Wheeler's description is -
FEMALE - TL nearly 21 mm. Head as broad as long (4.5mm, without the
mandibles), subrectangular, slightly broader behind than in front, with
straight sides, feebly but broadly concave posterior border, and rather
acute posterior corners. Mandibles large and convex, with 6 flattened,
acuminate teeth, the apical tooth very long and broad at the base.
Clypeus carinate only at the base, its anterior border emarginate on
each side, the median lobe indistinct, somewhat crenate, without
pronounced corners, with a small notch in the middle. Frontal area
small, subtriangular, impressed. Frontal carinae closely approximated.
Antennae long; scapes measuring 6.2 mm, extending half their length
beyond the posterior corners of the head, not flattened at the base nor
enlarged distally. Thorax robust, through the wing-insertions broader
than the head. Mesonotum broader than long, with a narrow, shining,
median, longitudinal groove on its anterior half. Propodeum sloping,
evenly convex. Petiole higher than long, rather pointed above, its
anterior surface made of two subequal planes which meet at a very blunt
obtuse angle when seen in profile; the posterior surface flat, the
superior border blunt. Hind tibiae and metatarsi distinctly flattened
and channelled, the flexor border of the former with a row of strong
bristles, except on their basal fourth. Mandibles shining, coarsely
punctate, striate near their apical borders, opaque, finely shagreened
and less coarsely punctate at the base. Head and clypeus nearly opaque,
densely and finely punctate, with coarser, sparse, piligerous punctures
over the whole surface. Thorax and petiole with similar sculpture, but
the piligerous punctures less pronounced. Gaster more shining, densely,
coarsely and transversely shagreened, with coarse, scattered,
transverse, piligerous punctures. Antennal scapes and legs shining,
rather strongly and unevenly punctate. Hairs fulvous, coarse, erect or
suberect, long and abundant, especially on the head, gula, dorsal
portion of the pronotum, mesonotum, propodeum, and fore coxae. Antennal
scapes also with long erect hairs; those on the tibiae stiffer, much
shorter and more oblique. Black; mandibles except their bases and
teeth, deep red; insertions of antennae, funiculi beyond the tip of the
first joint, thoracic articulations, trochanters, and tips of coxae
yellowish; gaster and legs castaneous. Wings heavily infuscated,
blackish, with dark brown veins.
A single specimen from Medje (Lang and Chapin), without
further data. This female is so easily recognized and so peculiar in
its characters that I do not hesitate to describe it as new. It
certainly does not belong to any of the workers in the collection and I
am unable to regard it as the female of any of the Ethiopian species of
Dinomyrmex that have been described from workers
only.
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