The Ants of Africa
Genus Tetraponera
Tetraponera capensis (F. Smith)

Tetraponera capensis (F. Smith)

return to key {link to the Hymenoptera Name Server} Type location South Africa (28. Pseudomyrma Capensis, F Smith, 1858b: 160, worker; Sima capensis Smith, Mayr, 1866b: 906; in Tetraponera, Wheeler, 1922: 797) - no images on Antweb (January 2019)
worker only described (see Bolton, 1995) .


{Tetraponera capensis}Smith's (1858b) description is at {original description}. Mayr's (1866b) illustrated translation (into German) is at {original description}.

Smith (1858b) cited by Forel (1911d) had - "Thorax ... flattened above or very slightly convex, the lateral edges acute". Forel cited Emery - "Annal ent. soc. de France 1894 p. 23" (Emery, 1895h) - as describing under the name capensis a form which had the thorax and pedicel without any border. Thus, Forel assigned the name emeryi as a new species to the Emery specimens. He continued the true capensis appears to be smooth and shiny and not matt like natalensis. The bordering is clearly shown in Mayr's (1866b) figure.

Arnold (1916: 187) had "S. (sub-genus Tetraponera), Emeryi Forel. (= capensis Emery, nec. Smith, Forel emend.)"but gave no other reference to capensis. See Tetraponera emeryi.

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