Report of harvester ant Messor ebeninus Santschi damage on Camelina in Ahvaz

Camelina is an annual oilseed plant of the Brassicaceae. Resistance to some diseases and pests of other members of Brassicaceae plants is one of the important features of Camelina. In the experimental sowing of this plant in Ahvaz in the cropping year 2018-2019, while the seeds were still immature, silicles shattering was observed in some camelina plants in experimental plots. After careful observation, it was discovered that some ants were cutting off the plant silicles and transferring them to their nests. Damages by these ants to Camelina plants were not limited to availibility of plants on the farm. These damages were also observed at the time of harvesting and counting of yield components. The ant was identified as Messor ebeninus Santschi, 1927 (Myrmicinae: Formicidae). This species has previously been reported from northern and southwestern of Iran. Collected specimens are preserved in the insects and mites collection, at the Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz. This is the first report of insects damage to Camelina in Iran.