Camponotus (Paramyrmamblys) simus Emery

Type location Zaïre (Emery, 1908b: 188, illustrated, major & minor workers & queen) collected at Sankuru, by Luja - see below
subspecies manidis (Camponotus manidis n. sp., Forel 1909b: 62, major & minor workers ; Camponotus simus Em. subsp. manidis Forel, Forel, 1911f: 282) from Zaïre, lower Congo, from stomach of Manis temmincki, collected by Solon - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0910560
major & minor workers & queen (see Bolton, 1995) .

Emery's (1908b) description is at . Santschi (1926c) gave a description is at

Forel (1911f) writing of manidis Forel, from Bas Congo, noted that he had compared the form with the type from Emery - manidis differed consistently in the head being less truncated anteriorly; the colour was clearer brown and the pilosity a little more abundant and more erect on the tibiae.

In 1909, he had described manidis as - TL 4-6 mm; MAJOR - mandibles slender, slightly shiny, sparsely punctate, finely shagreened and with 5 teeth. Clypeus double indented, slightly forward medially, faintly subcarinate posteriorly, Head trapezoidal, a little longer than wide, widened and strongly impressed posteriorly, sides quite convex; frontal area very small, frontal carinae strongly divergent and sinuous. Eyes forward of posterior one-third. Scapes scarcely passing the occiput by less than their width. Funiculus segments a little longer than wide. Alitrunk fairly short, barely convex in all directions, without a suture. Posterior to metanotal suture, the propodeal dorsum is raised slightly but barely depressed or bordered, rectangular, 60% longer than wide; curving into the declivity which is of similar length. Petiole biconvex, rounded and truncated on top, of medium thickness. Femora short, tibiae cylindrical, without spurs.
Shiny, very finely and feebly shagreened; piligerous puncturation sparse but distinct, specially on the front where the punctures are large. Genae without any large punctures, nor on the dorsum of head, similar to foraminosus. Erect pilosity yellowish red, abundant or at least moderately so on the entire body; on the tibiae and scapes this pilosity shorter and oblique, but still abundant and distinct. Colour brown or brownish yellow; appendages red or yellow brown.
MINOR - overall similar, mandibles with 5 teeth, clypeus more carinate posteriorly. Head also trapezoidal; widened posteriorly; only slightly longer than wide, but sides less convex and posterior border near straight. Dorsum of propodeum straighter, twice as long as wide. Petiole scale more convex anteriorly.
Particularly characterised by its pilosity.

The photomontage of a major worker from the type collection is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0905448
Note: The label states queen (weibchen) but it clearly is a simple major worker.

The photomontage of a minor worker from the type collection is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0905449

Oxford University Museum specimens

Camponotus (Paramyrmamblys) simus B Taylor det.	Central African Republic P Annoyer HG	12-18.x.2008 Dzanga-Sangha 03°03'58.3" N 16°08'59.6" E	528 m; Camp 1 Ayous Barber ayous Camp control	1
Camponotus (Paramyrmamblys) simus B Taylor det.	Congo E Zassi 18-t-2-1	8-9.xi.2007 Lésio-Louna 03°16'21.7" S 015°28'12.5" E	Gallery Forest; 24h pitfall trap	1
Camponotus (Paramyrmamblys) simus B Taylor det.	Cameroun A Fotso Kuate Camponotus sp12	18.ix.2007 Awae II 03°54'30" N 11°25'58" E	Quadrat in fallow	1
Camponotus (Paramyrmamblys) simus B Taylor det. possible male	Central African Republic P Annoyer LS	15.xi.2010 Dzanga-Sangha 2°27'11.6"N 16°04'58.7"E	343 m; jour, à vue derrière le village, Molongo strate arbustive (Casside land)	1

The photomontage is of a worker from the Central African Republic, Camp 1; collector Philippe Annoyer (CAR HG).

The photomontage is of a major from Congo, Réserve de Lésio-Louna; collector Eric Zassi.

The photomontage is of a minor from Cameroun, Awae II, 03°54’30”N 11°25’58”E; highland area elevation >500m; quadrat in fallow; 18.ix.2007; Coll. Fotso Kuate.

The photomontage is of a possible male from the Central African Republic; collector. P Annoyer (CAR LS).

Tentatively associated with the workers becuse of the generally similiar colouration and for a Camponotus, the unusually prolific erect hairs on the head.