Messor
Messor is a genus of myrmicine ants with more than 100 species, all of which are harvester ants; the generic name comes from the Roman god of crops and harvest, Messor. The subterranean colonies tend to be found in open fields and near roadsides, openings are directly to the surface.
Colonies can achieve huge sizes and are notable for their intricately designed granaries in which seeds are stored in dry conditions, preventing germination. The structure of Messor spp. nests is complex and the genus on the whole is one of very accomplished architects.
Messor spp. are polymorphic and have a distinct caste of macrocephalic dinoergates whose role is carrying and cutting the large seeds which comprise much of the colonies' subsistence. Although they primarily feed on seeds, they occasionally eat insects and snails. Some snail shells possibly are taken into the nest because of their grain-like shape.
Equipped with a tough, shining cuticle, Messor spp. are slow-moving and form long, seed-carrying runs. Colonies tend to be monogynous - founded by a single queen alone.
Looking specifically at the M. arenarius species for example, like some other types of harvester ants, they emit trail pheromones as well as operating on an individual level when looking for food sources.
Species
Messor abdelazizi Santschi, 1921Messor aciculatus Messor aegyptiacus Messor alexandri Tohme, 1981Messor andrei Messor angularis Santschi, 1928Messor antennatus Emery, 1908Messor aphaenogasteroides Pisarski, 1967Messor aralocaspius Ruzsky, 1902Messor arenarius Messor atanassovii Atanassov, 1982Messor barbarus Messor beduinus Emery, 1922Messor berbericus Bernard, 1955Messor bernardi Cagniant, 1967Messor bouvieri Bondroit, 1918Messor buettikeri Collingwood, 1985Messor caducus Messor capensis Messor capitatus Messor carthaginensis Bernard, 1980Messor caviceps Messor celiae Reyes, 1985Messor cephalotes Messor ceresis Santschi, 1934Messor chamberlini Wheeler, 1915Messor clypeatus Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1927Messor collingwoodi Bolton, 1982Messor concolor Santschi, 1927Messor creticus Salata & Borowiec, 2019Messor decipiens Santschi, 1917Messor dentatus Santschi, 1927Messor denticornis Forel, 1910Messor denticulatus Santschi, 1927Messor diabarensis Arnol'di, 1969Messor ebeninus Santschi, 1927Messor eglalae Sharaf, 2007Messor erectus Espadaler, 1998Messor excursionis Ruzsky, 1905Messor ferreri Collingwood, 1993Messor foreli Santschi, 1923Messor fraternus Ruzsky, 1905Messor galla Messor hebraeus Santschi, 1927Messor hellenius Agosti & Collingwood, 1987Messor himalayanus Messor hismai Collingwood & Agosti, 1996Messor hispanicus Santschi, 1919Messor hodnii Barech, Khaldi, Espadaler & Cagniant, 2020Messor ibericus Santschi, 1931Messor incisus Stitz, 1923Messor incorruptus Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1929Messor inermis Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1929Messor instabilis Messor intermedius Santschi, 1927Messor julianus Messor kasakorum Arnol'di, 1969Messor kisilkumensis Arnol'di, 1969Messor lamellicornis Arnol'di, 1968Messor lariversi Messor lobicornis Forel, 1894Messor lobognathus Andrews, 1916Messor luebberti Forel, 1910Messor luridus Santschi, 1927Messor lusitanicus Tinaut, 1985Messor maculifrons Santschi, 1927Messor mcarthuri Steiner et al, 2018Messor marikovskii Arnol'di, 1969Messor marocanus Santschi, 1927Messor medioruber Santschi, 1910Messor melancholicus Arnol'di, 1977Messor minor Messor muticus Messor nahali Tohme, 1981Messor niloticus Santschi, 1938Messor oertzeni Forel, 1910Messor olegianus Arnol'di, 1969Messor orientalis Messor perantennatus Arnol'di, 1969Messor pergandei Messor piceus Stitz, 1923Messor picturatus Santschi, 1927Messor planiceps Stitz, 1917Messor postpetiolatus Santschi, 1917Messor regalis Messor reticuliventris Karavaiev, 1910Messor rufotestaceus Messor rufus Santschi, 1923Messor ruginodis Stitz, 1916Messor rugosus Messor sanctus Emery, 1921Messor sculpturatus Carpenter, 1930Messor semirufus Messor semoni Messor smithi Messor sordidus Messor stoddardi Messor striatellus Arnol'di, 1969Messor striaticeps Messor striatifrons Stitz, 1923Messor striativentris Emery, 1908Messor structor Messor subgracilinodis Arnol'di, 1969Messor sultanus Santschi, 1917Messor syriacus Tohme, 1969Messor testaceus Donisthorpe, 1950Messor timidus Messor tropicorum Wheeler, 1922Messor turcmenochorassanicus Arnol'di, 1977Messor valentinae Arnol'di, 1969Messor variabilis Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1927Messor vaucheri Emery, 1908Messor vicinus Kuznetsov-Ugamsky, 1927Messor wasmanni Krausse, 1910Messor minor x ''cf. wasmanni''