Cataulacus boltoni Snelling
  Type location Nigeria
(Snelling, 1979a: 3, illustrated); holotype and one paratype worker
from CRIN, collector B. Taylor, 1976  .
Snelling's description is at  .
|
 Original description of Nigeria specimens (Cataulacus
species T¹, Taylor, 1979: 17). WORKER. TL 2.74-3.08 mm, HL 0.75-0.87,
HW 0.75-0.78, SL 0.36-0.37, PW 0.53-0.59
Very distinctive sculpturation and large eyes. Occipital corners of
head with a single denticle, and sides of head behind the eyes
denticulate. Dorsum of head finely reticulate-rugose, with the rugae
more obvious anteriorly. Alitrunk dorsum strongly rugose, longitudinal
on top of the pronotum, rugae running obliquely on the lateral alitrunk
and continuing onto the dorsum where they become progressively more
transverse on mesonotum and propodeum. Dorsal and lateral surfaces of
petiole and postpetiole are longitudinally rugose. Femora also strongly
longitudinally rugose. Hairs on all dorsal surfaces numerous,
progressively shorter and stouter anteriorly, those on anterior of
cephalic dorsum, especially the clypeus, strongly clavate. Pronotum is
weakly marginate, with the humeral angles with a triangular tooth;
margination with minute denticles, terminating posteriorly in a single
larger denticle close to the promesonotal junction. Mesonotum and
propodeum not marginate but with a few minute denticles. Propodeal
spines short and acute.
I collected the two workers from low vegetation at widely separated
sites on the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, Idi Ayunre, by the
W20 and SC6 cocoa blocks, latter with aphids and Camponotus
species T²). Personally, it was somewhat annoying to read Snelling's
dedication - "to Mr. Barry Bolton, who recognized the novelty of this
species and sent it to me for inclusion in this paper". As will be
obvious, it was I who both collected it and recognized the "novelty" -
hence my separation on my original label, specimens deposited with
Bolton in 1976, and in my Field Guide; but I knew nothing of Bolton
passing the specimen to Snelling.
|
The photomontage of the holotype is collated from