 |
Postpetiole wider than long; trapezoidal but variably
dentate at widest point |
-- |
Hypostomal teeth
(non-type) |
| 5 |
 Alitrunk
with low or no mesonotal welt |
Section 6 |
|
| -- |
 Alitrunk
with transverse mesonotal welt, often but not
always prominent |
6
|
|
| 6 |
 Major
petiole from above a simple elongated ellipse, with
rounded dorsal profile, postpetiole about twice as wide as long. Majors
of all but one species large, TL at least 6.5mm. Minors all with
distinctively large bulb-shaped postpetioles
|
Section 3 |
|
| -- |
 Major
postpetiole from above rounded ovoid with a well developed posterior
neck with the gaster; major head with well developed scrobes
|
7 |
|
--
|
 Major
postpetiole about
three times as wide as long and laterally produced, dentiform or
spinose; frontal carinae short, with no scrobes; minor with nuchal
collar (?) |
8
|
. |
| . |
Major
postpetiole from above rounded ovoid with a well developed posterior
neck |
-- |
Hypostoma with distinct median tooth |
| 7 |
TL 3.42 mm, HL 1.18, HW 1.12,
SL 0.70, PW
0.50; CI 95, SI 71; appears to be
completely unique in having the frontal carinae excavated so as to
expose the base of the scape and the torus; the scape itself has a well
developed basal expansion or flange; scapes and frontal carinae
reaching three-quarter point of face; antennal scrobes while
superficial quite distinct; propodeum with sharp lateral margination
and quite deeply longitudinally concave; with large distinctive
propodeal spiracle |
. |
 |
| . |
TL
2.24 mm, HL 0.59, HW 0.50, SL 0.72, PW 0.34; head evenly ovoid;
mandibles relatively long and distinctly crossed over when closed;
propodeal spines narrow, acute, upturned and triangular; also the
propodeal spiracle relatively large and prominent; postpetiole small
and globular; sculpturation on head solely faint short rugae on the
genae, otherwise restricted to spiculation of lateral mesonotum and
propodeum
|
West
Africa - new species - stephensi
|
|
| . |
. |
-- |
|
| 8 |
HL distinctly > HW |
9 |
|
| -- |
HL similar to if not < HW |
12
|
|
| 9 |
TL 6.5-7.0 mm, HL 2.41, HW
2.04, SL 0.83, PW 0.92; CI 85, SI 41; head with distinctive transverse
striation on occiput |
. |
|
| . |
TL
3.7-4.0 mm, HL 0.88, HW 0.83, SL 0.87, PW 0.51; CI 93, SI 100; relatively slender; head fairly
round, the posterior margin straight, angles
rounded; eyes large convex and placed in the middle of the sides;
clypeus feebly carinate, frontal area large and well defined, frontal
carinae straight reaching to about one-third point of head; scapes
surpassing occiput by about twice the apical width; pronotum convex
with posterior lateral angles produced into rather large cones, readily
visible in profile; propodeum dorsum twice as long as declivity, spines
very long and subvertical, feebly divergent; petiole with a long
pedicel; post-petiole four-fifths longer than high, the sides angular;
legs long; head and alitrunk densely reticulo-punctate, appearing
granular and giving a dull appearance; pedicel finely reticulate; legs
and apical two-thirds of gaster shiny; dark brown, gaster near black,
appendages yellowish-brown; pubescence and pilosity scanty |
East
Africa - liengmei |
|
| -- |
Head without transverse striation on
occiput |
10 |
|
| 10 |
TL
7.0 mm, HL 3.02, HW 2.15 mm; mandibles smooth; alitrunk rugose, humeri
with tubercules;
propodeal spines short; postpetiole laterally strongly angular, with
transverse
striations; basal segment of gaster striate-punctate; dull ferruginous
Major described later than minor; association not verifiable
|
. |
|
| . |
TL
3.0 mm, CI 70, SI 170; alitrunk rugose, humeri with tubercules;
propodeal spines short; postpetiole laterally angular, with transverse
striations; basal segment of gaster striate-punctate; head and alitrunk
reticulo-rugose and subtly punctate dull, also base of gaster; front of
head flat, clypeus carinate, rugose, base of mandibles striate;
pronotum with tubercles, also mesonotum, dorsum of propodeum
bicarinate, with acute spines; dull ferruginous, appendages lighter |
Somalia
- variolosa |
|
| . |
Major (undescribed, so deduced) added here from a fresh Ethiopia
collection
TL
9.5 mm, HL 3.8 mm; whole head with fine longitudinal striation;
mesonotal welt only moderately developed; ; mesonotal
welt only moderately developed; postpetiole about three times as wide
as long, from above lateral processes narrow but not distinctly curved
backwards; legs and antennae clothed with erect pubescence; general
colour no more than dark red, gaster and legs more orange |
|
 |
.
|
TL
3.0-3.7 mm, HL 0.90, HW 0.82, SL 0.95, PW 0.5; CI 94, SI 108; head
considerably wider than long and wider anteriorly;
eyes quite prominent; mandible elongate, with two apical teeth and a
crenulate inner margin; antennae slender; alitrunk robust with distinct
metanotal groove, propodeal teeth small and sharp but subtending a
raised carina on each side; postpetiole with angular sides; densely
granulate, opaque, head with a few longitudinal rugae laterally, gaster
with fine basal longitudinal striation; whole of body covered with
numerous fine erect hairs; colour dull brown |
Eritrea & Ethiopia - clavata |
|
| 10 |
TL
5.0-6.0 mm, HL 2.54, HW 2.05, SL 0.89, PW 0.90; CI 85, SI 44; head
rectangular sides near straight;
yellowish-red, gaster and scapes more brown |
. |
|
| . |
TL
2.0-2.2 mm, HL 0.63, HW 0.55, SL 0.70, PW 0.35; CI 88, SI 136; head
rectangular sides near straight; scapes
just surpass the occiput; colour yellowish-red, gaster, sides of head
and scapes more brown |
Southern
Africa - schultzei |
|
| -- |
Base colour dark brown |
11
|
|
| 11 |
TL 4.5 mm, HL 1.69, HW 1.35, SL
0.50, PW
0.65; CI 77, SI 40; overall dark brown, appendages
lighter; erect pilosity yellowish |
. |
|
| . |
TL
1.8-2.3 mm; HL 0.58, HW 0.56, SL 0.49, PW 0.37; CI 92, SI 90; widest
across the eyes; eyes fairly large set in
the anterior third of the sides; frontal carinae short, frontal area
quite large; clypeus feebly carinate; scapes just surpassing the
occiput; metanotal groove distinct, propodeal dorsum flat with minute
vertical teeth, declivity shorter than the dorsum; postpetiole
one-third wider than long, convex anteriorly, sides obtusely angular,
sometimes produced into short truncated cones; overall dark brown,
gaster darker and appendages lighter, mandibles pale reddish-brown;
erect pilosity yellowish longest and most abundant on the gaster |
Zimbabwe
- arnoldi |
|
| -- |
TL
4.9-5.4 mm, HL 1.85, HW 1.53, SL 0.59, PW 0.70; CI 83, SI 0.36; head
sides parallel, although slightly
convex; dark castaneous red to more brown, mandibles bright castaneous
red |
. |
|
| . |
TL 2.3-2.6 mm, HL 0.61,
HW 0.55, SL 0.68, PW 0.35; CI 85, SI 147; head more
or less oval, slightly narrower posteriorly; dark brown, appendages
brownish-yellow |
Zimbabwe - xocensis |
|
|
HL similar to if not < HW |
-- |
|
| 12 |
Head in full face view
near square |
13
|
|
| -- |
Head in full face view with rounded
occiput |
16 |
|
13
|
TL no more than 6.5 mm |
14
|
|
| -- |
TL at least 6.5 mm |
15 |
|
| 14 |
TL ca 6.0 mm, HL 2.24, HW 2.24, SL 0.80, PW 1.0; CI 92, SI
44;
sculpturation giving a dull, opaque, overall appearance; pubescence and
pilosity appressed; wholly dull dark red brown |
. |
|
| . |
TL type ca 3.2 mm, HL 0.79, HW 0.79, SL 0.79, PW 0.47;
CI 100, SI 100; (specimen closer
to variety dignata
TL ca 3.5 mm) occiput weakly impressed; sculpturation on head reduced
relative to sculpturata; darker almost black; mandibles not heavily
striated and clypeus with very weak carinae |
Congo
Basin & West Africa - welgelegenensis |
|
| -- |
TL
ca 4.8 mm, HL 1.93, HW 1.82, SL 0.67, PW 0.79, CI 98, SI 0.38. Head
with anrerior margin of clypeus straight; in profile the head is deep
at the level of the eyes then narrowing dramatically to occiput;
mesonotal welt very low, propodeal spines short and triangular; pedicel
low, postpetiole from above with a shallowly convex anterior and ends
very sharp; key character is almots total lack of erect hairs, whole
body coveered in dense decumbent pubescence, on frons this is arranged
in a pattern radiating out from the midline; overall appearance dull.
Closest relative appears to be Pheidole arnoldi but that has an
elongated head and much less pubescence. |
. |
|
| . |
TL ca 2.5 mm, HL 0.55, HW 0.55, SL 0.52, PW 0.32, CI 100, SI 94. Like
the major almost lacking erect hairs although the decumbent pubescence
on the head is long; whole of head and alitruck densely but finely
spiculate, including the frons; alitrunk with a low profile, and a weak
mesonotal welt, propodeal spines reduced to small triangles;
postpetiole sub-spherical, weakly ovoid from above. |
Zimbabwe - zambesiana |
|
| 15 |
TL 6.75 mm, HL 2.17, HW
2.08, SL 1.00, PW 0.9; CI 96, SI 45; propodeal spines as long as
interbasal width; most of head and
body matt; dark red-brown, appendages and gaster blackish |
. |
|
| . |
TL
3.5-4 mm; HL -.77, HW 0.74, SL 0.74, PW 0.50; CI 97, SI 100; propodeal
spines as long as interbasal width; head and
alitrunk generally finely punctate, gaster even more finely sculptured;
most of head and body matt; dark red-brown, appendages and gaster
blackish |
Tanzania
& Ethiopia
- njassae |
|
| -- |
7.0-9.0 mm, HL 2.5-2.9 = HW, SL 1.11, PW 1.00; CI 100, SI 52;
postpetiole from above a narrow oval; head
matt, with very fine reticulation;
dark red-brown, gaster darker
Note: true type major probably unknown; the type minor and type minor
of rohani pellax are
identical and I show the pellax
major here.
|
. |
|
| . |
TL 3.6-3.8 mm, HL
0.61, HW 0.52, SL 0.66, PW 0.58; CI 86,
SI 130; dark brown, with appendages reddish
|
Angola
- rohani |
|
| -- |
TL
9.5 mm, HL 3.8 mm; but smaller varieties; head with puncturate
sculpturation, median occipital weakly sculptured to smooth; mesonotal
welt only moderately developed; postpetiole about three times as wide
as long with prolonged lateral processes; legs and antennae clothed
with erect pubescence; general
colour no more than dark red, gaster and legs more orange
|
. |
|
| . |
TL
ca 3.0-3.6 mm, HL -.84, HW 0.84, SL 0.90, PW 0.47; CI 100, SI 116
(shown right); antennae long and slender, with funicular club
almost as long as the rest of the funiculus; pronotum not
bituberculate;
metanotal groove deep; mesonotum without lateral margination; weakly
sculptured
overall, clypeus weakly ridged and shiny; frons
shiny; gaster mostly shiny; ferruginous
brown, gaster darker to pitch
berthoudi HW 0.65
|
Southern Africa
- sculpturata
|
|
| --
|
TL xx mm,
|
|
|
| . |
TL
ca 3.0-3.6 mm, HL 0.84, HW 0.84, SL 0.90, PW 0.47; CI 100, SI 116
EDIT
|
Tanzania -
particeps |
|
|
HL in full face view with rounded impressed occiput
|
-- |
|
| 16 |
TL
5.0-5.6 mm; HL 1.73, HW 1.67, SL 0.80, PW 0.94; CI 96, SI 48; head
rounded trapezoid, narrowed in front,
sides convex; essentially yellowish-brown |
. |
|
| . |
TL
2.0-2.4 mm, HL 0.64, HW 0.59, SL 0.61, PW 0.35; CI 92, SI 105; scapes
not surpassing the occiput; head
quadrate, slightly narrower anteriorly, eyes set at mid-point,
propodeum spines no more than pointed teeth; erect pilosity very
sparse; essentially yellowish-brown |
Southern
Africa - spinulosa |
|
| -- |
TL 8.5 mm, HL 2.74, HW
2.74, SL 1,19, PW 1.15; CI 100, SI 43; erect pilosity sparse but yellow
pubescence abundant; shiny, red-brown, antennae and legs lighter |
. |
|
| . |
TL ca 4.5 mm, HL 1.12, HW
1.06, SL 0.96, PW 0.64; CI 94, SI 92;
red-brown, antennae and legs darker |
Kenya,
Tanzania & Zaïre - kohli |
|
| -- |
TL ca 9.7 mm, HL 3.64, HW 3.38, SL 1.50, PW 1.74; CI 93, SI
44; weakly shiny, dark brown |
. |
|
| . |
TL
ca 4.0 mm, HL 0.97, HW 0.91, SL 1.00, PW 0.60; CI 94, SI 108; larger
postpetiole with dense spiculate sculpture that is present also on the
alitrunk and the dorsum of gaster segment; also the scape has a
distinctive bristly appearance, due to the abundant sub-erect pubescence |
Benin - Benin RVA
2663 |
|
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