Monomorium pharaonis ( Linnaeus, 1758 )

Hamer, Matthew T., Lee, Jonathan Hon Chung, Tse, Cheung Yau Leo, Silva, Thiago S. R. & Guénard, Benoit, 2022, Remarkable diversity in a little red dot: a comprehensive checklist of known ant species in Singapore (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with notes on ecology and taxonomy, Asian Myrmecology (e 015006) 15, pp. 1-152 : 86-87

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.20362/am.015006
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03B68783-3100-FFF3-FD73-79A3FD39FD37
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Monomorium pharaonis ( Linnaeus, 1758 )
status

Treatment

Monomorium pharaonis ( Linnaeus, 1758) View in CoL

Material examined. National University of Singapore ( NUS) building, 10 Jul 2007, D. Lohman leg. ( SKYC) .

Material not physically examined. ANIC 32- 062894-062896 ( ANIC); CASENT0102330, ANTC4573 ( BMNH) [former lectotype of ‘ Myrmica fragilis ’ – now invalid name]; CASENT0008625, ANTC2204 ( OUMNH) [former lectotype of ‘ Monomorium / Myrmica vastator ’ – now invalid name]. Non-types, J.K. Wetterer leg. ( JKWC) – Harbourfront, 29 Jul 2014, vial #385; Katong, Amber Road, 31 Jul 2014, vial #434; Mountbatten, by MRT station, 4 Aug 2014, vial #465; Queenstown, 29 Jul 2014, vial #383.

Literature. Smith (1857) [as Myrmica vastator ]; Smith (1858) [as Myrmica fragilis ]; Viehmey- er (1916); Overbeck (1924); Heterick (2006); Tan & Corlett (2012).

Localities. Bukit Timah Road; Bukit Timah Nature Reserve ( BTNR); Central Catchment Nature Reserve ( CCNR); NUS campus.

Habitat/Ecology. These ants were commonly found both foraging and nesting indoors in artificial human-constructed infrastructure, such as in households and offices, also in back gardens of residential housing. This species was also reportedly collected at baited traps set up in primary and/or old secondary forests.

Remarks. As with many other congeners, Monomorium pharaonis is considered a globally widespread tramp ant, invasive to many areas, and is also infamous as a common household/ indoor pest where it occurs. Records of the species from primary or old secondary forests in the CCNR and BTNR were only in literature and could not be taxonomically verified at the time of writing. It is possible that these records were cases of misidentification.