The Ants of Africa
Genus Lepisiota
Lepisiota imperfecta (Santschi)

Petiole with no more than denticles

Clothed with long white fine hairs and square head - imperfecta-group

Lepisiota imperfecta (Santschi)

return to key {link to the Hymenoptera Name Server} Type location Zimbabwe (Acantholepis imperfecta, Santschi, 1926a: 27, worker), Cloud and Mobu Mountains, by Dr G Arnold, 6-17.iv.1923, 8 workers - see below
subspecies congolensis (Acantholepis imperfecta Santschi var. congolensis n.v., Santschi, 1935a: 278, worker) from Zaïre, collected at Dolo, xi.1912, by F. Chaltin, one worker - see  http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=rmcaent000017802
worker only described (see Bolton, 1995) .


Santschi's (1926a) description is at {original description}.

Santschi (1935a) described congolensis as differing from the type in having a slightly longer thorax, with the meso- and metanotum with longitudinal rugae. The propodeum (?, I guess this may have been gaster) was more strongly darkened after the first segment; petiole peduncle reddish; funiculus segments 1 and 2 subequal, a little longer than wide; remainder as type.

Bernard (1952) reported the finding of several workers from Mt. Nimba, Guinea, at Station T 180, 1300 m; adding that it was known from Congo.


{Lepisiota imperfecta}The photomontage of a syntype worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0903158


Oxford University Museum specimens

Lepisiota imperfecta
B Taylor det.

Sudan
J Mathews
JM 234

14.x.2001
Khordonia
11°51' N
34°15' E
Blue Nile, Damazine Plantation
Semi-natural forest
Canopy fogging of Acacia senegal

i
{album}
Lepisiota imperfecta
B Taylor det.
Sudan
J Mathews
JM 401
20.x.2001
Abu Gmein
11°21' N
34°27' E
Blue Nile
Canopy fogging of Acacia senegal
2
{album}

Lepisiota imperfectaThe photomontage is of a specimen from Sudan, collected by J Mathews, by pyrethrum fogging of Acacia senegal. Blue Nile, Khordonia, Damazine Plantation,  11°51' N 34°15' E; 30.vi.2001, JM 234; one specimen mounted, numerous others

Head sub-square; eyes relatively large (ca 0.40 X length of side of head) shallowly convex; petiole scale with a narrow profile, as high as the propodeum declivity, weakly bispinose; erect pilosity moderately abundant but distinctly shorter (ca 0.10 mm) than on L. albata and L. canescens.
TL ca 2.6 mm, HL 0.07, HW 0.59, CI 85, SL 0.73, SI 123, PW 0.40, eye length 0.21
The description of Lepisiota imperfecta (Santschi, 1926a) is a close match, notably the relatively short sparser erect hairs and much reduced pubescence, but that had a TL 2.0 mm and was black.

A worker from South Africa (see bottom) conforms to the Santschi size but, apart from these having more abundant erect pilosity on the alitrunk, appears to differ little, if at all, in general morphology.


Lepisiota nsp Sudan JM 401The photomontage is of a worker from Sudan, collected by J Mathews, by pyrethrum fogging of Acacia senegal in semi-natural forest;  Abu Gmein, Blue Nile; 11°21' N 34°27' E; JM 401; 20.x.2001, 2 workers.


{Lepisiota imperfecta}The photomontage of a worker from South Africa, identified by P G Hawkes, is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0235894

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© 2007, 2010, 2013, 2014 - Brian Taylor CBiol FSB FRES
11, Grazingfield, Wilford, Nottingham, NG11 7FN, U.K.

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