Faunal composition, diversity, and distribution of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Dhofar Governorate, Oman, with updated list of the Omani species and remarks on zoogeography Author Sharaf, Mostafa R. E2A42091-0680-4A5F-A28A-2AA4D2111BF3 Department of Plant Protection, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. antsharaf@gmail.com;mosharaf@ksu.edu.sa Author Wetterer, James K. CAECB042-24B6-4986-9471-BCAAB8E09D8D Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL, USA. wetterer@fau.edu Author Mohamed, Amr A. 2146249B-5D01-484A-9270-A32B4CCDAF26 Department of Entomology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, PO Box 12613, Giza, Egypt. mamr@sci.cu.edu.eg Author Aldawood, Abdulrahman S. 477070A0-365F-4374-A48D-1C62F6BC15D1 Department of Plant Protection, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. aldawood@ksu.edu.sa text European Journal of Taxonomy 2022 2022-09-16 838 1 1 106 http://dx.doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2022.838.1925 journal article 147457 10.5852/ejt.2022.838.1925 0ac30706-22c5-4e3f-abbe-5127d5efb678 2118-9773 7094306 D495BCAE-9E03-4424-A01B-87F1CEB16B9C Meranoplus mosalahi Sharaf, 2019 Fig. 33 Meranoplus mosalahi Sharaf, 2019 in Sharaf & Aldawood 2019: 6 (w) Oman . Afrotropic. Diagnosis Head, and gaster brown, antennae, mesosoma, petiole, and postpetiole pale brown, legs yellow; anterior clypeal margin feebly concave or straight with one pair of reduced teeth; scrobe narrowly visible in full-face view; cephalic surface to posterior level of eyes with irregular interrupted longitudinal rugae; cephalic surface with distinct fine ground sculpture between rugae; anterior face of petiolar node smooth; posterior face feebly sculptured with about five longitudinal rugae. Material examined OMAN – Dhofar • w, holotype ; Dhalkout ; 16.707° N , 53.251° E ; alt. 34 m ; 19 Nov. 2017 ; SF ; M.R. Sharaf leg.; CASENT0845901; KSMA • 12 w, paratypes ; same collection data as for holotype; KSMA • Fig. 32. Crematogaster jacindae Sharaf & Hita Garcia, 2019 , paratype, worker (CASENT0922856, AntWeb.org (Michele Esposito)). A . Body in profile. B . Head in full-face view. C . Distribution map. Fig. 33. Meranoplus mosalahi Sharaf, 2019 , paratype, worker (CASENT0922861,AntWeb.org (Michele Esposito)). A . Body in profile. B . Head in full-face view. C . Distribution map. 1 aberrant worker with reduced postpetiole; same collection data as for holotype; KSMA • 1 w; same collection data as for holotype; WMLC • 1 w; same collection data as for holotype; CASENT0922861; CASC • 3 w; Agdaroot ; 17.089° N , 54.442° E ; 18 Nov. 2017 ; SW ; A. Mostafa leg.; KSMA . Ecological and biological notes Meranoplus mosalahi inhabits shaded areas in Dhalkoout forests with ample small shrubs and grasses. Workers of this species are slow moving and forage on the ground where the soil is moderately moist (Sharaf & Aldawood 2019). Geographic range Meranoplus mosalahi is endemic to Oman .