Belongs within: Myrmicinae.
Monomorium is a cosmopolitan genus of small ants, most diverse in the Old World tropics with relatively few species native to the Americas. Colonies are often polygynous and may possess either winged or ergatoid queens or a combination of both. Despite their small size, a number of species of Monomorium are significant pests. These include the pharaoh ant Monomorium pharaonis and the Singapore ant M. destructor. The latter species is known to cause damage to infrastructure by chewing through cabling (Heterick 2009).
Monophyly of the genus has been questioned by recent studies leading to proposals to divide it between several genera. Chelaner may be recognised for an assemblage of species in which the propodeal spiracle opens into a vestibule.
Characters (Wheeler & Wheeler 1990): Antenna with twelve segments; epinotum unarmed, basal face at same level as dorsum of mesonotum; postpetiol attached to anterior end of first gastric somite; gaster about equally convex above and below.
<==Monomorium Mayr 1855FT08 (see below for synonymy)
|--M. monomorium (Mayr 1855)Z01 [incl. Myrmica (Monomorium) carbonaria Smith 1858B03, *Mo. minutum Mayr 1855Z01]
|--M. aberrans Forel 1902B03
|--M. aithoderumH09
|--M. antarcticumWL04 [=Chelaner antarcticusM83]
|--M. anthracinumH09
|--M. aper Emery 1914 [incl. M. aper var. dubia Emery 1914]E14
|--M. arenariumH13
|--M. armstrongi McAreavey 1949 [=M. (Holcomyrmex) armstrongi, Chelaner armstrongi]TB85
|--M. atomus Forel 1902 [incl. M. atomus var. integrius]B03
|--M. australicum Forel 1907TB85 [=M. subcoecum australicumTB85; incl. M. talpaFT08]
|--M. barbatulumE89
|--M. bicorne Forel 1907H09, TB85 [=Chelaner bicornisTB85; incl. M. macareaveyiH09]
|--M. bihamatumH09
|--M. brachythrixH09
|--M. broomense Forel 1915 [=M. (Mitara) laeve broomense]TB85
|--M. centrale Forel 1910H09, TB85 [=Chelaner centralisTB85]
|--M. chinenseZ01
|--M. concolor Zhou 2001Z01
|--‘Holcomyrmex’ criniceps Mayr 1878 [incl. H. crinicipitoscabriceps Forel 1902]B03
|--M. crinitumH09
|--M. croceiventre Emery 1914E14
|--M. decuriaH09
|--M. destructor (Jerdon 1851)FT08 (see below for synonymy)
|--M. dichroum Forel 1902B03
|--M. disetigerumH13
|--M. donisthorpei Crawley 1915 [=M. (Mitara) donisthorpei]TB85
|--M. durokoppinenseH09
|--M. edentatum Emery 1897E14
|--M. elegantulumH09
|--M. eremophilumH13
|--M. ergatogynaBS06
|--M. euryodonH13
|--M. falcatum (McAreavey 1949)H09, TB85 [=*Schizopelta falcataH09, Chelaner falcatusTB85]
|--M. fieldi Forel 1910TB85 [=M. (Martia) fieldiTB85; incl. M. (Mitara) laeve nigrius Forel 1915TB85, H09, TB85]
|--M. flavipes Clark 1938 [=M. (Notomyrmex) flavipes, Chelaner flavipes]TB85
|--M. flavonigrumH09
|--M. floricola (Jerdon 1851)FT08 (see below for synonymy)
|--M. forcipatum Emery 1914 [=M. (*Chelaner) forcipatum, *Chelaner forcipatus]TB85
|--M. foreli Viehmeyer 1913 [=M. (Holcomyrmex) foreli, Chelaner foreli]TB85
|--M. fossulatum Emery 1894B03
|--M. fraterculus Santschi 1919 [=M. (Mitara) laeve fraterculus]TB85
| |--M. f. fraterculusTB85
| `--M. f. barretti Santschi 1928 [=M. (Lampromyrmex) fraterculus barretti]TB85
|--M. gilberti Forel 1902 [=Chelaner gilberti]TB85
| |--M. g. gilbertiTB85
| `--M. g. mediorubra Forel 1915 [=Chelaner gilberti mediorubrus]TB85
|--‘Holcomyrmex’ glaber André 1883 [incl. H. glaber var. clarus Forel 1902, H. glabrocriniceps Forel 1902]B03
|--M. glyciphilum (Smith 1858) [=Myrmica glyciphila]B03
|--M. gracillimum (Smith 1861) [=Myrmica gracillima]B03
|--M. hildebrandtiH09
|--M. howense Wheeler 1927 [=M. (Notomyrmex) howense, Chelaner howensis]TB85
|--M. ilia Forel 1907 [=M. (Martia) ilia]TB85
| |--M. i. iliaTB85
| `--M. i. lamingtonense Forel 1915 [=M. (Mitara) ilia lamingtonensis]TB85
|--M. indicum Forel 1902 [=M. salomonis indicum]B03
|--M. insolescens Wheeler 1934H13, TB85 [=M. (Notomyrmex) insolescensTB85, Chelaner insolescensTB85]
|--M. insularis Clark 1938 [=M. (Notomyrmex) insularis, Chelaner insularis]TB85
|--M. integrumE14
|--M. intrudens Smith 1874 [incl. lampromyrmex gracilum Mayr 1868, M. nipponense Wheeler 1906]Z01
|--M. kiliani Forel 1902H09, TB85 [=Chelaner kilianiTB85]
| |--M. k. kilianiTB85
| |--M. k. obscurella Viehmeyer 1925 [=Chelaner kiliani obscurellus]TB85
| `--M. k. tambourinensis Forel 1915 [=Chelaner kiliani tambourinensis]TB85
|--M. lacunosumH09
|--M. laeve Mayr 1876 [=M. (*Mitara) laeve]TB85
|--M. latinode Mayr 1872FT08
|--M. leae Forel 1913H13, TB85 [=Chelaner leaeTB85; incl. M. (Notomyrmex) hemiphaeum Clark 1934TB85]
|--M. legulusH09
|--M. longi Forel 1902B03
|--M. longiceps Wheeler 1934H09, TB85 [=M. (Notomyrmex) longicepsTB85, Chelaner longicepsTB85]
|--M. longinodeH09
|--M. longipes Emery 1914 [=M. (Chelaner) longipes]E14
|--M. luteumG89
|--‘Chelaner’ macareaveyi Ettershank 1966 (see below for synonymy)TB85
|--M. majeriH09
|--M. mayri Forel 1902Z01 (see below for synonymy)
|--M. megalopsH09
|--M. melleum Emery 1914E14
|--M. micron Crawley 1925TB85
|--M. miculaH09
|--‘Holcomyrmex’ muticus Emery 1887B03
|--M. nanumH09
|--M. nitidumE14
|--M. occidaneus Crawley 1922 [=Chelaner occidaneus]TB85
|--M. orientale Mayr 1879FT08
|--M. pergandei [=Epoecus pergandei]WW90
|--M. pharaonis (Linnaeus 1758)FT08 (see below for synonymy)
|--M. pubescensH09
|--M. punctipectoris Zhou 2001Z01
|--M. punctulatumH13
|--M. rothsteini Forel 1902H09, TB85 [=Chelaner rothsteiniH09, M. (*Protholcomyrmex) rothsteiniTB85]
| |--M. r. rothsteiniTB85
| |--M. r. doddi Santschi 1919 [=M. (Paraholcomyrmex) rothsteini doddi, Chelaner rothsteini doddi]TB85
| |--M. r. humilior Forel 1910 [=Chelaner rothsteini humilior]TB85
| |--M. r. leda Forel 1915 [=Chelaner rothsteini leda]TB85
| |--M. r. squamigena Viehmeyer 1925 [=Chelaner rothsteini squamigena]TB85
| `--M. r. tostum Wheeler 1915 [=Chelaner rothsteini tostum]TB85
|--M. rubriceps Mayr 1876H13, TB85 [=Chelaner rubricepsTB85]
| |--M. r. rubricepsTB85
| |--M. r. cinctum Wheeler 1917 [=Chelaner rubriceps cinctus]TB85
| |--M. r. extreminigrum Forel 1915 [=Monomorium rubriceps extreminigrus]TB85
| `--M. r. rubra Forel 1915 [=Chelaner rubriceps rubrus]TB85
|--M. rufiventris [=Vollenhovia rufiventris]E14
|--M. rufonigrumH09
|--M. sagei Forel 1902B03
|--M. sanguinolentum Wheeler 1927 [=M. (Notomyrmex) sanguinolentum, Chelaner sanguinolentus]TB85
|--‘*Holcomyrmex’ scabriceps Mayr 1878B03
|--M. sculpturatum Clark 1934H09, TB85 [=M. (Notomyrmex) sculpturatumTB85, Chelaner sculpturatusTB85]
|--M. silaceumH09
|--M. sordidum Forel 1902H09, TB85 [=Chelaner sordidusH09]
| |--M. s. sordidumTB85
| `--M. s. nigriventris Forel 1910 [=Chelaner sordidus nigriventris]TB85
|--M. stictonotumH09
|--M. striatifronsH09
|--M. subapterum Wheeler 1917 [=Chelaner subapterus]TB85
| |--M. s. subapterumTB85
| `--M. s. bogischi Wheeler 1917 [=Chelaner subapterus bogischi]TB85
|--M. subcoecum Emery 1894FT08
|--M. sublamellatumH09
|--M. subopacum (Smith 1858) (see below for synonymy)Z01
|--M. sydneyense Forel 1902TB85
| |--M. s. sydneyenseTB85
| `--M. s. nigellum Emery 1914 [=M. (Mitara) sydneyense nigella]TB85
|--M. tricolor Emery 1914E14
|--M. turneri (Forel 1910)E14, TB85 [=Vollenhovia turneriTB85, Chelaner turneriTB85]
|--M. whitei Wheeler 1915 [=M. (Holcomyrmex) whitei, Chelaner whitei]TB85
|--M. wroughtoni Forel 1902B03
`--M. xantheklemmaH09
‘Chelaner’ macareaveyi Ettershank 1966 [=Monomorium (Holcomyrmex) niger McAreavey 1949 non Holcomyrmex criniceps nigrum Forel 1902]TB85
Monomorium Mayr 1855FT08 [incl. Chelaner Emery 1914Z01, Corynomyrmex Viehmeyer 1916Z01, Epixenus Emery 1908Z01, Epoecus Emery 1892Z01, Equestrimessor Santschi 1919Z01, Holcomyrmex Mayr 1878Z01, Irenidris Donisthorpe 1943Z01, Isolcomyrmex Santschi 1917Z01, Lampromyrmex Mayr 1868Z01, Mitara Emery 1913TB85, Notomyrmex Emery 1915Z01, Paraphacota Santschi 1919Z01, Parholcomyrmex Emery 1915Z01, Phacota Roger 1862Z01, Protholcomyrmex Wheeler 1922TB85, Schizopelta McAreavey 1949H09, Wheeleria Forel 1905Z01, Wheleriella Forel 1907Z01, Xenhyboma Santschi 1919Z01, Xeromyrmex Emery 1915Z01]
Monomorium destructor (Jerdon 1851)FT08 [=Atta destructorB03, Trichomyrmex destructorOM19; incl. Monomorium basale Mayr 1865B03, Myrmica vastator Smith 1857B03]
Monomorium floricola (Jerdon 1851)FT08 [=Atta floricolaZ01, M. floreanum (l. c.)Z01; incl. M. anngusticlava Donisthorpe 1947Z01, M. cinnabari Rober 1863Z01, M. impressum Smith 1876Z01, M. poecilum Roger 1863Z01, M. specularis Mayr 1866Z01]
Monomorium mayri Forel 1902Z01 [=M. destructor var. mayriZ01, M. gracillimum var. mayriB03; incl. M. gracillimum var. karawajewi Wheeler 1922Z01]
Monomorium pharaonis (Linnaeus 1758)FT08 [=Formica pharaonisZ01; incl. F. antiguensis Fabricius 1793Z01, Myrmica contigua Smith 1858Z01, My. domestica Schuckard 1838Z01, Diplorhoptrum domesticum Gaskell 1877Z01, My. fragilis Smith 1858Z01, D. fugax Lucas 1858Z01, Atta minuta Jerdon 1851Z01, My. molesta Say 1836Z01, My. unifasciata Bostock 1839Z01]
Monomorium subopacum (Smith 1858) [=Myrmica subopaca, Mo. salomonis var. subopaca; incl. Mo. subopacum var. intermedium Santschi 1928, Mo. subopacum var. liberta Santschi 1927, Mo. mediterraneum Mayr 1861, Paraphacota cabrenae st. obscuripes Santschi 1921, P. surcoufi Santschi 1919]Z01
*Type species of generic name indicated
References
[B03] Bingham, C. T. 1903. The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma. Hymenoptera Vol. 2. Ants and Cuckoo-Wasps. Taylor and Francis: London.
[BS06] Brady, S. G., T. R. Schultz, B. L. Fisher & P. S. Ward. 2006. Evaluating alternative hypotheses for the early evolution and diversification of ants. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA 103 (48): 18172–18177.
[E89] Emery, C. 1889. Intorno ad alcune formiche della fauna palearctica. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova, Serie 2a, 7: 439–443.
[E14] Emery, C. 1914. Les fourmis de la Nouvelle-Calédonie & des îles Loyalty. In: Sarasin, F., & J. Roux (eds) Nova Caledonia: Forschungen in Neu-Caledonian und auf den Loyalty-Inseln. A. Zoologie vol. 1 pt 4 pp. 393–436, pl. 12. C. W. Kreidels Verlag: Wiesbaden.
[FT08] Framenau, V. W., & M. L. Thomas. 2008. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Christmas Island (Indian Ocean): identification and distribution. Records of the Western Australian Museum 25 (1): 45–85.
[G89] Gestro, R. 1889. Viaggio ab Assab nel Mar Rosso dei signori G. Doria ed O. Beccari con il R. Avviso “Esploratore” dal 16 Novembre 1879 al 26 Febbraio 1880.—IV. Coleotteri. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova, Serie 2a, 7: 5–72.
[H09] Heterick, B. E. 2009. A guide to the ants of south-western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 76: 1–206.
[H13] Heterick, B. E. 2013. A taxonomic overview and key to the ants of Barrow Island, Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 83: 375–404.
[M83] Martin, N. A. 1983. Miscellaneous observations on a pasture fauna: An annotated species list. DSIR Entomology Division Report 3: 1–98.
[OM19] Oussalah, N., F. Marniche, X. Espadaler & M. Biche. 2019. Exotic ants from the Maghreb (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) with first report of the hairy alien ant Nylanderia jaegerskioeldi (Mayr) in Algeria. Arxius de Miscellània Zoològica 17: 45–58.
[TB85] Taylor, R. W., & D. R. Brown. 1985. Formicoidea. In: Walton, D. W. (ed.) Zoological Catalogue of Australia vol. 2. Hymenoptera: Formicoidea, Vespoidea and Sphecoidea pp. 1–149. Australian Government Publishing Service: Canberra.
[WL04] Wang, X.-H., & P. J. Lester. 2004. A preliminary study of the usefulness of morphometric tools for splitting the Monomorium antarcticum (Smith) complex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), New Zealand’s most common native ants. New Zealand Entomologist 27: 103–108.
[WW90] Wheeler, G. C., & J. Wheeler. 1990. Insecta: Hymenoptera Formicidae. In: Dindal, D. L. (ed.) Soil Biology Guide pp. 1277–1294. John Wiley & Sones: New York.
[Z01] Zhou, S. 2001. Ants of Guangxi. Guangxi Normal University Press: Guilin (China).