Abstract

The ant subfamily Aenictinae is recorded for the first time from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and for the second time from the Arabian Peninsula. A new species Aenictus arabicus sp. n., is described from the worker caste. Aenictus arabicus belongs to the Aenictus wroughtonii-group and appears to be most closely related to Aenictus rhodiensis Menozzi, but can be easily distinguished from the latter by the following characters: overall smaller size; cephalic index (head width/head length) small; occipital corners in lateral view rounded; antennal scape when laid back surpassing approximately two-thirds of head length; funicular segments 2–8 each at least 2× as long as broad; subpetiolar process well developed; petiole and postpetiole distinctly imbricate; gaster and clypeus entirely yellow, teeth of mandibles reddish- brown. Aenictus arabicus was collected from leaf litter, next to a tree of Psidium guajava L. The new species also is similar to Aenictus sagei and Aenictus wroughtonii. Affinities and a key to related species of the species group are given.

Highlights

  • The subfamily Aenictinae Emery, 1901, was elevated to the rank of subfamily by Bolton (1990), and includes a single genus, Aenictus Schuckard, 1840

  • The new species, A. arabicus belongs to this species group with resemblance to A. sagei and A. wroughtonii described by Forel from India

  • Aenictus arabicus is similar to A. rhodiensis Menozzi, 1936 from Greece; and A. sagei and A. wroughtonii described by Forel from India

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Summary

Introduction

The subfamily Aenictinae Emery, 1901, was elevated to the rank of subfamily by Bolton (1990), and includes a single genus, Aenictus Schuckard, 1840. The genus presently has 177 species and subspecific forms (Bolton 2012), distributed through the East Mediterranean, Afrotropical, Oriental, Indo-Australian, and Australian regions (Gotwald 1995, Brown 2000, Aktaç et al 2004, and Jaitrong and Yamane 2012). Members of the Aenictus wroughtonii-group share the following characters (Jaitrong et al 2010): head narrow; posterior margin of head lacking collar; antennae long, 10-segmented; with long scape reaching or surpassing posterolateral corners of head; anterior clypeal margin bearing 5-10 denticles; mandibles subtriangular, with masticatory margin bearing 8-12 minute teeth in addition to a large apical tooth with a sharp apex; frontal carinae short; mesosoma narrow and elongate; legs thin and long; head entirely smooth and shiny; almost entire body clear yellow to yellowish brown

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