The Ants of Egypt

(Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

compiled by

Brian Taylor

with additional material from Mostafa Sharaf

2010 - fully revised 2015 and 2019

SUMMARY - A total of 171 species are covered, 14 of those are included as potential discoveries in appropriate surveys, e.g. for subterranean or nocturnal species, based on their distribution in surrounding countries. Of the total species, however, only 17 can be deemed as common or quite frequently found. For 10 species the sole record seems questionable as to whether the identification was correct. Original descriptions, mostly of the type form, and revisionary descriptions are given for all but two species; six new species are listed by name only. Drawings or photographs (136 in total, 95 from Egypt, plus 41 from other countries) are provided for all but 6 of the species. A Name Index includes over 620 epithets used for subspecies, varieties, junior synonyms, stirps, etc. Comprehensive reference lists with links to pdf copies of almost all the publications; a short history of ant collecting and taxonomists; a consideration of the Savigny drawings of ants from the 1798-1802 French Army expedition to Egypt; and an illustrated glossary of ant taxonomy complete the site.

The ants come from ten subfamilies and thirty-three genera. For the ten genera with more than two species, keys have been developed based largely on the published descriptions. For one genus Lepisiota an attempt has been made to sort out the extreme confusion caused by a proliferation of so-called subspecies and varieties of "Lepisiota frauenfeldi" and "Lepisiota semenovi" - this includes forms from across North Africa, southern Europe and south-west Asia.

In 2009, we have added to the species descriptions and give a fresh analysis of the Pheidole species of the circum-Mediterranean area.  The site has been further enhanced in June 2010, with additional photographs.

The coming on-line of type images from Antweb have enabled a full revision to be posted in November 2015. With continued revision, we have decided to transfer the site under the senior author's website "Ants of Africa", that is funded until 2026, thanks to the Royal Entomological Society.

Brian Taylor BTech PhD CBiol FRSB FRES, 11, Grazingfield, Wilford, Nottingham, NG11 7FN, U.K.
E-mail dr.brian.taylor@ntlworld.com
Mostafa R. Sharaf Ph.D. (Entomology), College of Food Sciences and Agriculture, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, P. O. Box 2454, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
E-mail: antsharaf@yahoo.com For Curriculum Vitae please click here profile

Biomap coordinators - Professor Samy Zalat and Dr Francis Gilbert

Archived from June 2010 by the