Dorylus (Anomma) congolensis Santschi

Type locality Congo (Dorylus (Anomma) Kohli Wasm. var. congolensis, nov., Santschi, 1910c: 352, illustrated, workers, collected at Brazzaville, by Weiss, ; also Santschi, 1912b; raised to species by Boven & Lévieux, 1970: 376); soldier only known (see Bolton (1995)
junior synonym minor - Raignier & van Boven considered minor (Dorylus (Anomma) Kohli Wasm. v. minor n. var., Santschi, 1911g: 206) from Angola as having no significant differences to the media worker, TL ca 8, of congolensis, therefore, it is included here as a junior synonym .

Santschi's (1910c) description is at and (the comparison was with D. kohli). Santschi's (1911g) description of minor is at

Described by Wheeler as "head of workers measuring (TL) 7 mm is as broad as long, whereas in the typical kohli it is longer than broad, with somewhat less pointed posterior angles".

Also from Congo at N'Douna, A. Weiss; and Zaïre, at Leopoldville, under a piece of tin on the shore of Stanley Pool by Lang & Chapin, and Thysville, by J. Bequaert, "marching in a subterranean burrow in a forest gallery" (Wheeler, 1922, under kohli).

Raignier & van Boven (1955) noting that Santschi's description (1910c) was very detailed, gave the key characteristics. Apparently, at the time the major of kohli was unknown so Santschi compared his new variety with emeryi and gerstaeckeri. Head matt and more sculptured than emeryi, with an irregular shiny triangle on the vertex; scape and funiculus segments shorter; petiole wider than long; differed from kohli type by posterior of head being narrower, shorter and laterally more convex, head square (HW = HL in 7 mm workers) whereas kohli is longer than wide. Also they felt a key separation from congolensis is the mandible in kohli being longer relative to the head length, index > 160 ; ca 150 in congolensis.

In their field studies in the essentially shady forest area of Yangambi, Raignier & van Boven made 14 collections of congolensis, a figure bettered only by the most common wilverthi. There was a consistency of form and shape and their notes show -

TL 11-2.1, CI 91; head with posterior strongly scalloped; mandibles short and quite straight, variably with subapical tooth and denticles; funiculus segments 1-5 differing little in length petiole wider than long; major head blackish red-brown (darker than kohli) and spiculate with a shiny frontal area on some specimens, cheeks darker, some specimens from shaded forest clear brown; mandibles and gaster shiny. Smaller morphs (TL 5 mm) with shinier head, anterior finely punctate, posterior shiny.

Oxford University Museum specimens

Dorylus (Anomma) congolensis B Taylor det.	Gabon Y Braet Gabon 08	27.v.2006 Pongara 00°34' N 09°19' E	Winkler termitiere minima	1
Dorylus (Anomma) congolensis B Taylor det.	Gabon Y Braet Gabon 09	13.viii.2006 Pongara 00°34' N 09°19' E	Pointe Wingombe; edge of path	3
Dorylus (Anomma) congolensis B Taylor det.	Gabon Y Braet Gabon 10	20.vi.2006 Pongara 00°34' N 09°19' E	Pointe Wingombe; on forest road	2
Dorylus (Anomma) congolensis B Taylor det.	Central African Republic P Annoyer NX	25.xi.2010 Dzanga-Sangha 2°28'53.6"N 16°13'38.4"E	392 m; jour, à vue, lac 2 - lac 2bis media & minima workers	5

Polymorphism

The photomontage of type form cotypes is collated from The Smithsonian Institute images at http://ripley.si.edu/ent/nmnhtypedb/public/specimeninfopage.cfm?publicconsumption=1&typespecimenID=964.

The various morphs are shown in detail on the Dorylus (Dorylus) congolensis morphs page. Also shown are specimens of minor from Angola. Modern specimens from the Gabon and Central African Republic in detail on the Dorylus (Dorylus) congolensis OUM page.

See also the type images at http://www.antweb.org/images.do?species=congolensis&genus=dorylus&rank=species&project=allantwebants
also with minor at http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0911300 at http://www.antweb.org//images.do?subfamily=dorylinae&genus=dorylus&species=kohli&subspecies=minor&rank=subspecies&project=allantwebants