Technomyrmex (T.) dzangae n. sp.
  Type location Central
African Republic (holotype worker only)  .
WORKER DESCRIPTION: head shape cordiform but with a near
straight occiput;
anterior clypeal margin very widely and shallowly arcuately impressed;
palp formula 6, 4 with both sets unusually short and thick; eyes set less
than 2x own
length from occiput; no visible ocelli; promosenotum evenly convex in
profile; propodeal dorsum long with a
sharp angle to the declivity, latter flat; no setae at all on gaster
segments; whole body with a quite dense covering of minute pubescence
but with very little sculpturation so shiny; almost completely dark
brown, including coxae, gaster
segments entirely lacking decumbent hairs and with a narrow pale border.
TL ca 3.3 mm, HW 0.71, HL 0.80, CI 91,
OI 26; EPI 85; SL 0.62, SI 89, PW 0.50.
Central
African Republic, Dzanga-Sangha NP; Camp 1; 03°03'58.3" N
16°08'59.6" E 528 m; Ayous Polytrap,
15-18.x.2008; collected by Philippe Annoyer.
Name derived from the type location.
The Bolton (2007) key to Afrotropical and west
Palaearctic species breaks down at couplet 7: "third gastral tergite
without seta, setae present on fourth gastral tergite" as this specimen
has no setae (or decumbent hairs) on any gastral segment. There is some
resemblance to the Moroccan species, Technomyrmex
vexatus,
but that has a more heart-shaped head, with relatively smaller eyes, is
a lighter brown and has setae on the fourth gastral segment. Note the
photos from formicidae.org confirm my suspicion that the correct image
for Bolton 2007 should be Fig 15 and not Fig 13. A possibly better relation is Technomyrmex rusticus. The gaster in particular is very similar but not the head shape. Bolton (2007) regarded T. rusticus as being a "worker-queen intercaste" which might explain the difference.
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The photomontage is of the holotype worker.
Alitrunk
details
Gaster details
Technomyrmex
vexatus