The Ants of Africa
SUBFAMILY MYRMICINAE - Genus Bondroitia
Contents - Myrmicinae - MYRMICINAE Introduction

Genus Bondroitia Forel (1911c: 300)

In Tribe SOLENOPSIDINI.

Mentioned by Bolton (1973a) as a subgenus of Diplomorium, with Diplomorium lujae as the monotype. Raised to genus by Bolton (1987).

Diagnostic Features - Eyes absent. Antennae 11-segmented. Frontal lobes widely separated. Propodeal spiracle enormously enlarged.

Forel (1911d) erected the subgenus Bondroitia as separable from the genus Diplomorium in having - the worker without eyes, the antennae with a distinct three-segmented club and 11 segments in all (rarely with 10 segments in lujae) in the worker, 12 segments in the male. The head convex above in the worker and the propodeum very elevated, near vertically truncated. mandibles narrow and tridentate. Types "Diplomorium (Bondroitia) lujae" Forel, worker, male and female; from Congo. Also D. (B.) caecum from "near Geneva (?)" [now synonymized with lujae by Bolton, 1987].

African species
Bondroitia lujae (Forel) - Zaïre & Angola
Bondroitia saharensis (Santschi) - queen & male only - Niger

Bolton's modern genus definition (1987) is at {original description}.

Contents MYRMICINAE Introduction
© 2007, 2012, 2018 - Brian Taylor CBiol FRSB FRES
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