Revision of the ant genus Melophorus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Abstract

The fauna of the purely Australian formicine ant genus <i>Melophorus</i> (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is revised. This project involved integrated morphological and molecular taxonomy using one mitochondrial gene (COI) and four nuclear genes (AA, H3, LR and Wg). Seven major clades were identified and are here designated as the <i>M. aeneovirens</i>, <i>M. anderseni</i>, <i>M. biroi</i>, <i>M. fulvihirtus</i>, <i>M. ludius</i>, <i>M. majeri</i> and <i>M. potteri</i> species-groups. Within these clades, smaller complexes of similar species were also identified and designated species-complexes. The <i>M. ludius</i> species-group was identified purely on molecular grounds, as the morphology of its members is indistinguishable from typical members of the <i>M. biroi</i> species-complex within the <i>M. biroi</i> species-group. Most species-complexes sampled were also found to be monophyletic. Sequencing generally supported monophyly in taxa sampled but some species of the <i>M. fieldi</i> complex and <i>M. biroi</i> were not monophyletic and the implications arising from this are discussed in this monograph. Based on morphology, ninety-three species are recognized, 73 described as new. A further new species (here called 'Species K' [TERC Collection]) is noted in the taxonomic list, but is not described in this work. One species is removed from <i>Melophorus</i>: <i>M. scipio</i> Forel is here placed provisionally in <i>Prolasius</i>. Six species and five subspecies pass into synonymy. Of the full species, <i>M. constans</i> Santschi, <i>M. iridescens</i> (Emery) and <i>M. insularis</i> Wheeler are synonymized under <i>M. aeneovirens</i> (Lowne), <i>M. pillipes</i> Santschi is synonymized under <i>M. turneri</i> Forel, <i>M. marius</i> Forel is synonymized under <i>M. biroi</i> Forel, and <i>M. omniparens</i> Forel is synonymized under <i>M. wheeleri</i> Forel. Of the subspecies, <i>M. iridescens fraudatrix</i> and <i>M. iridescens froggatti</i> Forel are synonymized under <i>M. aeneovirens</i> (Lowne), <i>M. turneri aesopus</i> Forel and <i>M. turneri candidus</i> Santschi are synonymized under <i>M. turneri</i> Forel and <i>M. fieldi propinqua</i> Viehmeyer is synonymized under <i>M. biroi</i>. <i>Camponotus cowlei</i> Froggatt is reinstated as a junior synonym of <i>Melophorus bagoti</i> Lubbock. In addition, the subspecies <i>M. fieldi major</i> Forel, <i>M. ludius sulla</i> Forel and <i>M. turneri perthensis</i> Forel are raised to species. A key to workers of the genus is supplied. A lectotype is designated for <i>M. curtus</i> Forel, <i>M. sulla</i>, and <i>M. turneri</i>.