Trichomyrmex destructor (Jerdon)

Type location India (Atta Destructor, N.S., Jerdon, 1851: 105, worker) - no type images on Antweb (February 2015)
junior synonyms
basalis (Myrmica basalis, F Smith, 1858b: 125, worker) from Sri Lanka - see below
gracillima (Myrmica gracillima, F Smith, 1861a: 34, worker; Emery, 1877b: 369, footnote, queen & male) from Israel - no images on Antweb (February 2015)
ominosa (Mymrmica ominosa n. sp., and its junior synonym Myrmica atomaria n. sp., Gerstaecker, 1859: 263, workers) from Mozambique - no images on Antweb (February 2015)
vexator (Myrmica vexator, F Smith, 1861b: 47, worker) from Indonesia - see below
.

Jerdon's (1851) description is at . Gerstaecker's (1859) descriptions of ominosa and atomaria are at ; the sole difference in these brief description appears to be the size. Emery (1877b: 369) gave a brief description and illustration of the British Museum specimen; this is at . Bolton's modern description (1987) is at

WORKER - TL 3.1-3.4 mm; distinguishing features as in key (Bolton, 1987: 324, illustrated, petiole and postpetiole only).

In addition to Bolton's illustration and my own of Nigeria specimens (below), I draw attention to the example in the Japanese Ant Color Image Database; from where the description reads - TL of workers around 3 - 3.5 mm. A relatively large Monomorium species, variable in size. Body yellowish brown to reddish brown from head to postpetiole; gaster blackish brown. Mandibles each with 4 teeth, the basalmost sometimes obscure. Eyes large, each with around 20 facets. Median paired carinae of clypeus obscure. Metanotal groove distinct. Propodeum with angulate posterodorsal border; the area of petiolar insertion carinate. Ventral outline of petiole less convex than in other species. Postpetiole 1.1 -1.2 times as long as broad. Mesopleuron and sections of lateral surfaces of propodeum with fine puncturation; dorsal surface of propodeum with transverse rugae.

A tramp species probably of Indian origin; Wheeler (1922) listed it (as gracillimum) from Guinea (Mamou, F. Silvestri). Well known as a destructive species, a nuisance in heated buildings, gnawing into the likes of telephone cables.

The photomontage of the vexator type from Indonesia, is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0008623

See also the basalis type from Sri Lanka at http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0010944

Nigeria specimen (Monomorium species G in Taylor, 1980a: 31). WORKER. TL 1.90 mm, HL 0.50, HW 0.47, SL 0.34, PW 0.25

Colour dark yellow-brown, gaster near black; antennae, tibiae and tarsi yellow; unsculptured and shiny. Erect hairs long and moderately abundant. Clypeal carinae well developed and running into the anterior margin of the clypeus. SI 72.

In Nigeria, my team and I found this form to be the commonest member of the genus on cocoa at CRIN, being quite often encountered, nesting in dead wood on living trees, and tending Homoptera (Taylor, 1981). We also encountered it on native trees and on kola.

Elsewhere, it was found in Ghana, on cocoa canopy and mistletoe, as well as on open ground, at the Mampong Cemetery farm by Room (1971). He also collected it in 18 of 168 canopy samples in his farm survey and reported an apparent negative association with Crematogaster clariventris and a positive association with Oecophylla longinoda. Found on cocoa at Kade by Majer (1975, 1976b), using pkd, with 7-9 workers per sample.

Even allowing for the variability in oscaris described in Bolton (1987), this I find a great quandary. The colour is quite distinctive and matches that of destructor, which was one of the separation points given by Bolton "oscaris is uniformly coloured, unlike destructor". However, for workers the size of that illustrated (the only size which I encountered in quite numerous collections at CRIN) the SI for destructor would be expected to fall in the range SI 97-85. The puzzle is deepened by the report by Majer (1975) of finding it in 23 of 144 25 m² pkd samples from cocoa at Kade, Ghana; specimens were identified as Monomorium species G by Bolton. So we had a relatively common species, clearly an arboreal forest dweller, and yet one which could not be readily identified from Bolton (1987).

Oxford University Museum specimens

Trichomyrmex destructor B Taylor det.	Egypt M Sharaf	13.vi.2003 Abuzabal 30°15'N 31°21'E	Qalobia	2
Trichomyrmex destructor B Taylor det.	Egypt M Sharaf	21.vi.2003 Abuzabal 30°15'N 31°21'E	Qalobia	1
Trichomyrmex destructor B Taylor det.	Egypt M Sharaf	26.viii.2003 Port Said 31°16' N 32°18' E		3
Trichomyrmex destructor B Taylor det.	Egypt M Sharaf	2.v.2002 Aswan 24°05' N 32°53' E	Saloga Is.	1
Trichomyrmex destructor B Taylor det.	Egypt M Sharaf	23.vii.2003 Giza 30°01' N 30°13' E	Brembel Atfeh	1

The photomontage is of workers from Egypt, Qaliobyia, collector Mostafa Sharaf.

TThe photomontage is of workers from Egypt, Port Said, collector Mostafa Sharaf.

The photomontage is of a worker from Benin, Korobouro, collector J-F Vayssieres (RVA 3012).

Iran finding - the photomontage is of a major worker collected by R Nafisi (23), Sabzevar-Khorasan, 23.iii.2013.

Iran finding - the photomontage is of a minor worker collected by R Nafisi  (23), Sabzevar-Khorasan, 23.iii.2013.

Trichomyrmex destructor has the type location India but is described as a successful tramp species, throughout the tropical zones and in heated temperate buildings. From Africa, Bolton examined only specimens from South Africa, although Wheeler (1922) reported it from Zaïre (ssp. despectum, at Sankisia, by J. Bequaert). Generally omnivorous (Bolton, 1987).

Trichomyrmex mayri is also within the group of near identical species, separated from destructor by its being uniformly dark brown (other characters apparently being near identical); it is recorded from the Sahel countries of western Africa, plus across to Egypt and onwards to West Malaysia. Now (2004).