An update to the taxonomy and distribution of the Arabian Tapinoma Foerster, 1850 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with an illustrated key and remarks on habitats

Abstract

Tapinoma Foerster belongs to the ant subfamily Dolichoderinae and the vast majority of its species are arboreal or generalized foragers. The genus is composed of 71 described species and 24 known subspecies worldwide, while from Arabian Peninsula, three species have been recorded so far.Ants of the genus Tapinoma of the Arabian Peninsula are reviewed, keyed and illustrated based on the worker caste. Three species are diagnosed, T. melanocephalum (Fabricius, 1793), T. simrothi Krausse, 1911, and T. wilsoni Sharaf & Aldawood, 2012. We present the first illustrated key to the Arabian Tapinoma enhanced by automontage images to facilitate species recognition. New distributional data for species are presented based on recently collected material from the region and literature records. Information on habitats preference and biology of species are given.