells possibly are taken into the nest because of their grain-like shape.[2]
Equipped with a tough shining cuticle, Messor spp. are slow moving and form long, seed-carrying runs. Colonies tend to be monogynous and are founded by a single queen alone.[citation needed]
Species[edit]
- Messor abdelazizi Santschi, 1921
- Messor aciculatus (Smith, 1874)
- Messor aegyptiacus (Emery, 1878)
- Messor alexandri Tohme, 1981
- Messor andrei (Mayr, 1886)
- Messor angularis Santschi, 1928
- Messor antennatus Emery, 1908
- Messor aphaenogasteroides Pisarski, 1967
- Messor aralocaspius Ruzsky, 1902
- Messor arenarius (Fabricius, 1787)
- Messor atanassovii Atanassov, 1982
- Messor barbarus (Linnaeus, 1767)
- Messor beduinus Emery, 1922
- Messor berbericus Bernard, 1955
- Messor bernardi Cagniant, 1967
- Messor bouvieri Bondroit, 1918
- Messor buettikeri Collingwood, 1985
- Messor caducus (Victor, 1839)
- Messor capensis (Mayr, 1862)
- Messor capitatus (Latreille, 1798)
- Messor carthaginensis Bernard, 1980
- Messor caviceps (Forel, 1902)
- Messor celiae Reyes, 1985
- Messor cephalotes (Emery, 1895)
- Messor ceresis Santschi, 1934
- Messor chamberlini Wheeler, 1915
- Messor clypeatus Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1927
- Messor collingwoodi Bolton, 1982
- Messor concolor Santschi, 1927
- Messor decipiens Santschi, 1917
- Messor dentatus Santschi, 1927
- Messor denticornis Forel, 1910
- Messor denticulatus Santschi, 1927
- Messor diabarensis Arnol'di, 1969
- Messor ebeninus Santschi, 1927
- Messor excursionis Ruzsky, 1905
- Messor ferreri Collingwood, 1993
- Messor foreli Santschi, 1923
- Messor fraternus Ruzsky, 1905
- Messor galla (Mayr, 1904)
- Messor hebraeus Santschi, 1927
- Messor hellenius Agosti & Collingwood, 1987
- Messor himalayanus (Forel, 1902)
- Messor hispanicus Santschi, 1919
- Messor ibericus Santschi, 1931
- Messor incisus Stitz, 1923
- Messor incorruptus Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1929
- Messor inermis Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1929
- Messor instabilis (Smith, 1858)
- Messor intermedius Santschi, 1927
- Messor julianus (Pergande, 1894)
- Messor kasakorum Arnol'di, 1969
- Messor kisilkumensis Arnol'di, 1969
- Messor lamellicornis Arnol'di, 1968
- Messor lariversi (Smith, 1951)
- Messor lobicornis Forel, 1894
- Messor lobognathus Andrews, 1916
- Messor luebberti Forel, 1910
- Messor luridus Santschi, 1927
- Messor lusitanicus Tinaut, 1985
- Messor maculifrons Santschi, 1927
- Messor marikovskii Arnol'di, 1969
- Messor marocanus Santschi, 1927
- Messor medioruber Santschi, 1910
- Messor melancholicus Arnol'di, 1977
- Messor minor (Andre, 1883)
- Messor nahali Tohme, 1981
- Messor niloticus Santschi, 1938
- Messor oertzeni Forel, 1910
- Messor olegianus Arnol'di, 1969
- Messor orientalis (Emery, 1898)
- Messor perantennatus Arnol'di, 1969
- Messor pergandei (Mayr, 1886)
- Messor piceus Stitz, 1923
- Messor picturatus Santschi, 1927
- Messor planiceps Stitz, 1917
- Messor postpetiolatus Santschi, 1917
- Messor regalis (Emery, 1892)
- Messor reticuliventris Karavaiev, 1910
- Messor rufotestaceus (Foerster, 1850)
- Messor rufus Santschi, 1923
- Messor ruginodis Stitz, 1916
- Messor rugosus (Andre, 1881)
- Messor sanctus Emery, 1921
- Messor sculpturatus Carpenter, 1930
- Messor semirufus (Andre, 1883)
- Messor semoni (Forel, 1906)
- Messor smithi (Cole, 1963)
- Messor sordidus (Forel, 1892)
- Messor stoddardi (Emery, 1895)
- Messor striatellus Arnol'di, 1969
- Messor striaticeps (Andre, 1883)
- Messor striatifrons Stitz, 1923
- Messor striativentris Emery, 1908
- Messor structor (Latreille, 1798)
- Messor subgracilinodis Arnol'di, 1969
- Messor sultanus Santschi, 1917
- Messor syriacus Tohme, 1969
- Messor testaceus Donisthorpe, 1950
- Messor timidus (Espadaler, 1997)
- Messor tropicorum Wheeler, 1922
- Messor turcmenochorassanicus Arnol'di, 1977
- Messor valentinae Arnol'di, 1969
- Messor variabilis Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1927
- Messor vaucheri Emery, 1908
- Messor vicinus Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1927
- Messor wasmanni Krausse, 1910
References[edit]
- ^ Bolton, B. (2015). "Messor". AntCat. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
- ^ Páll-Gergely, Barna; Péter Sólymos (2009). "Ants as shell collectors: notes on land snail shells found around ant nests". Malacologica Bohemoslovaca 8: 14–18.
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Source | http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messor&oldid=644454962 |
(cf. M. oertzeni Forel, 1910)
Material: 3?, Zagros Mountais forest steppe, Kurdistan, Saggez (~ 36°14'N , 46°15'E ), ~1481 m asl, 2004 , leg. Shahin Mostafai ; 4 $, Tehran, urban area (~ 35°41'N , 51°25'E ), ~1162 m asl, 16.VII.2005 , leg. Nasim Vakhideh ; 5 $, Mashad, urban area (~ 36°17'N , 59°35'E ), ~985 m asl, leg. Nayereh Ghafarian .
Remarks: M. oertzeni HNS is known from the Balkans and Anatolia (Agosti & Collingwood 1987; Atanassov & Dlussky 2002). It belongs to the structor HNS species-group, but reliable determination of many species from this group is impossible before a taxonomic revision is provided.
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Rights holder/Author | No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation. |
Source | http://treatment.plazi.org/id/5B6DB865D8EBCEB6570566A6682D32C2 |
Genus Messor HNS Forel, 1890
Messor HNS Forel, 1890: Annls Soc. Ent. Belg. 34.C.R:68.
Type-species: Formica barbara L. HNS , 1767, Syst. Nat. ed.12, 2:962.
Distribution: Palaearctic, Ethiopian, Oriental, Nearctic & Neotropical regions.
Key to species
1 - Underside of head with moderately curved and straight hairs (Fig.32); head reddish-yellow ..................... M. rufotestaceous HNS (Foerster)
- Underside of head with at least some long J- shaped hairs (Fig.33), head black..............2
2- Propodeum armed with a triangular teeth, body entirely black, dorsum of propodeum completely straited; petiole with 3 pairs of hairs(Fig.34)............... M. foreli Santschi HNS .
-Propodeum unarmed, body entirely black except antenna and pronotum reddish, dorsum of alitrunk completely striated; presence of one pair of hairs on petiole (Fig.35)............ .............................. M. ebininus Santschi HNS
License | Public Domain |
Rights holder/Author | No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation. |
Source | http://treatment.plazi.org/id/AF9CBAEF450B1AAC3AE96667D0151BFB |
1. Sous-genre Messor HNS n. subgen.
André a fait ressortir avec raison que les Aphaenogaster moissonneurs HNS se distinguent des Aphaenogaster chasseurs HNS non seulement par leurs mœurs , mais par la conformation de leurs mandibules qui sont courtes, épaisses et fortement courbées , ainsi que surtout par le „ diraorphisme partiel de l'ouvrière ( major à grosse tête ). Chez les Aphaenogaster chasseurs HNS (dont les mœurs carnivores ont étédémontrées par Emery) l'ouvrière est au contraire aussi constante que chez les Myrmica HNS . Ces deux moitiés du genre sont au moins aussi distinctes que beaucoup de genres de Myrmicides, aussi je propose de former un sous-genre " Messor HNS " pour les Aphaenogaster moissonneurs HNS , réservant le nom d' Aphaenogaster HNS proprement dit pour les Aphaenogaster HNS chasseurs auxquels il fut d'abord appliqué .
License | Public Domain |
Rights holder/Author | No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation. |
Source | http://treatment.plazi.org/id/74C205DC333B988C8AB205FB7677C04F |
Genus Messor Forel HNS
These are granivorous ants whose nest entrances are usually surrounded by conspicuous piles of seed chaff. The seven California species are found mostly in open, dry habitats. There is some evidence that the Nearctic species of Messor HNS are more closely related to a group of New World Aphaenogaster HNS (those belonging to the erstwhile genus Novomessor HNS ) than to the Old World species of Messor HNS (Bennett 2000). If confirmed this would warrant redefinition of Messor HNS and resurrection of Veromessor HNS , the genus name previously applied to the Nearctic species. Unfortunately Aphaenogaster HNS itself is likely to be paraphyletic and a comprehensive overhaul of the entire tribe Pheidolini HNS , in which these ants have been placed, is needed.
Species identification: keys in Smith (1956a) and Wheeler and Wheeler (1986g). Additional references: Bennett (2000), Boulton et al. (2003), Brown (1999a, 1999b), Brown and Human (1997), Cahan et al. (1998), Cole (1963a), Creighton (1953a), Davidson(1977a, 1978), Helms Cahan (2001), Hobbs (1985), Johnson (2000a, 2001), O’Dowd and Hay (1980), Rissing and Wheeler (1976), Ryti and Case (1988), Waser (1998), Went et al. (1972), Wheeler and Rissing (1975a, 1975b), Wheeler and Creighton (1934).
- Ward, P. S. (2005): A synoptic review of the ants of California (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 936, 1-68: 33-33, URL:http://antbase.org/ants/publications/21008/21008.pdf
License | Public Domain |
Rights holder/Author | No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation. |
Source | http://treatment.plazi.org/id/9CB9A10F33D33194C97AE30A0121370B |
Notes:
Taxonomy of the genus Messor , particularly in Europe, is poorly resolved and many taxonomic problems need further elaboration. Therefore (see below) we left all the species names recorded by previous authors without comments, but we stress that many of the records need confirmation.
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Source | http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.62.430 |
These are granivorous ants whose nest entrances are usually surrounded by conspicuous piles of seed chaff. The seven California species are found mostly in open, dry habitats. There is some evidence that the Nearctic species of Messor are more closely related to a group of New World Aphaenogaster (those belonging to the erstwhile genus Novomessor ) than to the Old World species of Messor (Bennett 2000). If confirmed this would warrant redefinition of Messor and resurrection of Veromessor , the genus name previously applied to the Nearctic species. Unfortunately Aphaenogaster itself is likely to be paraphyletic and a comprehensive overhaul of the entire tribe Pheidolini , in which these ants have been placed, is needed.
Species identification: keys in Smith (1956a) and Wheeler and Wheeler (1986g). Additional references: Bennett (2000), Boulton et al. (2003), Brown (1999a, 1999b), Brown and Human (1997), Cahan et al. (1998), Cole (1963a), Creighton (1953a), Davidson(1977a, 1978), Helms Cahan (2001), Hobbs (1985), Johnson (2000a, 2001), O’Dowd and Hay (1980), Rissing and Wheeler (1976), Ryti and Case (1988), Waser (1998), Went et al. (1972), Wheeler and Rissing (1975a, 1975b), Wheeler and Creighton (1934).
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Rights holder/Author | No known copyright restrictions |
Source | http://antbase.org/ants/publications/21008/21008.pdf |
Messor Forel, 1890: Annls Soc. Ent. Belg. 34.C.R:68.
Type-species: Formica barbara L. , 1767, Syst. Nat. ed.12, 2:962.
Distribution: Palaearctic, Ethiopian, Oriental, Nearctic & Neotropical regions.
Key to species
1 - Underside of head with moderately curved and straight hairs (Fig.32); head reddish-yellow ..................... M. rufotestaceous (Foerster)
- Underside of head with at least some long J- shaped hairs (Fig.33), head black..............2
2- Propodeum armed with a triangular teeth, body entirely black, dorsum of propodeum completely straited; petiole with 3 pairs of hairs(Fig.34)............... M. foreli Santschi .
-Propodeum unarmed, body entirely black except antenna and pronotum reddish, dorsum of alitrunk completely striated; presence of one pair of hairs on petiole (Fig.35)............ .............................. M. ebininus Santschi
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Source | http://plazi.org:8080/dspace/handle/10199/16666 |
André a fait ressortir avec raison que les Aphaenogaster moissonneurs se distinguent des Aphaenogaster chasseurs non seulement par leurs mœurs , mais par la conformation de leurs mandibules qui sont courtes, épaisses et fortement courbées , ainsi que surtout par le „ diraorphisme partiel de l'ouvrière ( major à grosse tête ). Chez les Aphaenogaster chasseurs (dont les mœurs carnivores ont étédémontrées par Emery) l'ouvrière est au contraire aussi constante que chez les Myrmica . Ces deux moitiés du genre sont au moins aussi distinctes que beaucoup de genres de Myrmicides, aussi je propose de former un sous-genre " Messor " pour les Aphaenogaster moissonneurs , réservant le nom d' Aphaenogaster proprement dit pour les Aphaenogaster chasseurs auxquels il fut d'abord appliqué .
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Rights holder/Author | No known copyright restrictions |
Source | http://antbase.org/ants/publications/3926/3926.pdf |