Simopone vepres Bolton & Fisher
Type location Ghana (Bolton
& Fisher, 2012: 39, not illustrated, worker) Tafo, K2, 26.v.1976,
nest in rotten cherelles; prey = brood of Crematogaster (C. Campbell) (BMNH) .
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HOLOTYPE WORKER (paratype in parentheses). HL 0.96
(0.96), HW 0.69 (0.69), SL 0.34 (0.34), EL 0.34 (0.34), PW 0.54 (0.52),
AIIW 0.53 (0.49), AIIL 0.50 (0.48), AIIIW 0.65 (0.61), AIIIL 0.60
(0.56), WL 1.18 (1.16), MFL 0.59 (0.60), CI 72 (72), SI 49 (49), EL/HW
0.49 (0.49), EP 0.97 (0.95), AIIW/AIIL 1.06 (1.02), AIIIW/AIIIL 1.08
(1.09) (2 measured).
With head in full-face view the outlines of the outer margins of the
eyes conspicuously project beyond the out- lines of the sides of the
head through at least the median third of their lengths. ES 0.31 and
width of head across
MALAGASY AND AFROTROPICAL CERAPACHYINI Zootaxa 3283 © 2012 Magnolia
Press · 39
broadest part of eyes 0.70–0.72; minimum distance between eyes
0.32–0.33. Frontal carinae extend back to level of anterior margins of
eyes and are weakly divergent posteriorly. Cephalic dorsum with
scattered broad, shallow punctures. Between the eyes, ground sculpture
is virtually absent in the holotype; the surface is more or less smooth
between the punctures. Cephalic ground sculpture is more obvious
between the eyes of the paratype but very weak and superficial, not
organised into obvious longitudinal costulae between the punctures.
Leading edge of scape with a few setae, inclined toward the scape apex.
Sides of head below and behind eyes with projecting short setae,
inclined anteriorly. Cephalic dorsum with numerous short, curved setae
and with a few pairs of longer setae present; longest setae occur on
the frontal carinae and above the eye. Ventral surface of head with
short setae. Mesosoma in dorsal view narrowest across the mesonotum
(maximum width 0.49–0.51), broadest across the propodeum (maximum width
0.56–0.58). Anterior margin of pronotum weakly, finely carinate.
Propodeum with a fine weak carina between dorsum and declivity. Entire
dorsum of mesosoma with widely spaced broad, shallow punctures,
somewhat less dense on pronotum than elsewhere. Mesopleuron almost
smooth, with a few punctures and a distinct transverse sulcus.
Propodeal declivity smooth except for a narrow band of superficial
sculpture immediately below the dorsal carina. In profile, dorsal
surfaces of mesosoma and all abdominal tergites with numerous
posteriorly curved setae. Standing setae are sparsely present on middle
and hind tibiae. AII (petiole) in dorsal view with a weak transverse
carina both anteriorly and posteriorly, the sides convex and divergent
posteriorly, broadest just behind the midlength; the width across the
anterior margin is less than across the posterior mar- gin. Dorsum of
AII with large, shallow punctures whose diameters are usually equal to
or greater than the distances that separate them. On tergite of AIII
the punctures are of similar size and distribution. AII and AIII both
broader than long, AIV distinctly broader than long (width 0.68–0.71,
length 0.58–0.60; AIVW/AIVL 1.17–1.18). Head capsule and body glossy
brown; scapes and funiculi dull yellow; femora light brown, much
lighter than mesosoma; tibiae and tarsi yellow.
Holotype worker (upper specimen of two on pin), Ghana: Tafo, K2,
26.v.1976, nest in rotten cherelles; prey = brood of Crematogaster (C. Campbell) (BMNH).
Paratype. One worker mounted below holotype, AIII to apex detached and
glued separately on same card triangle (BMNH).
Known only from two specimens, this relatively large-eyed species is
close to wilburi but
separated from it by the characters given in the key. .
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The photomontage of the
holotype worker is
collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent09027049
Note: a worker from Ghana shown as schoutedeni
at http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0281972
clearly is vepres and has the same collection data on the
label. No illustration of schoutedeni is available and Bolton
& Fisher (2012) staed explicity that only the holotype is known.
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