Cataulacus mocquerysi André
Type location Sierra Leone
(Cataulacus Mocquerysi nov. sp., André, 1889: 229, worker;
Bolton, 1974a: 48, queen, illustrated,
worker) probably by A. Mocquerys, who collected at 'Riv.N' Gamie,
Chutes de Samlia - see below - "type specimen" on Antweb is wrong.
junior synonym nainei (Cataulacus
Mocquerysi And. v. Nainei n. v., Forel, 1918a: 724,
worker) from Zaïre, collected by H Kohl - see below.
worker and queen known
(see Bolton, 1995) .
|
Nigeria
specimen (Taylor, 1979: 13). WORKER. TL 4.0-5.5 mm, HL 1.00-1.40, HW
1.12-1.54, SL 0.60-0.72, PW 1.02-1.48
Occipital corners with one or two small denticles, sides of head behind
the eyes denticulate or only crenulate. Sculpturation of head and
dorsal alitrunk a fine, loose rugo-reticulation. Stout erect hairs on
all dorsal surfaces. Pronotum marginate laterally, margins with a few
rather large denticles and posterolaterally with a flattened expanded
lobe with one or two denticles on its posterior border. Mesonotum with
one or two large denticles laterally. Propodeal spines reduced to a
pair of very short teeth, usually blunt apically. Petiole and
postpetiole strongly flattened dorsoventrally in dorsal view both
broadly and stoutly V-shaped. Subpetiolar process with a distinct
posteroventral spur or heel.
Described as a small, relatively uncommon species,
nesting in hollow twigs on bushes and trees, by Bolton (1974a,
illustrated, full-face head and dorsal alitrunk) but see below.
In Nigeria, found once on a cocoa tree, at
Olukunle, to the north-east of Ibadan, in our 76-farm survey (Taylor
& Adedoyin, 1978). Earlier from CRIN perhaps on <0.25% of cocoa
in pkd collections from two cocoa blocks, W13/2 and W18/1 by Booker
(1968) and by Bolton (1974a).
From Ghana, at CRIG (B. Bolton) and Bunso (D.
Leston) (Bolton, 1974a). Collected by Room (1971) (as Cataulacus species
K, but defined by Bolton, 1974) from cocoa trees and on the ground
around such trees, at the Mamfe-Mampong cocoa farm in Ghana. His report
includes reference to it nesting in cocoa canopy. It also occurred in
27 of his 168 canopy samples at other farms; with a negative
association with Crematogaster africana and a positive
association with Crematogaster clariventris. From cocoa
mistletoe (Room, 1975). On cocoa at Kade by Majer (1975, 1976b), using
pkd, in 99/144 samples from his main study plot, with 25-39 workers per
sample.
Also known from scattered locations from Liberia,
at Cape Mount, Bendija, Reputa and Harbel (W.H. Mann). From Cameroun
(Bolton, 1982, no details, probably D.A. Jackson). Also from Zaïre
(Bolton, 1974a).
|