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Taxonomic Studies of Ants Species Collected in Khartoum State

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Taxonomic Studies of Ants Species Collected in Khartoum State By: Awatif Khidir Omer Yousif El Hag A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Zoology infulfillment Master of Science in Zoology Zoology Department, Faculty of Science University of Khartoum December, 200 © Awatif Khidir Omer Dedication To soul of my brother To my Beloved Family Awatif I Acknowledgements It gives me a great pleasure to thank all those who contributed advice and help in this work. It is appropriate to mention several people who made suggestions, and provided editing. Deep gratitude is due to my supervisor Dr. Tigani M.H.Allam for his help, discussions and encouragement, thanks go to Dr. Sumaia Abukashwa for her help and advice. I would like to express my gratitude to Al-Zubair Mohammed Salih Prize for Innovation and Scientific Excellence for generous financial support. I am greatly indebted to Marcus Stuben (University of Wurzburg Germany, for providing me with some books and articles which were not available in Sudan. Many thanks to Dr. Mustafa Rizig from Egypt for his kind assistance, provision of books, and journals, for his keen guidance encouragement and his promise to help to put in the name of Sudan at the website of ants, thanks go to Dr. Collingwood of Liverpool Museum who identified some of the ants to species level. Of the all, thanks are especially extending to Dr. Brian Taylor (University of Nottingham- UK) for his great assistance in identification some of the ants to species level. II Also thanks to Dr. Brian Fisher (California Academy of Sciences-USA), who identified some ants to the species level and imaged the ants to put it at the website www.antweb.org as ants of Sudan. I thank also Dr. Donat Agosti (American Musem of Natural History and Smithsonian Institution) who sent me the satellite map of Khartoum State, and thanks to his wife Livia Agosti (Deputy Head of the Political Affairs Division II African/Middle East) for delivering my specimens to Dr. Brain Fisher. Thanks to the Remote Sensing Centre (University of Khartoum) for locating collection site of the specimen in satellite map. Thanks to Dr. Abdullah Gomaa who gave me the GPS (Global Position System), to Dr. Zuhair Nour Eldeim for his advice and to Dr. Omran Fadl for his help. Not least but last, thanks are due to my colleagues in the Sudan Institute for Natural Sciences (SIFNS) for their encouragement and help with typing the thesis. III Table of Contents Contents Page Dedication……………………………………………………..……. I Acknowledgements………………………..…………………….….. II Table of Contents……………………………………………………. IV List of Tables…………………………………………..………........ IX List of Figures……………………………………..…………….….. X List of Plates………………………………………………………… XI list of Appendices XIII ................................................................................ Abstract………………………………………….…………….……. XIV Chapter 1: Introduction………………...…………………….… 1 1.1. Social Organization…………………….………………..…….. 1 1.2. Feeding ………………………………………………...…. 2 1.3. Objective of this study ……………………………………..….. 3 Chapter 2: Literature Review…………………………..…………..... 4 2.1. The Importance of ants ………………………………………… 4 2.2. Family Formicidae 5 ……………………………………………. 2.2.1. Main Differential Anatomical Features of 5 Formicidae…….. 2.2.2. Taxonomy …………………………………………….…… 10 2.2.3. The Classification and Origin 10 ……………………………… 2.2.4. Subfamilies 11 ………………………………………………… IV 2.3. The Ants of Sudan 15 ……………………………………………… 2.3.1. History and Geography 15 ………………………………….. 2.4. Genera 18 …………………………………………………………. 2.4.1. Cardiocondyla …………………………………………….. 18 2.4.2. 18 Crematogaster……………………………………………… 2.4.3. 18 Monomorium……………………………………………………… 2.4.3.1. Monomorium bicolor Emery 19 (1877)………………………. 2.4.3.2. Monomorium areniphilium Santschi 19 (1911)…………….. 2.4.3.3. Monomorium destrctor Jerdon (1851) ……………….. 19 2.4.3.4. Monomorium mayri Forel (1902) …………………….. 19 2.4.3.5. Monomorium salomonis Linnaeus (1758) ……………. 20 2.4.4. Pheidole …………………………………………………… 20 2.4.5. Tetramorium …………………………………………………….. 20 2.4.5.1. Tetramorium sericeiventris Emery 21 (1877)………….…….. 2.4.6. Camponotus …………………………………………….….. 21 2.4.6.1.Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex) maculates Fabricius (1781) 21 2.4.6.2.Camponotus (Orthonotomyrmex)sericeus Fabricius 21 (1798)………………………………………………… … V 2.4.7. Cataglyphis 22 ………………………………………………………. 2.4.8. Lepisiota 22 …………………………………………………………. 2.4.9. Paratrechina 22 …………………………………………………….. 2.4.10. Anochetus 22 ………………………………………………………. 2.4.1.1. Pachycondyla ………………….………………………… 23 2.5. 23 Karyotyping……………………………………………………… 2.5.1. Chromosomes 23 ……………………………………………… 2.5.2. Somatic chromosomes 24 …………………………………….. 2.5.3. Karyotypes ………………………………………………… 24 2.5.3.1. Karyotpye Study of Ants 24 Chromosomes………………... 2.5.3.2. Karyotpye study of Genus Camponotus 24 …………………. Chapter 3: Material and Methods…………………..………………… 30 3.1. Collection 30 Sites……………………………………………...…… VI 3.2. Specimen collection 32 ……………………………………….……. 3.3. Key used in identification 32 ………………………………..……… 3.4. Karyotyping 32 …………………………………………….……….. Chapter 4: 34 Results……………………………………….…..…………. 4.1. Subfamily: Myrmicinae 37 …………………………………….…… 4.1.1. Genus: Cardiocondyla ………………..…………………… 37 4.1.1.1. Characteristics 37 …………………………………….……. 4.1.1.2. Cardiocondyla emeryi Forel (1881) 37 ……………………. 4.1.1.3. Cardiocondyla elegans Emery (1969) 37 ……………….… 4.1.2. Genus: Crematogaster ……... 39 ……………….…………….. 4.1.2.1. Characteristics 39 ………………………………………………. 4.1.2.2. Crematogaster mimosae Santschi 1914 39 …………….….. 4.1.3. Genus: Monomorium 39 ………………………………………. 4.1.3.1. Characteristics 39 ………………………………………………. 4.1.3.2. Monomorium bicolor Emery (1877) 39 VII …………………… 4.1.3.3. Monomorium areniphilum Santschi 41 (1911)…………..… 4.1.3.4. Monomorium destructor Jerdon 41 (1851)…………….….. 4.1.3.5. Monomorium mayri Forel (1902) 41 ………………….….. 4.1.3.6. Monomorium salomonis Linnaeus (1758) 41 …………….. 4.1.4. Genus: Pheidole 41 ……………………………………….…… 4.1.4.1.Characteristics 41 ……………………………………………….. 4.1.4.2. Pheidole sinaitica Mayr (1862) 42 ……………………….. 4.1.4.3. Pheidole pallidula Nylander (1849) 42 ……………………. 4.1.4.4. Pheidole indica Mayr 42 1879………………….………… 4.1.5.Genus: Tetramorium 44 ……………………………….……….. 4.1.5.1.Characteristics 44 ……………………………………………….. 4.1.5.2. Tetramorium sericeventre Emery 44 (1877)……………….. 4.2. Subfamily: Formicinae 44 ……………………………………..…… 4.2.1. Genus: 44 Camponotus……………………………………….…….. VIII 4.2.1.1.Characteristics 44 ………………………………………………. 4.2.1.2. Camponotus oasium Forel (1890)……………………… 45 4.2.1.3.Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex) maculatus Fabricius 45 (1781). ………………………………………………… 4.2.1.4.Camponotus (Orthonomyrmex)sericeus Fabricius 45 (1798). 4.2.1.5. Camponotus (Myrmopiromis) niveoetosus Mayr (1862). 45 4.2.1.6. Camponotus species 45 5.………………………………….. 4.2.1.7. Camponotus species 6. 45 …………………………………. 4.2.2. Genus: 47 Cataglyphis…………………………………………. 4.2.2.1. Characteristics ………………………………………….. 47 4.2.2.2. Cataglyphis desertorum Forel 47 (1894)……………………... 4.2.2.3. Cataglphis lividus Andre (1881) …………….………… 47 4.2.3. Genus: Lepisiota………………………………………………… 47 4.2.3.1. 47 Characteristics……………………………………………….. 4.2.3.2. Lepisiota gracilicornis Forel 1892 48 …………………….. 4.2.3.3. Lepisiota semenovi Ruzsky (1905) ……………………. 48 4.2.4. Genus: Paratrechina 48 ………………………..……………… 4.2.4.1. Characteristics ………………………………………….. 48 4.2.4.2. Paratrechina longicornis Latreille (1802) ………..……. 48 4.3. Subfamily: Ponerinae 51 IX ……………………………………………. 4.3.1. Genus: Anochetus 51 ……………………………………………….. 4.3.1.1. Characteristics …………………………………………. 51 4.3.1.2. Anochetus traegaordhi Mayr (1904) 51 …………………… 4.3.2. Genus: 51 Pachycondyla……………………………………………. 4.3.2.2. Pachycondyla sennaarensis Mayr 52 (1862)………………. 4.4. Karyotypes of Camponotus (Myrmopiromis) niveoetosus and 52 Camponotus species 6 ………………………………………… 4.4.1.Camponotus (Myrmopiromis) niveoetosus 52 ………………… 4.4.2. Camponotus sp6 …………………………………………. 52 Chapter 5: Discussion ………………..……………..……………….. 56 References ………………………………..…………………………… 58 Appendices ……………………………………..…………………….. 66 X List of Tables Table Page Table I: Imatong Mountain Ants…………………………….. 17 Table II: Species of Ants Recorded From Northern Sudan…… 26 Table III: GPS reading of collection sites …………………….. 33 Table IV: Species of Ants found in Khartoum 34 State…………… List of Figures Figure Page Figure 1: Main Features of the Head of Formicidae ……………. 6 Figure. 2: Anatomical Features of a Generalized Ant…………… 7 Figure. 3: Anatomical Features of a Generalized Ant …………… 8 Figure. 4: Anatomical Features of a Generalized Ant……………. 9 Figure (5): Genus: Cardiocondyla ……………………………… 37 Figure (6): Genus: Crematogaster ………………………………. 39 Figure (7): Genus: Monomorium ………………………………… 39 Figure (8): Genus: Phediole ……………………………………... 42 Figure (9): Genus: Tertamorium ………………………………… 45 Figure (10): Genus: Camponotus ……………………………….. 45 Figure (11): Genus: Cataglyphis ………………………………… 48 Figure (12): Genus : Lepisiota…………………………………… 48 Figure (13): Genus : Paratrechina ……………………………… 49 Figure (14): Genus: Anochetus………………………………...... 52 Figure (15): Genus : Pachycondyla……………………………. 53 Figure (16 a): A spread metaphase plate. The number of 53 chromosomes was 2n=21……………………… Figure (16 b): An Idiogram of Somatic Chromosomes of 53 Camponotus niveoetosus arranged in pairs……. Figure (17 a): A spread metaphase plate. The number of 54 chromosomes was 2n=25 XI Figure (17b): An Idiogram of Somatic Chromosomes of 54 Camponotus species6 arranged in pairs……. XII List of Plates Plate (I): Acacia fistula Tree……………………………… Plate (Π): Nest of Aphenomyrmex sp……………………………………… Plate (III): Map Showing Location of Khartoum State……………… Plate (IV): Satellite Map
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    bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.19.954461; this version posted February 19, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission. 1 The brain of Cataglyphis ants: neuronal organization and 2 visual projections 3 4 Jens Habenstein1*, Emad Amini2*, Kornelia Grübel1, Basil el Jundi1#, Wolfgang 5 Rössler1# 6 1 University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology (Zoology II), Am 7 Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany 8 2 University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Neurobiology and Genetics, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, 9 Germany 10 11 *shared first authorship 12 #shared senior authorship 13 14 Abstract 15 Cataglyphis ants are known for their outstanding navigational abilities. They return to 16 their inconspicuous nest after far-reaching foraging trips using path integration, and 17 whenever available, learn and memorize visual features of panoramic sceneries. To 18 achieve this, the ants combine directional visual information from celestial cues and 19 panoramic scenes with distance information from an intrinsic odometer. The largely 20 vision-based navigation in Cataglyphis requires sophisticated neuronal networks to 21 process the broad repertoire of visual stimuli. Although Cataglyphis ants have been 22 subject to many neuroethological studies, little is known about the general neuronal 23 organization of their central brain and the visual pathways beyond major circuits. 24 Here, we provide a comprehensive, three-dimensional neuronal map of synapse-rich 25 neuropils in the brain of Cataglyphis nodus including major connecting fiber systems. 26 In addition, we examined neuronal tracts underlying the processing of visual 27 information in more detail.
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    Borowiec Et Al-2020 Ants – Phylogeny and Classification

    A Ants: Phylogeny and 1758 when the Swedish botanist Carl von Linné Classification published the tenth edition of his catalog of all plant and animal species known at the time. Marek L. Borowiec1, Corrie S. Moreau2 and Among the approximately 4,200 animals that he Christian Rabeling3 included were 17 species of ants. The succeeding 1University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA two and a half centuries have seen tremendous 2Departments of Entomology and Ecology & progress in the theory and practice of biological Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, classification. Here we provide a summary of the NY, USA current state of phylogenetic and systematic 3Social Insect Research Group, Arizona State research on the ants. University, Tempe, AZ, USA Ants Within the Hymenoptera Tree of Ants are the most ubiquitous and ecologically Life dominant insects on the face of our Earth. This is believed to be due in large part to the cooperation Ants belong to the order Hymenoptera, which also allowed by their sociality. At the time of writing, includes wasps and bees. ▶ Eusociality, or true about 13,500 ant species are described and sociality, evolved multiple times within the named, classified into 334 genera that make up order, with ants as by far the most widespread, 17 subfamilies (Fig. 1). This diversity makes the abundant, and species-rich lineage of eusocial ants the world’s by far the most speciose group of animals. Within the Hymenoptera, ants are part eusocial insects, but ants are not only diverse in of the ▶ Aculeata, the clade in which the ovipos- terms of numbers of species.
  • Diversity and Distribution of Hymenoptera Aculeata in Midwestern Brazilian Dry Forests

    Diversity and Distribution of Hymenoptera Aculeata in Midwestern Brazilian Dry Forests

    See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264895151 Diversity and Distribution of Hymenoptera Aculeata in Midwestern Brazilian Dry Forests Chapter · September 2014 CITATIONS READS 2 457 6 authors, including: Rogerio Silvestre Manoel F Demétrio UFGD - Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados UFGD - Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados 41 PUBLICATIONS 539 CITATIONS 8 PUBLICATIONS 27 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE Bhrenno Trad Felipe Varussa de Oliveira Lima UFGD - Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados 4 PUBLICATIONS 8 CITATIONS 8 PUBLICATIONS 8 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Phylogeny and Biogeography of genus Eremnophila Menke, 1964 (HYMENOPTERA: Sphecidae) View project Functional diversity, phylogeny, ethology and biogeography of Hymenoptera in the chacoan subregion View project All content following this page was uploaded by Rogerio Silvestre on 28 November 2014. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. 28 R. Silvestre, M. Fernando Demétrio, B. Maykon Trad et al. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH - PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL FACTORS DRY FORESTS ECOLOGY, SPECIES DIVERSITY AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT FRANCIS ELIOTT GREER EDITOR Copyright © 2014 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. Diversity and Distribution of Hymenoptera Aculeata ... 29 In: Dry Forests ISBN: 978-1-63321-291-6 Editor: Francis Eliott Greer © 2014 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. Chapter 2 DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTION