Meranoplus pulcher , Sharaf 2014
Creators: name: Sharaf, Mostafa R.
name: Aldawood, Abdulrahman S.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Formicidae
Meranoplus
Meranoplus pulcher

description: <b> <i>Meranoplus pulcher</i> Sharaf, 2014</b> <i>Meranoplus pulcher</i> Sharaf, 2014: 4, figa. 1 11 (w.), Holotype worker, KSA, Shada Al Ala, 19 ◦ 51.0660 N, 41 ◦ 18.0370 E, 1,325 m, 23.iv.2014, PT, (Al Dhafer <i>et al.</i>), [KSMA], Afrotropic, [examined]. <b>Diagnosis.</b> <i>Meranoplus pulcher</i> is diagnosed by the following characters: anterior clypeal margin strongly concave with one pair of well-developed blunt teeth; clypeal surface distinctly sculptured, with 3 pairs of longitudinal rugae; the inner bulge of the eye extends well into the scrobal cavity, and, in full-face view, the scrobe is broadly visible; cephalic surface to posterior level of eyes with relatively dense, longitudinally continuous rugae (about 20 rugae); cephalic surface between rugae unsculptured; anterior face of the petiolar node finely superficially punctate; posterior face of the petiolar node distinctly longitudinally rugulose; color uniform yellow. <b>Worker.</b> Measurements. ATL0.97 1.15;ATW1.02 1.22;CDD0.12 0.15;CW0.22 0.30;EL 0.17 0.22;EW0.12 0.15;HL0.77 0.87;HLA0.25 0.30;HW0.67 0.82;PML0.40 0.52;PPH0.25 0.35;PPL0.15 0.22;PTH0.30 0.42;PTL0.12 0.20;PWA0.62 0.75;PWP0.37 0.47;SL0.47 0.62;SPL0.17 0.22;TL3.20 3.70;WL0.75 0.87. Indices. CI [87 94];CS0.72 0.84;EYE38 47;OMI63-80;PMI144 155;PPI60-80;PTI40-54;PWI82 96;SEI28 43;SI67 83 (<i>n</i> = 6). <b>Worker</b> (Figs. 6A 6C). <b>Head.</b> Head slightly longer than broad with convex sides and straight posterior margin; anterior clypeal margin strongly concave with one pair of long and acute teeth; the inner bulge of the eye extends well into the scrobal cavity, and, in full-face view, the scrobe is broadly visible; mandibles armed with four teeth; eyes relatively large (EYE 38 47) with 12 ommatidia in the longest row; scapes when laid back from their insertions just reach posterior margin of eyes; scrobal carinae welldeveloped. <b>Mesosoma.</b> Anterior pronotal corners armed with a pair of short triangular teeth; promesonotal shield distinctly broader than long (PMI 144 155) widening behind pronotum; promesonotal suture absent; posterior corners of mesonotum armed with a pair of sharp spines; posterior mesonotal margin between spines strongly concave and without secondary armament; propodeal spines long and sharp originating at level of propodeal spiracles and curved upwards; propodeal lobes well-developed. <b>Petiole.</b> Cuneate in profile, sessile, with a broad anterior margin and a narrow acute dorsum; petiolar and postpetiolar anteroventral processes present. <b>Postpetiole.</b> Nodiform, higher than long in profile. <b>Sculpture.</b> Mandibles longitudinally striated; cephalic dorsum densely and finely longitudinally regularly rugulose, with about 20 rugae; cephalic surface between rugae unsculptured; posterior margin areolate-rugose or with numerous cross-meshes; promesonotal shield, anterior face of petiolar node finely superficially punctate, sides transversally rugulose; posterior face of petiolar node distinctly longitudinally rugulose (more than 10 rugae); postpetiolar node reticulate-rugulose; first gastral tergite finely and densely shagreened. <b>Pilosity.</b> Whole body surface covered with fine, pale, profuse hairs. <b>Color.</b> Uniform yellow, in some specimens, postpetiole and posterior margin of first gastral tergite brown. <b>Queen</b> (Figs. 7A 7C). Measurements.ATL2.05;ATW1.55;CDD0.12;CW0.37;EL0.30;EW0.17;HL0.95; HLA0.25;HW1.07;PML1.37;PPH0.42;PPL0.35;PTH0.50;PTL0.32;PWA1.15;SL0.70; SPL0.25;TL5.5;WL1.55. Indices. CI113;CS1.01;OMI120;PMI84;PPI83;PTI64;SEI43;SI65 (<i>n</i> = 1). <b>Head.</b> Head distinctly broader than long with straight posterior margin in full-face view; eyes large (EL 0. 28× HW); scapes short (SI 65) when laid back from their insertions just reach posterior level of eye midlength; antennal scrobes deep; anterior clypeal margin distinctly concave with prominent pair of blunt denticles. <b>Mesosoma.</b> Propodeal spines well-developed and sharply pointed. <b>Petiole.</b> Sessile, cuneate in profile, 1. 5× higher than long in profile. <b>Postpetiole.</b> Postpetiole 1. 2× higher than long in profile; petiole and postpetiole each without ventral processes. <b>Sculpture.</b> Cephalic surface longitudinally regularly rugulose, with interspaces between rugulae densely punctate and dull; clypeus smooth; mandibles longitudinally rugulose; three distinct oblique rugae at the middle of antennal scrobes; pronotum punctate and dull; mesosomal dorsum faintly but distinctly longitudinally rugulose; mesopleura smooth and shining; propodeal dorsum and sides transversally rugulose; anterior face of petiole unsculptured; posterior and lateral faces of petiole, entire postpetiole, and gaster densely punctate and dull. <b>Pilosity.</b> Cephalic pilosity profuse and relatively long; anterior clypeal margin and mandibles with dense long hairs; mesosomal dorsum with profuse hairs; anterior face of petiole without hairs; petiole and postpetiole dorsum with dense hairs. <b>Color.</b> Uniformly yellow. <b>Habitat.</b> <i>Meranoplus pulcher</i> was collected near <i>Acacia</i> trees in the southwestern mountains of the KSA where soil is typically dry in an area with abundant grasses and shrubs. <b>Material examined.</b> <b>Saudi Arabia: Asir Province, Raydah:</b> 18 ◦ 11.7490 N, 42 ◦ 23.3450 E, 1614 m, 26.viii.2014, 1 paratype w., unique specimen identifier CASENT0914336, in CASC; 18 ◦ 11.7490 N, 42 ◦ 23.3450 E, 1614 m, 28.iv.2014, 1 w; 18 ◦ 11.6180 N, 42 ◦ 23.4200 E, 1772 m, 26.viii.2014, 4 w; <b>Al Baha Province, Shada Al Ala:</b> 19 ◦ 50.5750 N, 41 ◦ 18.6910 E, 1666 m, 23.viii.2014, 3 w; 19 ◦ 50.4110 N, 41 ◦ 18.6860 E, 1611 m, 23.viii.2014, 9 w; 19 ◦ 50.3290 N, 41 ◦ 18.6040 E, 1563 m, 23.vii.2014, 3 w, 1 q (CASENT 0922279); 19 ◦ 50.7100 N, 41 ◦ 18.2670 E, 1474 m, 23.viii.2014, 5 w; 19 ◦ 51.0660 N, 41 ◦ 18.0370 E, 1,325 m, 23.viii.2014, 5 w, all previous material are collected by Al Dhafer et al. by using PT and deposited in KSMA.
description: Published as part of <i>Sharaf, Mostafa R. &amp; Aldawood, Abdulrahman S., 2019, Review of the ant genus Meranoplus Smith, 1853 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Arabian Peninsula with description of a new species M. mosalahi sp. n. from Oman, pp. 1-20 in PeerJ 7</i> on pages 11-15, DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6287, http://zenodo.org/record/5123048
description: {"references": ["Sharaf MR, Al Dhafer HM, Aldawood AS. 2014. First record of the myrmicine"]}