The Ants of
Africa SUBFAMILY PROCERATIINAE Genus Discothyrea |
|
Contents - Proceratiinae - PROCERATIINAE Introduction |
In Tribe PROCERATIINI.
Diagnostic Features - Tergite of second gastral tergite strongly vaulted so that the remaining segments point anteriorly. Alitrunk devoid of sutures. Mandibles edentate and overhung by the projecting clypeus. Apical antennal segment bulbous (Roger, 1863a: 176; type species D. testacea from USA). Roger's (1863a) genus definition is at .
Bolton (1973a) describes how two species are known and found in West
Africa, apparently confined to the forest zone. Both (see below) are
cryptobiotic, forming small colonies in dead wood just below ground.
Lévieux (1983b), however, found members in the Ivory Coast
savannah. Belshaw & Bolton (1994b) reported finding two further,
undescribed species from Ghana (see bottom).
Brown's (1958g) gave a consideration of the then knowledge of the
African species, this is at .
Key to workers, based on historical descriptions.
¤ | Queen only known; 9-segmented antennae; petiole with a pronounced ventral process (may be conspecific with traegaordhi) | South Africa - hewitti |
¤ | Queen only known; 11-segmented antennae; head in full face view near rectangular, eyes relatively small; quite slender, gaster parallel-sided | South Africa - new species - hlavaci |
1 | 12-segmented antennae (former Pseudosysphincta Arnold, 1916: 161; synonymy by Brown, 1958g: 248); TL 2.1 mm; yellowish rusty-red; fine sculpturation giving dull appearance | South Africa - poweri |
-- | 11-segmented antennae | . |
. | West Africa - mixta | |
-- | 8-segmented antennae; TL 1.6 mm, AL 0.45 mm; colour yellowish-brown, margins darker | Kenya & South Africa - patrizii |
-- | 9-segmented antennae | 2 |
2 | Eyes small (5-6
facets only); TL 1.5 mm; antennal scape
expanded apically reaching mid-point of head; testaceous red, but rear
of head, thorax and anterior gaster darker red-brown; densely and
finely puncturate, matt Non-type specimen seeming to match original description. |
South Africa - traegaordhi |
-- | Eyes larger with at least 30 facets | 3 |
3 | TL 2.5 mm; colour ferruginous red, dense punctate sculpturation, matt; each puncture giving rise to a single short erect hair; covered with white, velvety pubescence | West Africa and ? South Africa - oculata |
-- | Darker and more strongly sculptured than oculata, especially on posterior half of first gastral tergite; the coarser punctures each giving rise to more than one hair | Congo Basin - sculptior |
PONERINAE Introduction |
© 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2018 - Brian Taylor CBiol FRSB FRES 11, Grazingfield, Wilford, Nottingham, NG11 7FN, U.K. |
href="discothyrea.htm"