Corresponding author: Mostafa R. Sharaf (
Academic editor: M. Borowiec
Synonymy of two Arabian
Sharaf MR, Collingwood CA, Al Dhafer HM, Al mutairi MS, Aldawood AS (2015) New synonyms of two Arabian ants of the genus
The first published work on the ant genus
Recently the
The numbers between parentheses in material examined refer to individual workers.
Saudi Arabia, Baha, Dhi Ayn Archeological Village, 18.v.2010,
Only a single paratype specimen with the same data as the holotype exists at WMLC. The holotype and other paratypes are considered lost.
The description of
The vast majority of
UAE, Ar-Rafah, 25.43.55.52, 1–8.iii.2011, (M. Hauser et al.) (1); UAE, Ar-Rafah, 25.43.55.52, 1.ii–31.iii.2010, (M. Hauser et al.) (1); UAE, Ar-Rafah, 25.18.56.07, 22.vi–2.vii.2010, (M. Hauser et al.) (1); UAE, Jebel Jibir, 25.39.56.07, 11–13.iv.2011, (M. Hauser et al.) (1).
The holotype and 10 paratypes of
Saudi Arabia, Al Atawla (Baha-Taif RD), Wadi Bawah, 8.xi.2012,
Originally,
Workers of
The project was funded by the National Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation (MAARIFAH), King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, award number 12-ENV2484-02. We are grateful to Prince Bandar Bin Saud Al Saud, the Head of the Saudi National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development for the generous support during the study. The authors are much grateful to the subject editor Marek Borowiec for his careful editing, Dr. Brian Fisher, Michele Esposito, Zach Lieberman, Estella Ortega, April Nobile, Ryan Perry and Will Ericson (California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, USA) for photographing the type specimens of ants and making them accessible to researchers. We are indebted to Dr. Boris Kondratieff (Colorado State University) for the valuable suggestions and careful editing. Special thanks to Dr. Stephen Judd (Director, WML), Mr. Tony Hunter (Curator, Entomology, WML), and Isabelle Zürcher-Pfander (Collection manager, NHMB) for facilitating the study of the Arabian type materials. Mostafa Sharaf is particularly most grateful to the following: Suzanne Ryder (BMNH, London) for appreciated help to study type materials, Andrew Polaszek for his kindness and hospitality during the visit to the BMNH and finally to Wolfgang Schawaller and his wife Edith Schawaller for generous hospitality in Stuttgart.