Monomorium dryhimi Aldawood & Sharaf

Aldawood, Abdulrahman S. & Sharaf, Mostafa R., 2011, Monomorium dryhimi sp. n., a new ant species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of the M. monomorium group from Saudi Arabia, with a key to the Arabian Monomorium monomorium-group, ZooKeys 106, pp. 47-54 : 48

Monomorium dryhimi Aldawood & Sharaf sp. n. Figs 1-7

Holotype worker.

TL1.84, HL 0.48, HW 0.34, SL 0.31, ML 0.46, EL 0.08, PRW 0.22, PL 0.14, PW 0.11, PPL 0.08, PPW 0.11, SI 91, CI 71.

Paratypes.

TL 1.42-1.84, HL 0.42-0.49, HW 0.32-0.36, SL 0.26-0.32, ML 0.39-0.46, EL 0.07-0.08, PRW 0.19-0.24, PL 0.09-0.14, PW 0.08-0.11, PPL 0.05-0.09, PPW 0.09-0.12, SI 74-91, CI 73-83.(N=13).

Holotype worker.

SAUDI ARABIA, Al Bahah province, Amadan forest, Al Mandaq governorate, 20°12'N, 41°13'E, 1881 m.a.s.l. 19.V.2010 (M. R. Sharaf & A. S. Aldawood Leg.); King Saud Museum of Arthropods (KSMA), College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Paratypes.

27 workers, same locality and data as holotype; 1 deposited in the Muséum ďHistoire Naturelle, Geneva, Switzerland (Dr Bernhard Merz); 1 in Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel, Switzerland (Mrs. Isabelle Zürcher-Pfander); 1 in California Academy of Science (Dr Brian Fisher); 1 in World Museum Liverpool, Liverpool, U.K (Dr Guy Knight), 1 in The Natural History Museum, London (Mr. Barry Bolton); 15 workers, SAUDI ARABIA, Elqamh park, Belgershi, Al Bahah, 17.V.2010 (M. R. Sharaf & A. S. Aldawood Leg.) These paratypes are in the King Saud Museum of Arthropods, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Worker.

Headdistinctly much longer than broad with weakly convex sides and straight or feebly concave posterior margin (Fig. 1). Underside of headwith several long hairs but not forming a psammophore (Fig. 2). Head in profile with a weakly convex dorsal surface and a distinctly convex ventral surface (Fig. 2). Clypeal carinae sharply developed and distinctly elevated, divergent anteriorly and reaching the anterior margin at a pair of short low triangular projecting angles (Fig. 3). The median portion of anterior clypeal margin clearly concave. Eyes oval and of moderate size (EL 0.19-0.25 × HW) with 6 ommatidia in the longest row (Figs 2, 3). With head in profile, eyes consist of a peripheral ring of ommatidia encircling two rows of ommatidia within the ring (Figs 2, 3). In lateral view, the maximum diameter of the eyes clearly greater than the distant between the anteriormost point of the eyes and the nearest point of the mandibular articulation. Frontal lobes farther apart. Antennal scapes, when laid straight back, fail to reach posterior margin (Fig. 1). Mesosoma in profilewith a flat promesonotal dorsum, which slopes posteriorly to a well developed metanotal groove (Fig. 4). Metanotal cross-ribs relatively long and distinct (Fig. 5). Propodeal spiraclessmall and pinhole-like (Fig. 6). Propodeal dorsum evenly sloping, the posterior third more strongly sloping than the anterior two-thirds (Fig. 5). Petiole nodehigh and narrowly subconical, narrowly rounded above (Fig. 7). Petiole peduncle short and stout with a distinct ventral process. Postpetiole node smaller, lower, and more broadly rounded than petiole. Petiole and postpetiole each with three pairs of long backward directed hairs. Body pilosity abundant, shorter on head dorsum. Anterior pronotal margin with two pairs of hairs, middle part of pronotum with a single pair, promesonotum with 3-4 pairs of hairs. Dorsum and declivity of propodeum each with one pair of hairs. Overall yellow to light brownish yellow. In many individuals head and gaster are slightly but conspicuously, darker than rest of body. Second halves of first and second gastral tergites with characteristic brownish transverse bands. Body smooth and shining.

Etymology.

This species is named in honor of Prof. Yousif N. Aldryhim, economic entomologist, Department of Plant Protection, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.