Brian Taylor

A New Ant Species of the Genus Tetramorium Mayr, 1855 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Saudi Arabia, with a Revised Key to the Arabian Species

Tetramorium amalae sp. n. is described and illustrated from Saudi Arabia based on two worker caste specimens collected in Al Bahah region. The new species belongs to the T. shilohense group and appears to be closely related to T. dysderke Bolton from Nigeria. T. amalae is distinguished by having well-developed frontal carinae, smaller eyes, greater head length and width, greater pronotal width, and the petiole node is longer than broad. Tetramorium latinode Collingwood & Agosti is recorded for the first time from Saudi Arabia and for only the second time since the original description. The worker caste of T. latinode is redescribed and illustrated using scanning electron micrographs to facilitate recognition and the gyne is described for the first time with observations given on species relationships, biology and habitat. A revised key to the nineteen Tetramorium species recorded from Arabian Peninsula based on worker castes is provided. Tetramorium bicarinatum (Nylander) is recorded for the first time from Saudi Arabia. It is suggested that T. amalae and T. latinode are endemic to the Arabian Peninsula.

First record of the myrmicine ant genus Carebara Westwood, 1840 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from Saudi Arabia with description of a new species, C. abuhurayri sp. n.

Abstract The myrmicine ant genus Carebara is recorded for the first time in Saudi Arabia from the Arabian Peninsula as a whole. A new species Carebara abuhurayri sp. n. is described based on workers collected from Al Bahah region. One of the smallest ant species known to occur in Arabia, Carebara abuhurayri is found in an area inhabited by many ant species including Tetramorium sericeiventre Emery, 1877, Pheidole minuscula Bernard, 1952, Pheidole sp., Monomorium destructor (Jerdon, 1851), Monomorium exiguum (Forel, 1894) and Monomorium sp. and Crematogaster sp.

The Formicine Ant Genus Plagiolepis Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Arabian Peninsula, with Description of Two New Species

ABSTRACT The formicine ant genus Plagiolepis in Arabia is reviewed and an identification key to the worker caste is given. Eight species are recognized, two of which, P. boltoni and P. juddi are described as new. Two species, Plagiolepis abyssinica Forel and Plagiolepis schmitzii Forel are redescribed.

Scirpophaga incertulas (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and deepwater rice — an integrated view

Abstract The role played by the lepidopteran yellow stem borer, Scirpophaga incertulas (Walker) in the life cycle of deepwater rice ( Oryza sativa ) is controversial. The major question is whether or not larval feeding in the elongated stems is damaging and if so, although no visible symptoms can be observed, leads to loss of yield. Drawing on evidence from entomological and agronomic studies, especially in Bangladesh and Thailand, this paper shows that there is little or no correlation between early- or mid-season borer infestation and yield; that stem density always declines from a pre-flood maximum, irrespective of borer infestation; how late-season infestations can lead to serious crop loss; and, how a promising concept for strategic timing of insecticide application was developed and tested.

Records of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Northern Iran

The results of ant collecting in two hitherto unsampled areas of Iran, the north eastern province of Khorasan Razavi and the north western Zanjan Province are reported. Both areas fall within lacunae of knowledge on previous distribution. Species previously not known from Iran are Aphaenogaster holtzi, Camponotus (Myrmentoma) rebeccae, Cataglyphis albicans, Cataglyphis rockingeri, Lasius himalayanus and Proformica ferreri.

Crematogaster chiarinii ants as a potential biological control agent for protecting honeybee colonies from attack by Dorylus quadratus driver ants in Ethiopia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Driver ants of the genus Dorylus are well known across tropical Africa for their aggressive foraging swarms. Although these swarms have beneficial effects in clearing out invertebrate pests; they destroy thousands of honeybee colonies and, accordingly, cause significant economic losses. Fear of driver ant attack leads most beekeepers in tropical Africa to hang their beehives high up on trees, making proper bee management difficult and limiting the involvement of women and the elderly. In Ethiopia, forest beekeepers have recognized that beehives hung on trees containing nests of an arboreal ant Crematogaster chiarinii Emery 1881 remain safe from invasion by swarms of a driver ant Dorylus quadratus Santschi 1914. In the present study, we report investigations into the mode and efficacy of the C. chiarinii defence system, as well as the potential for increasing its populations and enhancing this biological protection.

Further records of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Iran

Wide ranging surveys of the ant fauna of Iran have enabled us to add a further 30 named species to the country list. A review of almost all the published literature and of photographs of unidentified specimens within the public domain gives a grand total of 248 species, from seven subfamilies and 37 genera. In the majority of instances, our own specimens were compared with type images available from antweb.com. This has led us to propose new or revised status for Cataglyphis turcomanica Crawley 1920, Lepisiota integrisquama (Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1929), Lepisiota surchanica (Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1929) and Messor obscurior Crawley 1920. We note that the total includes a number of what may be misidentifications and a small number of named species that seem unlikely to occur in Iran.