Monomorium destructor

Japanese Name

Mizo-hime-ari

Jerdon, T.C. (1851) A catalogue of the species of ants found in southern India. Madras Journal of Literature and Science 17: 103-127.

Atta destructor Jerdon, 1851, Monomorium destructor: Emery in Dalla Torre, 1893,

Total length of workers around 3 to 3.5 mm. A relatively large Monomorium species, variable in size. Body yellowish brown to reddish brown from head to postpetiole; gaster blackish brown. Mandibles each with 4 teeth, the basalmost sometimes obscure. Eyes large, each with around 20 facets. Median paired carinae of clypeus obscure. Metanotal groove distinct. Propodeum with angulate posterodorsal border; the area of petiolar insertion carinate. Ventral outline of petiole less convex than in other species. Postpetiole 1.1 -1.2 times as long as broad. Mesopleuron and sections of lateral surfaces of propodeum with fine puncturation; dorsal surface of propodeum with transverse rugae.

M. destructor is similar to M. latinode, but distinguished by the presence of 4 teeth on each mandible (versus 5 in latinode), the distinct metanotal groove (shallow and indistinct in latinode) and the narrower postpetiole (1.5 times as long as broad in latinode). The name "gracillum" was synonymized by Bolton (1987). M. destructor is a significant pest species, known to "gnaw holes in fabrics, some plastics and rubber goods, to remove rubber insulation from electrical or telephone wires, and to damage polyethylene cable." (Krombein et al., 1979). It is distributed throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the world as a commercially-dispersed tramp species; originally Oriental.

Nansei Is (Okinawa I.); pantropical, subtropical.