An update to the taxonomy and distribution of the Arabian Tapinoma Foerster, 1850 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with an illustrated key and remarks on habitats Author Abdel-Dayem, Mahmoud M https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6276-1740 Plant Protection Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia & Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt mseleem@ksu.edu.sa Author Al Dhafer, Hathal Mohammed https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4911-2332 King Saud University, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia & Plant Protection Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Author Aldawood, Abdulrahman S Plant Protection Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Author Sharaf, Mostafa R Plant Protection Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia text Biodiversity Data Journal 2021 2021-05-27 9 66058 66058 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.9.e66058 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.9.e66058 1314-2828-9-e66058 588BD02F1BEC54D2BE2F6942264ED2FE Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius, 1793) Formica melanocephala Fabricius, 1793: 353 (w.) [Note: neotype w. designated by: Guerrero 2018 : 499. Colombia: Magdalena. Guerrero, 2018: 499, also nominates "paraneotypes" . Under ICZN rules no such category exists.] French Guiana. Neotropic. Formica melanocephala Fabricius, 1793: 353 (w.) [Note: neotype w. designated by: Guerrero 2018 : 499. Colombia: Magdalena. Guerrero, 2018: 499, also nominates "paraneotypes" . Under ICZN rules no such category exists.] French Guiana. Neotropic. Materials Type status: Other material . Occurrence : recordedBy: Mostafa Sharaf ; individualCount: 1 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: Oman ; locality: Qurayat ; verbatimElevation: 39 m ; decimalLatitude: 23.2046 ; decimalLongitude: 58.9692 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification : identifiedBy: Mostafa R. Sharaf ; dateIdentified: 2016; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking ; eventDate: 2016-04-08 ; Record Level : language: en; collectionCode: KSMA; datasetName: Ants ; ownerInstitutionCode: KSU; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Type status: Other material . Occurrence : recordedBy: Mostafa Sharaf ; individualCount: 3 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: Oman ; locality: Ayn Hamran ; verbatimElevation: 106 m ; decimalLatitude: 17.09952 ; decimalLongitude: 54.28403 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification : identifiedBy: Mostafa R. Sharaf ; dateIdentified: 2017; Event : samplingProtocol: Sweeping ; eventDate: 2017-11-20 ; Record Level : language: en; collectionCode: KSMA; datasetName: Ants ; ownerInstitutionCode: KSU; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Type status: Other material . Occurrence : recordedBy: Mostafa Sharaf ; individualCount: 10 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: Oman ; locality: Ayn Hamran ; verbatimElevation: 56 m ; decimalLatitude: 17.08631 ; decimalLongitude: 54.28043 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification : identifiedBy: Mostafa R. Sharaf ; dateIdentified: 2017; Event : samplingProtocol: Sifting try ; eventDate: 2017-11-22 ; Record Level : language: en; collectionCode: KSMA; datasetName: Ants ; ownerInstitutionCode: KSU; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Type status: Other material . Occurrence : recordedBy: Mostafa Sharaf ; individualCount: 2 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: Oman ; locality: Ayn Sahlanot ; verbatimElevation: 151 m ; decimalLatitude: 17.14766 ; decimalLongitude: 54.17878 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification : identifiedBy: Mostafa R. Sharaf ; dateIdentified: 2017; Event : samplingProtocol: Malaise trap ; eventDate: 2017-11-16 ; Record Level : language: en; collectionCode: KSMA; datasetName: Ants ; ownerInstitutionCode: KSU; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Type status: Other material . Occurrence : recordedBy: Mostafa Sharaf ; individualCount: 11 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: Oman ; locality: Dhalkout ; verbatimElevation: 34 m ; decimalLatitude: 16.70703 ; decimalLongitude: 53.25068 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification : identifiedBy: Mostafa R. Sharaf ; dateIdentified: 2017; Event : samplingProtocol: Sifting try ; eventDate: 2017-11-19 ; Record Level : language: en; collectionCode: KSMA; datasetName: Ants ; ownerInstitutionCode: KSU; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Type status: Other material . Occurrence : recordedBy: Mostafa Sharaf ; individualCount: 7 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: Oman ; locality: Dhalkout ; verbatimElevation: 43 m ; decimalLatitude: 16.70492 ; decimalLongitude: 53.24453 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification : identifiedBy: Mostafa R. Sharaf ; dateIdentified: 2017; Event : samplingProtocol: Sifting try ; eventDate: 2017-11-18 ; Record Level : language: en; collectionCode: KSMA; datasetName: Ants ; ownerInstitutionCode: KSU; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Type status: Other material . Occurrence : recordedBy: Mostafa Sharaf ; individualCount: 2 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: Oman ; locality: Dhalkout Rd. , Aghbaroot Village ; verbatimElevation: 1034 m ; decimalLatitude: 16.79818 ; decimalLongitude: 53.55392 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification : identifiedBy: Mostafa R. Sharaf ; dateIdentified: 2017; Event : samplingProtocol: Sifting try ; eventDate: 2017-11-18 ; Record Level : language: en; collectionCode: KSMA; datasetName: Ants ; ownerInstitutionCode: KSU; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Type status: Other material . Occurrence : recordedBy: Mostafa Sharaf ; individualCount: 3 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: Oman ; locality: El-Ebreien ; verbatimElevation: 903 m ; decimalLatitude: 23.14069 ; decimalLongitude: 57.31261 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification : identifiedBy: Mostafa R. Sharaf ; dateIdentified: 2017; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking ; eventDate: 2017-01-21 ; Record Level : language: en; collectionCode: KSMA; datasetName: Ants ; ownerInstitutionCode: KSU; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Type status: Other material . Occurrence : recordedBy: Mostafa Sharaf ; individualCount: 8 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: Oman ; locality: Alraha Village ; verbatimElevation: 74 m ; decimalLatitude: 23.56665 ; decimalLongitude: 58.1763 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification : identifiedBy: Mostafa R. Sharaf ; dateIdentified: 2017; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking ; eventDate: 2017-01-18 ; Record Level : language: en; collectionCode: KSMA; datasetName: Ants ; ownerInstitutionCode: KSU; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Type status: Other material . Occurrence : recordedBy: Mostafa Sharaf ; individualCount: 6 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: Oman ; locality: Muscat ; verbatimElevation: 81 m ; decimalLatitude: 23.6176 ; decimalLongitude: 58.49364 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification : identifiedBy: Mostafa R. Sharaf ; dateIdentified: 2016; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking ; eventDate: 2016-04-07 ; Record Level : language: en; collectionCode: KSMA; datasetName: Ants ; ownerInstitutionCode: KSU; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Type status: Other material . Occurrence: recordedBy: M. Gallagher ; individualCount: 1 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: Oman ; locality: Salalah ; decimalLatitude: 17.02 ; decimalLongitude: 54.08 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification: identifiedBy: Cedric A. Collingwood ; dateIdentified: 1988; Event: samplingProtocol: none specified ; eventDate: 1905-06-07 ; Record Level: language: en; collectionCode: WMLC; datasetName: Ants; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Type status: Other material . Occurrence: recordedBy: M. Gallagher ; individualCount: 1 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: Oman ; locality: Wahiba Sands ; decimalLatitude: 21.33 ; decimalLongitude: 59.13 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification: identifiedBy: Cedric A. Collingwood ; dateIdentified: 1988; Event: samplingProtocol: none specified ; eventDate: 1905-06-06 ; Record Level: language: en; collectionCode: WMLC; datasetName: Ants; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Type status: Other material . Occurrence : recordedBy: Mostafa Sharaf ; individualCount: 5 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: Oman ; locality: Alkhoud Village ; verbatimElevation: 63 m ; decimalLatitude: 23.57154 ; decimalLongitude: 58.12166 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification : identifiedBy: Mostafa R. Sharaf ; dateIdentified: 2017; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking ; eventDate: 2017-01-19 ; Record Level : language: en; collectionCode: KSMA; datasetName: Ants ; ownerInstitutionCode: KSU; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Type status: Other material . Occurrence : recordedBy: Mostafa Sharaf ; individualCount: 4 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: Oman ; locality: Fanga ; verbatimElevation: 166 m ; decimalLatitude: 23.45336 ; decimalLongitude: 58.11807 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification : identifiedBy: Mostafa R. Sharaf ; dateIdentified: 2017; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking ; eventDate: 2017-01-20 ; Record Level : language: en; collectionCode: KSMA; datasetName: Ants ; ownerInstitutionCode: KSU; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Type status: Other material . Occurrence : recordedBy: Mostafa Sharaf ; individualCount: 3 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: Oman ; locality: Nakhl ; verbatimElevation: 322 m ; decimalLatitude: 23.38803 ; decimalLongitude: 57.82937 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification : identifiedBy: Mostafa R. Sharaf ; dateIdentified: 2016; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking ; eventDate: 2016-04-02 ; Record Level : language: en; collectionCode: KSMA; datasetName: Ants ; ownerInstitutionCode: KSU; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Type status: Other material . Occurrence : recordedBy: Mahmoud Abdel-Dayem ; individualCount: 1 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: Qatar ; locality: Rawdet Rashed ; decimalLatitude: 25.233433 ; decimalLongitude: 51.204767 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification : identifiedBy: Mostafa R. Sharaf ; dateIdentified: 2005; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking ; eventDate: 2005-03-12 ; Record Level : language: en; collectionCode: KSMA; datasetName: Ants ; ownerInstitutionCode: KSU; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Type status: Other material . Occurrence : recordedBy: Mostafa Sharaf ; individualCount: 2 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: Saudi Arabia ; locality: Wadi Bagara ; verbatimElevation: 436 m ; decimalLatitude: 18.79287 ; decimalLongitude: 42.01857 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification : identifiedBy: Mostafa R. Sharaf ; dateIdentified: 2012; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking ; eventDate: 2012-11-10 ; Record Level : language: en; collectionCode: KSMA; datasetName: Ants ; ownerInstitutionCode: KSU; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Type status: Other material . Occurrence : recordedBy: James Wetterer ; individualCount: 1 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: United Arab Emirates ; locality: Palm Deira ; decimalLatitude: 25.276 ; decimalLongitude: 55.3 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification : identifiedBy: James K. Wetterer ; dateIdentified: 2012; Event : samplingProtocol: none specified ; eventDate: 2012-05-16 ; Record Level : language: en; collectionCode: JWPC; datasetName: Ants ; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Type status: Other material . Occurrence : recordedBy: James Wetterer ; individualCount: 1 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: United Arab Emirates ; locality: Al-Jubail ; decimalLatitude: 25.351 ; decimalLongitude: 55.382 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification : identifiedBy: James K. Wetterer ; dateIdentified: 2012; Event : samplingProtocol: none specified ; eventDate: 2012-05-16 ; Record Level : language: en; collectionCode: JWPC; datasetName: Ants ; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Type status: Other material . Occurrence : recordedBy: Mostafa Sharaf ; individualCount: 9 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: Yemen ; locality: Dehejamo ; verbatimElevation: 563 m ; decimalLatitude: 12.59049 ; decimalLongitude: 54.05205 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification : identifiedBy: Mostafa R. Sharaf ; dateIdentified: 2014; Event : samplingProtocol: none specified ; eventDate: 2014-04-22 ; Record Level : language: en; collectionCode: KSMA; datasetName: Ants ; ownerInstitutionCode: KSU; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Type status: Other material . Occurrence : recordedBy: Mostafa Sharaf ; individualCount: 6 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: Yemen ; locality: Dixam , Wadi Zereg ; verbatimElevation: 279 m ; decimalLatitude: 12.46868 ; decimalLongitude: 54.01091 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification : identifiedBy: Mostafa R. Sharaf ; dateIdentified: 2014; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking ; eventDate: 2014-04-24 ; Record Level : language: en; collectionCode: KSMA; datasetName: Ants ; ownerInstitutionCode: KSU; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Type status: Other material . Occurrence : recordedBy: Mostafa Sharaf ; individualCount: 3 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: Yemen ; locality: Himihil Protectorate ; verbatimElevation: 372 m ; decimalLatitude: 12.57615 ; decimalLongitude: 54.30651 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification : identifiedBy: Mostafa R. Sharaf ; dateIdentified: 2014; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking ; eventDate: 2014-04-23 ; Record Level : language: en; collectionCode: KSMA; datasetName: Ants ; ownerInstitutionCode: KSU; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Type status: Other material . Occurrence : recordedBy: Mostafa Sharaf ; individualCount: 2 ; sex: worker ; lifeStage: adult ; Taxon : scientificName: Tapinoma melanocephalum; Location : country: Yemen ; locality: Lehanoh ; verbatimElevation: 931 m ; decimalLatitude: 12.57583 ; decimalLongitude: 54.04836 ; georeferenceProtocol: label; Identification : identifiedBy: Mostafa R. Sharaf ; dateIdentified: 2014; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking ; eventDate: 2014-04-22 ; Record Level : language: en; collectionCode: KSMA; datasetName: Ants ; ownerInstitutionCode: KSU; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen Diagnosis Worker. This is an easily recognised species by its bicoloured body (Fig. 2 a , b ), with head and mesosoma pale brown to dark brown, antennae, maxillary palps and mandibles pale brown to yellow, gaster and legs pale yellow. Head in full-face view with scapes, when laid back from their insertions, surpass posterior margin of head (Fig. 2 c ); eyes located in front of mid-length of head (Fig. 2 c ). The size is small (1.20-1.90 mm) and mesosoma is without dorsal hairs. Previous records KUWAIT : Kuwait City, 29.37°N , 47.98°E ( Collingwood and Agosti 1996 ). OMAN : Hawiyah, 22.39°N , 58.85°E ( Collingwood 1988 ); Mintirib, 22.56°N , 58.03°E ( Collingwood 1988 ); Salalah, 17.02°N , 54.08°E ( Collingwood 1988 ); Umm Qishrib, ( Collingwood 1988 ); Wahiba Sands, 21.33°N , 59.13°E ( Collingwood 1985 ). QATAR : Rawdet Rashed, 25°14.006'N , 51°12.286'E ( Sharaf et al. 2020b ). SA : Hofuf ( Collingwood 1985 ); Al Qatif, ( Collingwood 1985 ). UAE : Abu Dhabi, Al-Ain, 24.13°N , 55.80°E ( Collingwood et al. 2011 ); Abu Dhabi, Al-Ajban, 24.56°N , 55.34°E ( Collingwood et al. 2011 ); Sharjah, Sharjah Desert Park, 25.28°N , 55.70°E ( Collingwood et al. 2011 ). YEMEN : Aden Chalet, 12.83°N , 45.00°E ( Collingwood and Agosti 1996 ); Socotra Is., Hoq, 12.60°N , 54.35°E ( Collingwood et al. 2004 ); Socotra Is., Wadi Daneghan, 12.62°N , 54.07°E ( Collingwood et al. 2004 ); Socotra Is., Goeeh, 12.53°N , 54.17°E ( Collingwood et al. 2004 ); Socotra Is., Farmihin, 12.53°N , 53.93°E ( Collingwood et al. 2004 ); Socotra Is., Dirhashas, 12.53°N , 53.86°E ( Collingwood et al. 2004 ); Socotra Is., Homhil, 12.57°N , 54.32°E ( Collingwood et al. 2004 ); Lahj, 13.06°N , 44.88°E ( Collingwood and van Harten 2001 ); Al Kowd, 13.09°N , 45.37°E ( Collingwood and van Harten 2001 ); Mayfa'ah, 14.33°N , 46.00°E ( Collingwood and van Harten 2001 ). Distribution Tapinoma melanocephalum is a widely distributed invasive species that is spread by human commerce especially in the Tropics and Subtropics of the Old and New Worlds ( Wetterer 2009 ) with an unknown native range. The species is widely spread in several countries of the Arabian Peninsula, including SA and Oman ( Collingwood 1985 ), Yemen ( Collingwood and Agosti 1996 ), UAE ( Collingwood et al. 1997 ), the Socotra Archipelago ( Sharaf et al. 2017 ) and, recently, it has been reported from Qatar ( Sharaf et al. 2020b ). Ecology The species inhabits a broad range of habitats worldwide ( Sharaf et al. 2017 ), including both humid and dry soil of wild and urban localities, in homes, restaurants, hospitals, well-heated buildings and greenhouses ( Wetterer 2009 ), under bark and stones, in leaf litter and sometimes nests are built in walls and potted plants indoors ( Smith and Whitman 1992 , Ellison et al. 2012 ), in moist soil of lawn and grasses and under debris ( Oster and Wilson 1978 ) or in opportunistic places ( Hoelldobler and Wilson 1990 ). In the Socotra Archipelago (Yemen), the species was observed foraging on a tree located on a mountainside next to a stream drainage where the soil was moist and the area was dominated by the ponerine ant, Brachyponera sennaarensis (Mayr, 1862) and Adiantum capillus-veneris L. ( Pteridaceae ) ( Sharaf et al. 2017 ). It also inhabits localities rich in organic matter of animal faeces in date palm plantations ( Phoenix dactylifera L.) ( Sharaf et al. 2017 ). Workers attend honeydew-excreting insects for honeydew (Venkataramaiah and Rehman 1989) and also feed on both dead and live insects and when disturbed workers are running erratically and rapidly. ( Smith 1965 ).