Meranoplus clypeatus Bernard

Type location Guinea (Meranoplus clypeatus n. sp., Bernard, 1952: 244, illustrated, worker & queen); collected at Mt. Nimba, six workers, station F, grassland at 1400 m; and, cotype worker and delated queen grassland at 1550 m, by Lamotte; worker and queen described (see Bolton, 1995).

WORKER - TL 2.8-3.8 mm; differentiating features as in key; postpetiole dorsum narrow but flattened, with rugose sculpture, dense long yellow-white pilosity; colour uniform medium to dark brown, appendages - scape reddish funicle lighter/brownish, tibiae and tarsi yellow-orange (after Bernard, 1952; and, Bolton, 1981a: 52, illustrated, series of variations in promesonotal shield).

Separated by Bernard (1952) from other African species by the distinct form of the clypeus and postpetiole. He differentiated it from "nanus" (probably inermis, as he noted that was the sole genus member from French West Africa, also Congo, Gabon, southern countries), by the latter being brownish-red, with a larger petiole and shaped as illustrated. The clypeus of clypeatus was wider than long and shiny simply puncturate, with or more than 2 outlines to the lateral borders (other species longer than wide, without puncturations, but with 6-10 large longitudinal rugae?). Otherwise lateral extensions of thorax and antennal segments and length as for "nanus". Petiole lower and more incurved in profile; postpetiole very special, slightly cordiform, well incurved behind (others straighter in profile). Bernard's description (1952) is at

Bolton's modern description (1981a) is at

Also recorded from Zaïre, Kurukwata, nr Aba, by Myers (Bolton, 1918a).

Wheeler (1922) listed a finding of nanus, workers & queen, from Kindia, Guinea, by F. Silvestri (from Santschi, 1914d: 351); that seems not to have been noticed by Bolton (1981a), despite the then new description of the queen.
Santschi's description (my translation) is -
Queen (not previously described) TL 3.2 mm. Anterior wing 5.7 mm. Middle of mesonotum smooth, remainder of sculpture slightly less strong than on the workers. The propodeum has a toothed angle between the two faces. Wings hylaine with pale nerves; remainder as the worker.
It seems likely that the specimens were actually clypeatus.

The photomontage of a syntype worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0902017

Oxford University Museum specimens

Meranoplus clypeatus B Taylor det.

Cameroun A Fotso Kuate Sample 78

28.vii.2010 Nko’ondo 03°54'30" N 11°25'58" E

aphid survey

1

The photomontage is of a specimen from Cameroun; Nko'ondo; aphid survey; 28.vii.2010; coll. A Fotso Kuate.

The photomontage is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0003134
Collection details - Gabon, Prov. Oogové-Maritime, Réserve des Monts Doudou; 25.2 km 304° NW Doussala; 2°13'63"S, 10°23'67"E, 600m. 19.iii.2000, collector S van Noort. Sweepp GA00-S141. Coastal lowland rainforest; undergrowth, low canopy in rainforest.