Meranoplus magrettii André

Type location Sudan (Meranoplus Magrettii n. sp., André, 1884b: 245, worker, in Magretti, 1884; Menozzi & Consani, 1952: 66, queen) collected at Suakin, by Magretti - see below
junior synonyms
bondroiti (Meranoplus Bondroiti n. sp., Santschi, 1915c: 254, illustrated, worker) from Zaïre, Grand Lacs region, Uzaga, Dr. Gerard - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0913022
diversipilosus (Meranoplus Simoni Em. var. diversipilosus nov., Santschi, 1932a: 388, worker) from Zimbabwe - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0913023
springvalensis (Meranoplus Simoni Emery var. springvalensis n. v., Arnold, 1917: 372, worker) from Zimbabwe - seehttp://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0902018
nitidiventris (Meranoplus Simoni Emery subspec. nitidiventris n. ssp., Mayr, 1901b: 26, worker; Arnold, 1917: 371, queen & male) from South Africa, Bothaville - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0908931
simoni (Meranoplus Simoni n. sp., Emery, 1895h: 41, illustrated, worker) from South Africa, Vrijburg (see below)
suturalis (Meranoplus Simoni Emery subsp. suturalis n. subsp., Forel, 1910e: 424, worker) from South Africa, Natal, Haviland - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0908932
(see Bolton, 1995) .

André's (1884b) description is at . Menozzi & Consani's (1952) description of the queen is at . Emery's (1895h) description of simoni is at . Mayr's (1901b) description of nitidiventris is at . Forel's (1910e) description of suturalis is at . Santschi's (1915c) illustrated description of bondroiti is at . Arnold (1917: 369) translation of simoni is at and his description/translation of the varieties is at . Santschi's (1932a) description of diversipilosus is at . Bolton's modern description (1981a) is at

WORKER - Distinguished by the broad, nodiform postpetiole, and propodeal spines which are long enough to be seen in dorsal view; colour medium to dark brown, usually gaster darker, sometimes reddish (Bolton, 1981a, illustrated, full-face head, lateral alitrunk and pedicel, promesonotal shield).

Described by Bolton (1981a) as primarily a savannah and open-woodland species of eastern and southern Africa. He reported three findings from Ghana, all at Legon which is located in the dry coastal plain (D. Leston; G. Benson; and Mkhise).

Santschi's (1915c, illustrated, right above) description of bondroiti, was -
TL 2-2.2 mm; head wider than long, posterior border regularly rounded with angles slightly flared; sides near straight. Eyes convex andin the posterior third, their diameter slightly larger than the interval separating them from the posterior angle of the face (larger in suturalis). Clypeus longitudinally striate. Thorax as in simoni but anterior angles more flared, sides more deeply narrowed at the otherwise effaced promesonotal suture. Sides of mesonotum more convex. Shield spines longer and the transverse lamella not indented. Propodeal spines almost as long as those of the metanotum but divergent and arcuate. Petiole node a narrowed scale inclined obliquely to the posterior, with the postpetiole slender cuneiform in profile, rounded dorsally, with a strong ventral tooth, and an angular space between the two in profile.
Head and thorax strongly rugulo-reticulate; the meshes as big as in nanus but the rugae more pronounced and the ground shiny on the thorax; rugae more or less longitudinal on the head with a finely granular ground, also shiny; gaster shiny, very finely reticulo-punctate.
Erect pilosity fine, white and little woolly, irregularly long and abundant. Colour uneven brown, dorsum of head and gaster duller; rest more yellow brown.
A single specimen came from Uzaga, Great Lakes Region, Zaïre (probably near Kataki, on shore of Lake Tanganyika) by Dr Gérard.

The photomontage of the type worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0915400

The photomontage of the simoni type worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0904682

Oxford University Museum specimens

Meranoplus magrettii B Taylor det.	Senegal Ferlo B Ndiaye	x.2010 Katané 15.48° N 14.08° W	Katané X 2010 T4P14 Sahelian savannah, pitfall traps	4
Meranoplus magrettii B Taylor det.	Senegal Lamine Diamé 56	06.viii.2012 Thiés 14°45'N 17°03'W	Pout V2 pitfall 4 tube 05 3 mounted 4 unmounted	3

The photomontage is of a worker from Senegal; Ferlo; collector B Ndiaye.

The photomontage is of a worker from Senegal; Ferlo; collector L Diame (56).

The photomontage of a worker from South Africa is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=0235913