Lepisiota capensis (Mayr) - listing as in Bolton
(1995: 227)
  Type location South
Africa (Mayr, 1862: 699, worker; Mayr, 1862: 770, male; also Mayr,
1866: 57, male; Emery, 1877b: 366, queen)
subspecies
acholli (Acantholepis capensis Mayr, acholli subsp. nov., Weber, 1943c: 382, illustrated, worker
& queen) from South Sudan
issore (Acantholepis capensis Mayr, issore subsp. nov., Weber, 1943c: 383, illustrated, worker &
queen) from South Sudan
thoth (Acantholepis capensis Mayr, thoth subsp. nov., Weber, 1943c: 383,
illustrated, worker
& queen) from South Sudan
anceps (Acantholepis capensis Mayr v. anceps n. var., Forel, 1916: 438, workerr) from Zaïre
specularis
(Acantholepis laevior Santschi stirps specularis n. st., Santschi, 1935a: 278, worker) from Zaïre
guineensis (Acantholepis capensis Mayr var. guineensis nov. var., Mayr, 1902: 296,
worker) from Ghana, Accra, by R. Buchholz
junodi (Acantholepis capensis Mayr r. Junodi n. stirps, Forel, 1916: 438, worke) from South
Africa
minuta (Acantholepis simplex For. v. minuta n. var., Forel, 1916: 438, worker) from South
Africa
simplicoides (Acantholepis capensis Mayr var. simplicoides n. var., Forel, 1907g: 86, footnote, worker)
from South Africa
laevis (Acantholepis laevis n. sp., Santschi, 1913c: 312, illustrated, worker)
from Senegal, St. Louis by Claveau,
lunaris (Acantholepis lunaris n. sp., Emery, 1893f: 250, illustrated, worker)
from Sri Lanka
simplex (Acantholepis simplex Forel, 1892a: 43, in key, worker; Forel,
1892e: 350, queen & male)
validiuscula (Acantholepis capensis Mayr var. validiuscula n. var., Emery, 1897e: 602, workerr) from Somalia
subopaciceps (Acantholepis capensis Mayr v. subopaciceps n. v., Santschi,
1937d: 235, worker) from Angola
(see Bolton, 1995).
|
Mayr's (1862) brief description is at  , Mayr (1865: 57) gave a full description
of the worker, plus that of the male, and illustrations, these are at  . Emery's (1877b) description of the queen
is at  , Arnold (1920a) provided a translation of
Mayr's (1862) description with a fuller description of his (Arnold)
own, this is at  . Emery's (1897e)
description of validuscula is at  ; Mayr's (1902) description of guineensis
is at  ; Forel's (1907g) description of simplicoides
is at  ; Santschi's (1913c)
description of laevis is at  ; Forel's (1916) description of simplex
minuta, junodi and anceps is at  ; Arnold (1920a) also provided a
translation of several varieties - validiscula, simplicoides,
minuta, junodi, simplex - on  plus laevis, alexisi and hirsuta
elevata (this latter from Kenya, raised to species by
Santschi, 1914b) - on  . Santschi's (1937d) description of subopaciceps
is at  ; and, Weber's (1943c)
descriptions are at - acholli -  , issore -  , and thoth - .
Wheeler (1922) listed many findings from throughout
sub-Saharan Africa and perhaps Sri Lanka. These included Sierra
Leone (Mocquerys) and Guinea (Los Islands, by H. Brauns;
plus laevis from Conakry, by F. Silvestri).
|
Lepisiota capensis (Mayr) revised status
Type location South
Africa (Mayr, 1862: 699, worker; Mayr, 1862: 770, male; also Mayr,
1866: 57, male; Emery, 1877b: 366, queen), (see Bolton, 1995; has see
also Bingham, 1903: 316; Arnold, 1920a: 568).
|
|
 Mayr's
(1862) brief description is at , Mayr (1865: 57) gave a full description
of the worker, plus that of the male, and illustrations, these are at . Emery's (1877b) description of the queen
is at , Arnold (1920a) provided a translation of
Mayr's (1862) description with a fuller description of his (Arnold)
own, this is at .
|
 Re-definition of true capensis
There seems little doubt that the true type form has the propodeum with
quite pronounced blunt prominences; the petiole scale is only moderate
in height and has low spines on the dorsal margin. The overall
appearance is near black and shiny, with the antennae wholly brown or
blackish. The pilosity is short, dark and fairly sparse.
See also the note on true capensis, i.e. from
the Cape of Good Hope, by Emery (1897) in his description of canescens
- . Santschi (1937d) noted the capensis type
has antenna which are entirely brown or blackish.
Some of the confusion may stem from Forel (1892a: 43)
where his key had - capensis (from South Africa, Madagascar and
Indian continent) with "erect pilosity whitish, abundant on body, none
on tibiae and scapes". also "petiole scale narrow with two short
spines" - This clearly was erroneous in both those aspects.
The photograph right is of Lepisiota capensis
from Cape Town, South Africa, and is from one of three superb Myrmecos.net originals taken
by Alex Wild (click to see original).
|
Analysis of so-called subspecies of capensis
NOTE - Arnold (1920a) provided a translation of several
varieties - validiscula, simplicoides, minuta, junodi,
simplex - on .
|
| Dark brown with abundant
coarse dark pilosity; generally stockier - petiole scale bidentate |
| validiuscula
(Emery) |
 (var
of capensis, Emery, 1897e: 602, worker);
TL 2.8-3.3 mm; jet black appendages brown, scape ochreous-yellow; scape
surpasses occiput by ca 1/2 its own length; longer coarser and more
abundant erect pilosity
Of validiscula, in Southern Africa and Zimbabwe, Arnold
(1920a) noted - "Generally distributed and very common. Nesting usually
under stones; an industrious attendant on Aphididae and Coccidae".
Wheeler (1922) had validiscula a larger more robust form, with
abundant, erect, dark brown pilosity; Santschi 1937d) appears to have a
matt appearance |
Somalia & Nigeria ? validiuscula
[species T¹] |
| Black with sparse coarse dark
pilosity; petiole scale bidentate; very small TL 1.5 mm |
| minuta
(Forel) |
(var of simplex, Forel, 1916: 438,
worker; var of capensis, Arnold, 1920a: 572 -
WORKER - TL 1.5 mm; more robust, short scapes just surpassing occiput;
jet-black |
South Africa - minuta |
| Black with sparse fine dark
pilosity; petiole scale without teeth may be ermarginate - TL
2.4-2.8 mm - simplex, simplicoides and subopaciceps |
| simplex
(Forel) |
(Forel, 1892a: 43, in key, worker; Forel,
1892e: 350, queen & male; as ssp in Forel, 1907g: 86, footnote;
Arnold, 1920a: 572; but species in later Forel papers and Santschi,
1914d: 378)
Forel (1892a) simply had - "as capensis, but more slender;
mesonotum more narrowed; metanotum simply enlarged and angular
posteriorly; petiole scale feebly scalloped without teeth; very shiny
throughout, almost smooth and near glabrous
Arnold (1920a) had - TL 2.4-2.8 mm; propodeum profile flat ? (type
concave); pilosity longer, finer and much more abundant than type;
metanotum and propodeum nitidulous; petiole scale without any sign of
teeth |
Somalia - simplex |
| simplicoides
(Forel) |
(Forel, 1907g: 86, footnote, worker) -
Forel's (1907g) description was very brief but has - "transitional to simplex"
Santschi (1914b: 125) in a key to the then known species, separated simplicoides
as having reduced protuberances on the propodeum and the petiole scale
scalloped but only weakly dentate |
South Africa; Lesotho - simplicoides |
| subopaciceps
(Santschi) |
(var of capensis, Santschi, 1937d:
235, worker; ) -
WORKER - TL not given; appears to have a matt appearance, with
quite strong reticulation on head; petiole scale less strongly
incised than validiuscula; rectilinear toward summit;
noted simplicoides as differing only in the petiole scale being
more clearly scalloped at the summit |
Angola - subopaciceps |
| Black with sparse coarse dark
pilosity; petiole scale bidentate - true capensis - TL at least
2.8 mm |
| capensis (Mayr) |
see above -Mayr (1862, 1865)
WORKER - TL 2.8-3.2 mm; metanotum with two blunt protuberances; petiole
scale bidentate and emarginate (an excised rounded shape); with sparse
pilosity; shiny black, appendages brown |
South Africa |
| Black with sparse coarse
rufous pilosity; petiole scale bidentate; small TL 2.0-2.3 mm |
| lunaris
(Emery) |
(as species, Emery, 1893f: 250,
illustrated, worker; race/spp of capensis by Forel 1895e: 458,
1906b: 86, 1909e: 395) - (plate unavailable)
Emery's description - "a stocky form of capensis" - TL 2.0-2.3
mm; scape surpasses occiput by about 1/3 its own length; metanotum with
rounded lateral cones; petiole with short sharp spines, arcuate upper
margin; black, appendages rufous; microscopic pubescence sparse; erect
hairs large, obtuse but few in number
Forel (1895e) referred without qualification to - "the race lunaris
of the capensis"; |
Sri Lanka |
| Black, very shiny, with pale
pilosity, very small TL 1.7 mm |
| laevis
(Santschi) |
 (as full species; Santschi, 1913c: 312, illustrated,
worker; stirps of simplex Santschi, 1914d: 378; status as
species, Santschi, 1935a: 278; as ssp of capensis, Bernard
& Cagniant, 1963: 163) -
WORKER - TL 1.7 mm; clypeus with strong arcuate carina; mandibles
smooth; eyes occupy about one-third of side of head; scapes surpass
occiput by about 1/3 of own length; petiole scale narrowed apically,
slightly scalloped and somewhat inclined; pale or whitish erect
pilosity, short thick hairs are whitish on gaster and around mouth;
very shiny; black, basal third of scapes and tarsi clear yellow brown,
rest of antennae and legs brown
Bernard & Cagniant (1963: 163) give no authority for regarding it
as a subpecies of capensis, but note this small (less than canescens)
and very shiny form is very common in the plains of black Africa |
Senegal - laevis |
| Black with pale pilosity, TL
ca 2.0 mm |
| specularis
(Santschi) |
(st of laevior - laevis,
Santschi, 1935a: 278, worker; ssp "current status", Bolton, 1995: 228)
WORKER - TL 2 mm; head rectangular, slightly longer than wide, but as
wide apically as posteriorly; sides convex, occiput and posterior
corners slightly rounded; eyes larger than one-third the sides and set
at midpoint of face; in full face view the eyes just reach the sides of
the face; clypeus convex and faintly carinate, anterior border very
arcuate; postclypeal notch short and feeble; frontal carinae as long as
the eye, more spaced and longer; scapes surpass occipital border by
less than one third their length; funiculus segments 2 and 3 less than
quarter longer than wide; together a little longer than segment 1;
alitrunk short, pronotum slightly wider than long, widest anteriorly;
metanotum shorter than mesonotum, spiracles moderately raised;
pronpodeum dorsum slightly raised above axis of alitrunk profile; twice
as wide anteriorly as the median width; dorsally convex transversely
and longitudinally; posteriorly slightly concave between the angles,
which spread as short obtuse cones; petiole scale feebly excised and
subdentate; several long hairs on genae and at the apex of the gaster,
other short hairs on the gaster; pubescence very short and very sparse;
smooth and very shiny except mesonotum and propodeum which were
somewhat reticulo-punctate and matt; black, mandibles, distal scape and
tarsi yellow.
Santschi regarded it as a form intermediate to simplex and laevis.
With simplex the head is bigger and more narrow anteriorly and
rounded behind the eyes; plus a smaller pronotum. With laevis
the antennae are entirely yellow and the scape longer, pronotum as simplex.
With tenuipilis the eyes are set more forward, the gaster
pilosity is more abundant, longer and finer. With minuta the
scape is shorter. It also resembles L. curta
Emery (type location Somalia) by its pronotum, but that is more
sculptured and the head is narrower.
Bernard (1952) reported it (as Acantholepis (Pseudacantholepis)
laevis ssp specularis) as common at Guinea, Mt.
Nimba, Mt. Tô at 1600 m. He noted this was a race known from Oubangui,
of a species frequently found in Senegal, Guinea, Congo, etc. |
Zaïre - specularis |
| Black with pale pilosity, TL
range 2.2-2.7 mm |
| acholli
(Weber) |
 (ssp
of capensis, Weber, 1943c: 382, illustrated, worker &
queen) -
WORKER - TL 2.2-2.4 mm; HL slightly > HW; scapes surpassing occiput
by over 1/3 of their own length; petiole with feeble teeth; moderately
abundant yellowish-white pilosity, pubescence sparse white appressed;
black, appendages blackish-brown |
Soudanian savannah - affinis |
| anceps
(Forel) |
 (var
of capensis, Forel, 1916: 438, worker) -
WORKER - TL 2.4-2.7 mm; pilosity as on depilis; petiole scale
and propodeum as with simplex; NOTE: depilis has
species status [Emery's (1897e) description is on . Compared with capensis,
head more truncate with less rounded corners, erect hairs short more
scarce, on gaster dorsum restricted to tranverse row at posterior of
each segment; pubescence less copious; overall subopaque, metanotum and
propodeum opaque. |
Zaïre - anceps |
| Brown or lighter with dark
pilosity; petiole bispinose |
| guineensis
(Mayr) |
 (as var of capensis, Mayr, 1902: 296, worker) -
WORKER - Yellow-brown and has well developed petiolar spines, raised
here to status of a distinct species; from Accra, by R. Buchholz |
Ghana - guineensis |
| Brown or lighter with pale
pilosity; petiole scale with entire margin |
| issore
(Weber) |
 (ssp of capensis,Weber, 1943c: 383, illustrated,
worker & queen) -
WORKER - TL 2.4 mm; resembling simplex (cotype in MCZ) but
larger, head less rectangular, long hairs more numerous and appendages
darker; head broadest at posterior; scapes surpass occiput by about 1/3
their own length; a rounded transition from dorsum to declivity of the
propodeum with only blunt tubercles; petiole node expanded
laterally, dorsally emarginate; nest in dead tree branch |
Sudan - issore |
| thoth
(Weber) |
 (ssp
of capensis, Weber, 1943c: 383, illustrated, worker &
queen) -
WORKER - TL 2.1-2.4 mm; HL > HW; occiput straight; eyes moderately
convex, set closer to occiput than anterior margin; scapes surpass
occiput by 1/3 to 1/2 of own length; a rounded transition from dorsum
to declivity of the propodeum with blunt prominences; petiole scale
with entire dorsal margin; pubescence of minute scattered appressed
hairs; long, whitish hairs most numerous on gaster, dark
brown, appendages slightly paler |
Sudan - thoth |
| Brown or lighter with pale
pilosity; short antennal scapes (surpassing occiput by no more than 1/4
of own length); petiole scale with long spines |
| junodi
(Forel) |
(as r of capensis, Forel, 1916:
438, worker) -
WORKER - as translated by Arnold, 1920a) - probably referrable to incisa,
head narrower than curta; scapes surpass occiput by barely 1/4
of own length; shallow incision of alitrunk; with long petiolar
spines and yellowish erect pilosity on body; white subdecumbent
hairs on legs and scapes; probably a variety or junior synonym of incisa |
South Africa - Lepisiota incisa
r junodi |
|
