The Ants of Africa
SUBFAMILY DORYLINAE - Subgenus Anomma comparative study
Subgenus Anomma introduction

This page deals with the sources of information on the subgenus Anomma and gives a suggested separation of the described species into species-groupings - a key to separate the species is linked at Subgenus Anomma key to species; also examined are the Subgenus Anomma comparison of the gastral apices.

Note - At the time I first composed this page, December 2007, Caspar Schöning and Daniel Kronauer, were trying to prepare a fresh analysis of Dorylus taxonomy. I anticipated that may show some of my interpretations of the species to be incorrect. In April (2008) Schöning et al. synonymized D. gerstaeckeri and lamottei under Dorylus gribodoi, note they decline to separate it as in Anomma or Dorylus - http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2008/f/zt01749p052.pdf. As of July 2014, no further publications have appeared.

Species known only from sexual stages (* = type images available)

Dorylus (Anomma) bishyiganus van Boven - queen.
Dorylus (Anomma) funereus Emery - male * ; junior synonyms acherontus Santschi, pardus Santschi, stygis Santschi and zumpti Santschi.
Dorylus (Anomma) niarembensis van Boven - queen.
Dorylus (Anomma) nigricans Illiger - male (but see below) - my photos of likely male.
Dorylus (Anomma) stanleyi Forel - male *

The overall size, TL ca 19 mm, and mandible shape would appear to place Dorylus atratus Smith in subgenus Alaopone and not Anomma as given by Emery (1895j: 723).

I have tried to separate what is known of the males on MALES.

New key to workers 2008-12 - see also the comparison of the gastral apices

Time line of Anomma forms (updated December 2015 with Antweb types)

Name First author Present status grouping & images
nigricans - male only; workers by later deduction Illiger, 1802 Dorylus nigricans males - Central Africa Republic; likely workers - Gambia, Ghana, Benin, Cameroun & Central Africa Republic; also Schöning (Ivory Coast) (no type male on Antweb); purported queen (CASENT0915346)
burmeisteri - worker only Shuckard, 1840 Dorylus burmeisteri probable males - Central Africa Republic (also CASENT0172641);  j. syn. type workers (pallidus CASENT0911313); workers - Guinea, Benin, Cameroun. Central Africa Republic
arcens - worker only Westwood, 1847b Dorylus arcens type media worker (CASENT0911305 as "nigricans");  Liberia & Guinea
rubellus - worker only Savage, 1849 Dorylus rubellus possible worker from Nigeria (Schöning label, non-type CASENT017646)
molestus - worker only Gerstæcker, 1858 Dorylus molestus workers - Angola (non-type CASENT0911311); Congo, Central Africa Republic, Kenya
erraticus - minor worker only F Smith, 1865 Dorylus erraticus type worker (CASENT0901447) but probably is a media worker of Dorylus kohli - if correct this is a senior synonym
gribodoi - male only (as in Schoning et al, 2008) Emery, 1895j Dorylus gribodoi type male (CASENT0903706); workers gerstaeckeri type (CASENT0903694), as lamottei from Guinea, and gerstaeckeri from Cameroun
pubescens j. syn. of arcens Roger, 1861a; syn. Emery, 1895j, after examining type Dorylus arcens no images (December 2015)
funereus - male only Emery, 1895j Dorylus funereus type males (CASENT0903695) and from Central Africa Republic
gerstaeckeri - worker only - j. syn. of gribodoi Emery, 1895j Dorylus gribodoi gerstaeckeri type worker (see above), also from Cameroun
emeryi - worker only Mayr, 1896 Dorylus emeryi type worker (large media CASENT0915642); from Central Africa Republic; also Schöning, Ivory Coast; drawing CRIN Nigeria
sjoestedti (as ssp of nigricans) - worker & queen Emery, 1899e Dorylus sjoestedti type worker (CASENT0915645); from Cameroun and Uganda
wilverthi - all forms known Emery, 1899e Dorylus wilverthi type worker (CASENT0903692); from Uganda (Schöning - Zaire); male from Central Africa Republic
pulsi ssp of emeryi - worker only Forel, 1904d Dorylus emeryi no images (December 2015)
kohli - worker only Wasmann, 1904b Dorylus kohli type worker (large media CASENT0911293); from Benin & Cameroun
opacus (as ssp of emeryi) - worker & male known Forel, 1909b Dorylus opacus type worker (CASENT0905924); from Central Africa Republic
stanleyi - male only Forel, 1909b Dorylus stanleyi type male (CASENT0905928)
congolensis (as variety of kohli) - worker only Santschi, 1910c Dorylus congolensis type workers (CASENT0911283); from Central Africa Republic & Gabon
minor variety of kohli Santschi, 1911g Dorylus kohli type workers (CASENT0911300); from Benin & Cameroun
nigritarsis queen j syn of wilverthi Strand 1911 Dorylus wilverthi no images (December 2015)
hybridus [hybrida] variety of burmeisteri Santschi, 1912b Dorylus burmeisteri type workers (CASENT0911309, ....10)
ornatus (as variety of burmeisteri) - worker only Santschi, 1912b Dorylus ornatus type workers (CASENT0911307, ...8); from Uganda & Tanzania
pallidus variety of burmeisteri Santschi, 1912b Dorylus burmeisteri type media worker (CASENT0911314)
mayri - worker only Santschi, 1912b Dorylus mayri type media worker (CASENT0911304);  from Uganda
quadratus (as variety of gerstaeckeri) - worker only Santschi, 1914a Dorylus quadratus type small media & minima workers (CASENT0911289, ....90); from Tanzania & Ethiopia
rufescens (as stirps of nigricans) - worker & queen Santschi, 1915c - redefined from Wasmann, 1904b Dorylus rufescens type media worker (CASENT0911319); yes, CAR, site GJ
frenisyi ssp of kohli Forel, 1916 Dorylus kohli type major worker (CASENT0905930)
sjoestedtiwilverthi j syn of wilverthi Wasmann, 1917 Dorylus wilverthi no images (December 2015)
victoriae (as var. of kohli) - worker only Santschi, 1921c Dorylus victoriae type major worker (CASENT0911302)
chapini ssp of kohli Wheeler, 1922 Dorylus kohli -
langi j syn of victoriae but may be a separate species Wheeler, 1922 Dorylus langi type worker (CASENT0902698 & USNM)
militaris (as var. of kohli) - worker only Santschi, 1923e Dorylus militaris type workers (CASENT0911298, ...9)
terrificus (as variety of nigricans) - worker only Santschi, 1923e Dorylus terrificus type workers (CASENT0911316, ...7); from Guinea, Ivory Coast & Benin
titan - worker only Santschi, 1923e Dorylus titan type workers (CASENT0911320, ...1); Guinea & Cameroun
indocilis (as var. of kohli) - worker only Santschi, 1933b Dorylus indocilis type worker (CASENT0911296, ...7), Tanzania - Mahale 28-02-02
nomadas queen j syn of wilverthi Santschi, 1933b Dorylus wilverthi queen (RMCAENT000017713)
vinalli var. of titan Santschi, 1933b Dorylus titan type media worker (USNMENT)
acherontus - variety of funereus - male only Santschi, 1937b Dorylus funereus male (CASENT0911285)
pardus - variety of funereus - male only Santschi, 1937b Dorylus funereus male (CASENT0911286)
stygis - variety of funereus - male only Santschi, 1937b Dorylus funereus male (CASENT0911287)
zumpti - variety of funereus - male only Santschi, 1937b Dorylus funereus male (CASENT0911288)
lamottei - worker only Bernard, 1953b Dorylus gribodoi type workers (CASENT0915344); as gribodoi above
bishyiganus - queen only van Boven, 1972 Dorylus bishyiganus no images (December 2015)
niarembensis - queen only van Boven, 1972 Dorylus niarembensis no images (December 2015)
ueharae - worker only new species - this website Dorylus ueharae yes, Tanzania - Mahale 27-02-02

From the information in Kronauer et al. (2007), there seems to be a separation of species as follows (the numbering of the groups is mine), but note the authors gave no information to support their identification of the actual species -

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Contents Subgenus Anomma introduction
© 2007, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2015 - Brian Taylor CBiol FRSB FRES
11, Grazingfield, Wilford, Nottingham, NG11 7FN, U.K.

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