Meranoplus Smith, 1853

Sharaf, Mostafa R. & 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, PeerJ 7, No. e 6287, pp. 1-20 : 5

Key to the Arabian Meranoplus Smith, 1853

Anterior clypeal margin strongly concave with a single pair of well-developed blunt teeth ( Fig. 2A ); clypeal surface distinctly sculptured, with 3 pairs of longitudinal rugae ( Fig. 2A ); the inner bulge of the eye extends well into the scrobal cavity, and, in full-face view, the scrobe is broadly visible; in full-face view, cephalic dorsum to posterior level of eyes with relatively dense, continuous longitudinal rugae (about 20 rugae) ( Fig. 2B ); cephalic surface between rugae unsculptured; anterior face of petiolar node finely superficially punctate; posterior face of petiolar node distinctly longitudinally rugulose ( Fig. 2C ); uniform yellow, rarely some specimens with postpetiole and posterior margin of first gastral tergite brown ( KSA).......................................................... M. pulcher Sharaf

- Anterior clypeal margin shallowly concave or straight with one pair of reduced tubercles ( Fig. 2D ); clypeal surface unsculptured, or with two pairs of less distinct longitudinal rugae ( Fig. 2E ); the eye merely abuts the scrobal cavity and, in full-face view, the scrobe is narrowly visible; in full-face view, cephalic surface to posterior level of eyes with irregular interrupted longitudinal rugae (about 12 rugae) ( Fig. 2E ); cephalic surface with distinct fine ground sculpture between rugae; anterior face of petiolar node smooth ( Fig. 2F ); posterior face of petiolar node feebly sculptured with about five longitudinal rugae; distinctly bicolored, head, and gaster brown, antennae, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole light brown, legs yellow ( Oman).............................................................. M. mosalahi sp. n.

Figures

Figure 2 SEM images of Meranoplus key illustrations, (A C) M. pulcher Sharaf; A, clypeus; B, Head in full-face view; C, petiole and postpetiole in dorsal view; (D F) M. mosalahi sp. n.; D, clypeus; E, Head in full-face view; F, petiole and postpetiole in dorsal view. Full-size DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6287/fig-2