Preliminary Survey and Ecological Studies on Ant Fauna Diversity in Asir Region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

We report on twelve new records of ants species for the fauna in Asir region: Camponotus aegyptiacus, Camponotus sericeus, Camponotus xerxes, Cataglyphis bicolor, Cataglyphis fortis, Cataglyphis niger, Lepisiota opaciventris, Paratrechina longicornis, Crematogaster aegyptiaca, Crematogaster senegalensis, Monomorium carbonarium, and Monomorium salomonis. Genera like Cataglyphis, Camponotus, Crematogaster and Messor gradually dominate the ant fauna and are represented by a maximum number of endemic species with Myrmicinae accounting for the most numerous species followed by Formicinae. The maximum relative abundance and distribution of ant species in Asir province was observed in the Formicinae (Cataglyphis bicolor) and in the Myrmicinae (Messor ebeninus).