The Ants of Africa

The Ants of Africa
Genus Atopomyrmex
Atopomyrmex cryptoceroides Emery

Atopomyrmex cryptoceroides Emery

Type location Ivory Coast (Atopomyrmex crypteroceroides n. sp., Emery, 1892d: 561, illustrated, queen; from Assinie, collector C. Alluaud, vii-viii.1886)
junior synonyms
curvispina (Atopomyrmex Mocquerysi André, var. curvispina, n. var., Forel, 1911c: 311, worker; note Arnold, 1916: 192, queen is not curvispina, see below) from Zaïre
deplanatus from Sierra Leone (Atopomyrmex deplanatus nov. spec., 'Riv.N' Gamie, Chutes de Samlia, A. Mocquerys, in Mayr, 1895: 133, worker; synonymy by Emery, 1899e: 477) - no images on Antweb (at June 2014).
melanoticus (Santschi, 1925h: 153, worker, in key) from Zaïre - - no images on Antweb (at June 2014).
worker and queen described (see Bolton, 1995) .

{Atopomyrmex crypteroceroides} Emery's (1892d) illustrated description of the queen is at . Mayr's (1895) description of deplanatus is at . Forel's (1911c) brief description of curvispina is at . Note - Arnold (1916: 190) gave a translation of curvispina but as a variety of mocquerysi which it clearly is from the description (see below).

{Atopomyrmex crypteroceroides} Santschi's (1925h) key is at . Bolton's (1981b) modern re-description is at .

{Atopomyrmex cryptoceroides} WORKER - TL similar to the morphs of mocquerysi. Differentiated by having the sides of the head behind the eyes smooth and glossy between widely separated small pits. Much more rugose sculpture on pronotum and propodeum dorsum. Propodeal spines projecting outwards before angling backwards. The propodeal spiracle is large and relatively close to the margin of the declivity below the spine, and in dorsal view is totally concealed by the spines (Bolton, 1981b, illustrated, propodeum profile and dorsal view).

{Atopomyrmex cryptoceroides} The photomontage of the holotype queen is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0102046.

{Atopomyrmex cryptoceroides} The photomontage of the curvispina type is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0908981.

{Atopomyrmex crypteroceroides major details} Wheeler (1922) who regarded it as a subspecies of mocquerysi, listed other findings from Guinea (at Kakoulima, Mamou and Kindia, by F. Silvestri), Ghana (no details), Nigeria (Ibadan, F. Silvestri), Cameroun (Mundame, by Conradt), Fernando Po and Congo areas. He noted a Zaïre collection from a nest in the rotten wood of a fallen tree (Forel, 1911c, by Luja, at Kondue), and included a drawing of melanoticus (dorsal view), from "on firewood". Forel (1915c) had reported specimens from St. Gabriel and Bengemiza, Zaïre, by Kohl from in a dry branch.

Others listed by Bolton (1981b, illustrated) include findings from Ghana - with collections at CRIG (G.S. Cotterell; A.H. Strickland), Mampong, Kibi, Bunso, Osenasi, Asamankese and Mpraeso (all by D. Leston); and Zaïre.

In Nigeria, specimens defined as this species were found on cocoa, at Awuje Bale (Iwo) and Araromi, by Eguagie (1971).

Bernard (1952) reported several workers from Guinea, Mt. Nimba, Yalanzou.

Oxford University Museum specimens

Atopomyrmex cryptoceroides B Taylor det.	Cameroun G Debout & A Dalecky Cameroon 47	5.iv.2001 BOU 3°13.31' N 10°15.01' E	on a standing tree trunk	3
Atopomyrmex cryptoceroides B Taylor det.	Central African Republic P Annoyer EQ	04.ii.2005 Dzanga-Sangha 02°50’01.8" N 16°08’13.7" E	Camp 3; U.V : 18h10-4h, dans petite saline à proximité du camp; 375m asl	7
Atopomyrmex cryptoceroides B Taylor det.	Central African Republic P Annoyer Camp 5-03	17.ii.2005 Dzanga-Sangha 02°53’25.9" N 16°10’26.4" E	seen 1300 to 1800; 409m asl	1
Atopomyrmex cryptoceroides B Taylor det.	Central African Republic P Annoyer GL-02	22.ii.2005 Dzanga-Sangha 02°55’04.8" N 16°10’09.7" E	Camp 6; A vu dans une petite saline aux abords du camp, 12h-16h; 450 m asl
Atopomyrmex cryptoceroides B Taylor det.	Central African Republic P Annoyer OV	28.xi.2010 Dzanga-Sangha 2°28'08.6"N 16°13°32.1"E	jour, à vue, lacs 2-2bis et 3, Xavier, Cyrille et Corinne "barbier lac 2"	4

{Atopomyrmex crypteroceroides major} Major worker

The photomontages are of workers from Central African Republic, Dzanga-Sangha NP; Camp 3; collector Philippe Annoyer (CAR EQ).

Media 1 {Atopomyrmex cryptoceroides media 1

Media 2 {Atopomyrmex cryptoceroides media 2

Media 3 {Atopomyrmex cryptoceroides media 3

Minima {Atopomyrmex cryptoceroides minima

{Atopomyrmex crypteroceroides} The photomontage of a minor worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0005914, the collection details are - Locality: Gabon: Woleu-Ntem; 31.3 km 108° ESE Minvoul; 02°04'48"N 012°24'24"E 600m. Collection codes: BLF1678. Date: 10 Feb 1998. Collected by: B.L.Fisher. Method: EC13 ex rotten log. Habitat: rainforest. (Probably of a media or minima morph, i.e. relatively lightly built).
Other images of Ivory Coast specimens can be seen at www.discoverlife.org The holotype of melanoticus can be seen at http://mcz-28168.oeb.harvard.edu/mcz/FMPro?-DB=Image.fm&-Lay=web&-Format=images.htm&Species_ID=9228&-Find. The Smithsonian Insitute has type images at http://ripley.si.edu/ent/nmnhtypedb/public/specimeninfopage.cfm?publicconsumption=1&typespecimenID=514 and http://ripley.si.edu/ent/nmnhtypedb/public/specimeninfopage.cfm?publicconsumption=1&typespecimenID=515. There are no obvious differences from the type form.

href="atopomyrmex_cryptoceroides.htm"