Trichomyrmex destructor Jerdon 1851

Trichomyrmex destructor (Jerdon, 1851)

Fig. 8 A–C

Atta destructor Jerdon, 1851: 105

(CASENT0008623) [examined].

(workers). India. Indomalaya. Lectotype worker (BMNH)

Atta destructor – Bingham 1903: 209 (q.m.).

Monomorium destructor – Dalla Torre 1893: 66.

Trichomyrmex destructor – Ward, Brady, Fisher & Schultz 2015: 16. — Smith 1979: 1382. — Bolton 1987: 324. — Heterick 2006: 96.

Material examined

SAUDI ARABIA: 21 w, Al Bahah Province, Almekhwah, Dhi Ayn Archeological Village, 19.92˚ N, 41.44˚ E, alt. 741 m, 18 May 2010, M.R. Sharaf leg.; 3 w, Almekhwah, Dhi Ayn Arch. Vill., 19.92˚ N, 41.44˚ E, alt. 741 m, 11 May, M.R. Sharaf leg.; 1 w, Almekhwah, Dhi Ayn Arch. Vill., 19.92˚ N, 41.44˚ E, alt. 741 m, 23 Sep. 2011, M.R. Sharaf leg.; 1 w, Al Bahah, 19.81˚ N, 41.36˚ E, alt. 490 m, 22 Sep. 2011, F.A. Esteve leg. (CASENT0264350); 2 w, Shada Al A’la, 19.85˚ N, 41.30˚ E, alt. 1325 m, 15 Feb. 2014, Aldhafer et al. leg.; 6 w, Shada Al A’la, 19.86˚ N, 41.30˚ E, alt. 1225 m, 26 Jan. 2015, Aldhafer et al. leg. — Asir Province: 4 w, Almajardah, Wadi El talaei, 19.00˚ N, 41.73˚ E, alt. 223 m, 10 Nov. 2012, M.R. Sharaf leg.; 8 w, Wadi Aljora near Abadan, 17.29˚ N, 43.07˚ E, alt. 456 m, 12 Nov. 2012, M.R. Sharaf leg.; 1 w, Almajardah, Wadi Bagara, 18.79˚ N, 42.01˚ E, alt. 436 m, 10 Nov. 2012, R. Sharaf leg. — Jazan Province,: 2 w, Jazan, 16.97˚ N, 42.61˚ E, alt. 38 m, 12 Apr. 2012, M.R. Sharaf leg.. — Makkah Province: 9 w, Allaith gov., Wadi Elarj, 20.52˚ N, 40.78˚ E, alt. 529 m, 9 Nov. 2012, M.R. Sharaf leg.; 2 w, Wadi Gonouna, 19.42˚ N, 41.60˚ E, alt. 353 m, 12 May 2011, M.R. Sharaf leg. — Riyadh Province: 2 w, Wadi Al Dawasir, 20.48˚ N, 44.76˚ E, alt. 690 m, 22 Jan. 2014, S. Salman leg.; 3 w, Wadi Al Dawasir, 20.77˚ N, 44.78˚ E, alt. 686 m, 22 Jan. 2014, S. Salman leg.; 3 w, Wadi Al Dawasir, 20.47˚ N, 44.78˚ E, alt. 694 m, 22 Jan. 2014, S. Salman leg.; 6 w, Wadi Al Dawasir, 20.48˚ N, 44.79˚ E, alt. 709 m, 22 Jan. 2014, S. Salman leg.; 6 w, Wadi Al Dawasir, 20.49˚ N, 44.79˚ E, alt. 721 m, 22 Feb. 2015, S. Salman leg.; 12 w, Wadi Al Dawasir, 20.45˚ N, 44.86˚ E, alt. 680 m, 22 Feb. 2015, S. Salman leg.; 3 w, Dhurma, 24.60˚ N, 46.12˚ E, alt. 649 m, 30 Jan. 2015, S. Salman leg. (all material in KSMA).

U NITED ARAB EMIRATES: 1 w, Ain Al Waal, Jebel Hafit, 24.06˚ N, 55.74˚ E, 27 Feb. 2014, H. Roberts leg.; 3 w, Ain Al Waal, Jebel Hafit, 24.06˚ N, 55.74˚ E, 19 Dec. 2014, H. Roberts leg.; 2 w, Jebel Hafit, 24.05˚ N, 55.76˚ E, 27 Feb.–3 Mar. 2011, M. Hauser et al. leg. (CASENT0264882, CASENT0264883) (all material in KSMA).

Previous records

QATAR: 1 w, Doha, no locality, 17 Mar. 2005, M.S. Abdel-Dayem leg. (KSMA).

SAUDI ARABIA: w, Sug al Ahahd riverside, Jazan, 16.70˚ N, 42.95˚ E, 26 Mar. 1983, M.R. Sharaf leg.; w, Makkah, 21.41˚ N, 39.81˚ E, 8 Dec. 1979, W. Buttiker leg. (Collingwood 1985).

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: w, Wadi Safad, 25.13˚ N, 56.19˚ E, 20 Dec. 2005–2 Jan. 2006, A.V. Harten leg.; w, Sharjah, 25.32˚ N, 55.51˚ E, alt. 24 m, 11–17 Oct. 2004, light trap, A.V. Harten leg.; w, Al- Wathba Wetland Reserve, 24.26˚ N, 54.61˚ E, 23 Aug. 2004, A.V. Harten leg.; Al-Ajban, 24.61˚ N 54.84˚ E, 9 Nov.–7 Dec. 2005, A.V. Harten leg. (Collingwood et al. 2011).

Description Small workers

Measurements. TL 1.79–2.33; HL 0.47–0.64; HW 0.38–0.45; SL 0.38–0.45; EL 0.07; ML 0.50–0.64; PW 0.23–0.28; PTL 0.14–0.20; PTW 0.07–0.11; PPL 0.10–0.16; PPW 0.08–0.13; CI 71–85; EI 15–18; SI 88–111 (n = 10). Worker. TL 1.80–3.50; HL 0.50–0.88; HW 0.40–0.79; SL 0.41–0.56; PW 0.23–0.45; ML 0.54–0.92; CI 76–92; SI 70–104 (Bolton 1987).

Workers of this species exhibit size variation in any nest series.

Worker

HEAD. Mandibles with three strong teeth, the fourth (basal) reduced to a minute offset denticle; eyes relatively small (EL 0.14–0.20 × HW), with 4–6 ommatidia in longest row; in small workers scapes relatively long (SI 88–111), when laid back from their insertions reaching posterior margin of head; in large workers scapes relatively shorter (SI 70–104), failing to reach posterior margin of head.

MESOSOMA. Promesonotum convex in profile; metanotal groove impressed.

PETIOLE. Petiolar node rounded in profile.

POSTPETIOLE. Postpetiolar node lower than petiolar node in profile.

PILOSITY. Posterior margin of head with 2–4 pairs of hairs; cephalic surface behind frontal lobes with 1–4 pairs of hairs straddling midline; cephalic pubescence scattered and directed inward to midline; promesonotal dorsum and propodeum with many pairs of long hairs; petiole, postpetiole and gaster with backward directed long hairs.

SCULPTURE. Cephalic surface smooth and shining, except areas in front of eyes and posterior margin of head (in dorsal view) finely striolate; mandibles longitudinally striolate; promesonotum and mesonotum smooth and shining; mesopleura densely punctulate-reticulate; propodeal dorsum finely transversely striolate to rugulose, fainter in smaller than in larger workers; gastral tergite smooth and shining.

COLOUR. Head, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole ranging from pale yellow to dull brownish yellow; gaster dark brown to blackish brown, with a distinct yellowish area mediobasally.

Differential diagnosis

The most similar species to T. destructor is T. mayri, from which it can be distinguished only by the bicoloured body. Head, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole yellow to brown yellow, gaster dark brown, whereas T. mayri is unicolorous dark brown or black brown.

Ecological and biological notes

Workers of this species were foraging close to the trunk base of an Acacia sp. tree where the surrounding area was impacted by trash and human waste. Another nest series was found in moist soil under a stone next to a date palm, Phoenix dactylifera L. (Arecaceae). A nest series was also found under rooster tree, Calotropis procera (Aiton) W.T. Aiton (Asclepiadaceae) and associated with the ant species, T. mayri, Carebara arabica (Collingwood & Van Harten, 2001), Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius, 1793), Nylanderia jaegerskioeldi (Mayr, 1904), Monomorium sp. and Cardiocondyla sp.

Distribution

Originally described from India, this species is now widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions (Wetterer 2009). It has supposedly been dispersed by commerce from central Asia west to North Africa (Forel 1909; Sharaf 2006), southern Europe (Ruzsky 1907), the Arabian Peninsula (Collingwood 1985; Collingwood & Agosti 1996), and the Socotra Archipelago (Collingwood et al. 2004, Sharaf et al. in press).