Monomorium salomonis (Linnaeus)

Iran list
Egypt list Type location Egypt (Formica salomonis, Linnaeus, 1758: 580, worker; André, 1883a: 342, male; Emery, 1908h: 674, all forms) - no type images on Antweb (February 2015)
(see Bolton, 1995) .

Linnaeus' (1758) description is at Arnold (1916: 219) provided a summary; this is at . Stitz's (1917) illustrated description of obscuratum is at . Santschi (1921e) summarised the descriptions of a number of the then varieties; this is at . Santschi (1930a) reported zanoni from Koulouba, Mali, see . Santschi (1936a) gave a further illustrated consideration, this is at . Later, Arnold (1944) attempted to elucidate the efforts of Santschi (1927d); see . See also under Monomorium subopacum.

Analysis of "subspecies and varieties"

bedui (M. (X.) salomonis stirps v. bedui n. var., Santschi, 1936a: 50; Santschi, 1936c: 201, worker & queen) from Morocco, Sidi Abdallah Ch. Alluaud - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0913836
didonis (Monomorium (Xeromyrmex) Salomonis L., v. didonis, Santschi, 1921b: 425, worker; Santschi, 1921e: 168, queen & male) from Tunisia, Kairouan - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0913837
mzabicum (M. (X.) salomonis stirps targui v. mzabicum n. var., Santschi, 1936a: 54; worker) from Algeria, Saharan, Ghardaia, 1926, Mlle. R. Tounioi
obscuriceps (Monomorium (Xeromyrmex) Salomonis L., v. obscuriceps n. var., Santschi, 1921e: 169, worker & queen) from Morocco, Rabat, Théry - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0913840
pestiferum (M. (X.) salomonis stirps pestiferum n. st., Santschi, 1936a: 57, illustrated, all forms; = the M. (X.) salomonis v. obscurata of Santschi, 1921: 169, male) - from Algeria, Mascara, Dr A Cros - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0913842
scipionis (Monomorium (Xeromyrmex) Salomonis L., v. scipioni, Santschi, 1921e: 169, worker & queen; Santschi, 1936a: 60, male) from Tunisia, Kairouan - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0913843
sommieri (Monomorium salomonis salomonis var. sommieri n., Emery, 1908g: 676, worker) from Italy, Lampedusa Island, Dr Sommier (no images on Antweb, October 2016) Scaled up, the head shape, as shown in Santschi's illustration (bottom) is like that of "molestum" but the scapes are longer.
atrata (Monomorium Salomonis var. atrata n. var., Santschi, 1912c: 147, worker) from Tunisia, Kairouan - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0913844" This is listed on Antweb as "sommieri" which it is not. TL 3.0-3.4 "noir"
targui (M. (X.) salomonis strips targui n. st., Santschi, 1936a: 53, worker) from Algeria, Hoggar, Aschkrem, Seurat - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0913847
transversale (Monomorium (Xeromyrmex) Salomonis L., v. transversalis n. var., Santschi, 1921e: 169, worker & queen) from Morocco, Mogador & Marrakech, Vaucher - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0913849
volubile (M (X.) salomonis stirps didonis v. volubile n. var., Santschi, 1936a: 56; Santschi, 1936c: 201, worker & queen) from Morocco, Volubilis - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0913850
zanoni (Monomorium salomonis subopacum F Smith var. zanoni n. var. Emery, 1924a: 9 = the M. salomonis subopacum var. phoenicia of Emery, 1923: 257; Monomorium (Xeromyrmex) subopacum Sm., v. Zanoni Em. Santschi, 1927d: 242, all forms; listed without explanation as Monomorium salomonis var. zanoni Em., by Menozzi, 1940: 269  [Menozzi also listed Monomorium salomonis ssp. areniphilum Sants.) from Libya, Coefia, Silvestri - no images on Antweb (October 2016)
debilis (Walker, 1871: 11, worker & queen) from Egypt - no images on Antweb (October 2016)
thorense (Mayr, 1862: 753, queen) from Egypt - no images on Antweb (October 2016)
obscuratum (Monomorium salomonis L. v. obscuratum n.v., Stitz, 1917: 346, illustrated, worker; Santschi, 1921e: 169, male; Emery, 1924a: 9, queen) from Algeria - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0913835
molestum (M. (X.) salomonis stirps didonis v. molestum n. var., Santschi, 1936a: 55; Santschi, 1936c: 201, worker & queen) from Algeria, Mascara, Dr A Cros - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?name=casent0913839 the image appears to be of humile - a name not listed by Bolton (1995) - the label details match the record in Santschi ((1936a) for bedui, as from Biskra by Dr Normand (the only such record)
subnitidum (Monomorium Salomonis L. var. subnitidum n. var., Emery, 1895b: 66, worker & queen) from Algeria, Biskra, Noualhier appears to be identical to Monomorium niloticum

Bolton (1987) refers only to Monomorium salomonis as extra-limital to his study of Afrotropical members of the Genus and gave no description of the species.

In his attempt at analysis, Santschi (1936a: 46 ff) separated forms from the Levant (i.e. the  Eastern Medierranean) as "sp. salomonis, with strips venustum as the only forms with a feeble longitudinal groove on the propodeum, sometimes weak, and, body red, gaster dull; then, further, venustum as having a deep metanotal groove and a raised promesonotum.

What seems consistent, however, is that there are distinct but quite short hairs on the underside of the head.

Oxford University Museum specimens