Messor arenarius (Fabricius)

  Type location North Africa (Formica arenaria, Fabricius, 1787: 310, worker; André, 1883b: 366, queen; Emery, 1891b: 12, queen & male; Forel, 1902a: 148, male) Barbary, Dom. Vahl - no type images on Antweb (March 2019)
junior synonyms
amaurocyclia (Myrmica amaurocyclia, Foerster, 1850b: 486, worker; synonymy by Roger, 1862c: 292) from Algeria - no images on Antweb (March 2019)
bugnioni (Stenamma (Messor) Bugnioni n. sp., Forel, 1904c: 13, worker; synonymy by Forel, 1904f: 424) from Algeria Biskra, M Bugnion - no images on Antweb (March 2019)
scalpturata (Myrmica scalpturata n.sp., Nylander, 1856b: 83, worker, synonymy by Roger, 1862c: 292) from Algeria, in collection of Dr Sichel - no images on Antweb (March 2019)
subspecies
alfierii (Messor arenarius Fab. stirps alfieri nov., Santschi, 1938a: illustrated, worker) from Egypt, Meadi, 18.xii.1912 - see below
diabolus (Messor arenarius Fab. var. diabolus nov., Santschi, 1938a: 35, illustrated, worker) from Egypt, El Arica, Sinai, 28.viii. 1917, Graves - no images on Antweb (March 2019)
ratus (Messor arenarius var. ratus n. var., Menozzi, 1933b: 51, worker) from Israel, Wadi Muallich, east of Bethlehem - no images on Antweb (March 2019)
sahlbergi (Messor barbarus L. r. Sahlbergi n. stirps, Forel, 1913d: 428, worker) from Egypt new status, Heliopolis, U. Sahlberg - no images on Antweb (March 2019)
thebaicus (Messor arenarius Fab. stirps thebaicum n. st., Santschi, 1912b: 164, soldier & worker) from Egypt, Letourneux, in Museum de Paris - see below

Fabricius's (1787) description is at . Nylander's (1856b) description of scalpturata is at . Forel's (1904c) description of bugnioni is at (footnote from Forel, 1904f) . Emery (1908e: 439) gave a full description, this is at . Santschi's (1912b) description of thebaiacus is at Forel's (1913d) description of sahlbergi is at . Menozzi's (1933b) description of ratus is at Santschi's (1938a) description of alfierii is at Santschi's (1938a) description of diabolus is at

Egypt records - Messor arenarius sculpturata (Nylander, 1856b) in collection of Dr Sichel.
Messor arenarius thebaiacus (Santschi, 1912b), locality not given) collector Letourneux, 2 workers in Museum of Paris.
Messor arenarius ssp alfierii Santschi, 1938a: 34, illustrated, worker - in former HNS as Messor arenarius st. alfierii Santschi.
Messor arenarius diabolus Santschi, 1938a: 35, illustrated, worker - in former HNS as Messor arenarius var. diabolus Santschi

Alfieri (1931) listed one finding - from Charkeih Province, Isamailieh, workers, 5.xi.1925.

The photomontage is of specimens from Egypt, taken by Mostafa Sharaf.
Sharaf list - material examined: type form Abu-Mena, 8.iv.1954 (2) ; Kom Oshim, (1); Burg El-Arab (Alexandria), 7.4.1945 (1); Marsa Matrouh, 10.v.1957 (1) (ASUC); Mariut, 10.iii.1914, Efflatoun (1 worker); Abu-Rawash, 10.vi.1952, Shabaan (1 worker) (CUC).

The photomontage of a worker from Tunisia is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0217866

The photomontage is of the type minor of alfierii collated from https://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0913158

The photomontage is of the type minor of thebaicus collated from https://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0913159