POPULATION STUDY OF APHAENOGASTER (SUPERS P) PRAEDO EM FROM MOROCCO WITH NEW LOCALITIES OF MOROCCAN APHAENOGASTER - CAMPONOTUS-RUBER FOREL,1894 (HYMENOPTERA, FORMICIDAE)

31 population samples of the Moroccan ant Aphaenogaster (supersp.) pra edo Em. were studied using morphological ard biometrical data in the t hree castes. Three morphotypes corresponding to three geographically w ell defined population groups are designated : 1. North-western popula tion group in hot or temperate semi arid stage. 2. Southeastern popula tion group in hot or temperate arid stage. 3. Population of the Sirwa Massif, in cold semi arid stage; several morphological, ecological, ge netic and historical arguments allow to consider this Shwa population as an incipient species, following geographical isolation. In addition , new localities of Moroccan Aphaenogaster are presented. Camponotus s icheli Mayr, 1866 and Camponotus ruber Forel, 1894 (stat. nov.) are pr opounded as being two prospecies of the superspcies C. (supersp.) sich eli, Mayr.