The Ants of Africa
Genus Messor
Messor denticornis Forel

Messor denticornis Forel

return to key {link to the Hymenoptera Name Server} Type location Namibia (Messor denticornis n.sp., Forel, 1910f, illustrated, worker, queen & male) Luderitzbucht, 1903 - see below and http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0900465
junior synonyms
brunni (Messor denticornis Forel, var. Brunni n, var., Forel, 1910e: 444) from Namibia, collector Brunn - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0907747
parvidens (Messor denticornis var. parvidens n, var., Forel, 1910f: 15, worker) from Namibia, Kubub, L Schultze - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0907748
see Bolton (1982: 349, illustrated - shown below but clearly inaccurate) .


{sMessor denticornis} {Messor denticornis}Forel's (1910f) description is at {original description}. Forel's (1910e) description of brunni is at {original description}. Arnold (1920a: 411) gave a translation, this is at {original description} and of the varieties at {original description}. Bolton's modern description (1982) is at {original description}.


{Messor denticornis}The photomontage of a cotype is collated from http://mcz-28168.oeb.harvard.edu/mcz/FMPro?-DB=Image.fm&-Lay=web&-Format=images.htm&Species_ID=20637&-Find. Note the clypeus has a distinct raised step that appears to have been missed by Bolton.


Oxford University Museum specimens

Messor denticornis
B Taylor det.

South Africa
S Danflous

11.xii.2007
Kruger National Park
25°28'51" S
31°16'06" E
Pretoriuskop Rest Camp, Mpumalanga Province; 596m

4
{album}

{Messor denticornis polymorphism}The photomontage is of workers collected from South Africa, Kruger National Park, Pretoriuskop Rest Camp, Mpumalanga Province, S 25°28'51" E 31°16'06"; 596m; Sam Danflous, 11.xii.2007. see the linked page.


{Messor denticornis}The photomontage is adapted from the Antweb.org site at http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0005906
Collection Information: Specimen Code CASENT0005906; Locality South Africa: Northern Cape: 1.5 km S Steinkopf; 29°16'00"S 017°44'24"E 750 m; Collection codes: BLF02112; Date: 12 Sep 1999; Collected by: B.L.Fisher; Method: ground foragers; Habitat: succulent karoo
Note - following Bolton's key would lead this specimen to being tropicorum as it has a distinct step on the posterior clypeus but the colour and head shape, and the tooth at the base of the scape match the description of denticornis.

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© 2007, 2011, 2012 - Brian Taylor CBiol FSB FRES
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