Monomorium malatu Santschi

Type location Zaïre (Tetramorium altinode n. sp., Santschi, 1935: 266, illustrated, worker; new name Bolton, 1980: 199) collected at Matadi by L. Burgeon, x.1920 - see below .

Santschi's description was - Colour brown-black; sides of thorax, pedicel, tibiae yellow; mandibles, clypeus, antennae and remainder of legs yellow rust. Dorsum of mesonotum, propodeum and pedicel nodes finely reticulo-punctate; fine striations of genae and frontal carinae finely striated remainder of body smooth. Erect pilosity white, regular and spaced at about their own length; appendages with a feeble pubescence. Head rectangular, a little longer than wide, sides and posterior border feebly arcuate. Eyes small, about the midlength of the face; frontal carinae not passing the first third of the face. Clypeus convex, smooth and vertical anteriorly. Mandibles straight and smooth, terminal border oblique with 4 teeth. Scape reaching about the posterior of head, funiculus segments 2-9 wider than long. From above promesonotum a sutureless disc, widest in the anterior one-third. Metanotal groove deep, crossed with rugae; dorsum of propodeum near flat, a quarter longer than wide; posteriorly curving over a central high point; declivity short and smooth. Petiole a scale, anterior face rectangular, higher than wide; in profile cuneiform, a third higher than long an with a short pedicel. Postpetiole slightly longer, equally scale-like but slimmer and more rounded at the summit. Gaster fairly long .

Bolton's modern description (1987) is at .

WORKER - Diagnosis as in key; TL 1.9-2.1 mm. Described by Bolton as a very distinctive species, closest relative the much smaller Monomorium affabile; both having a characteristic cuneate petiole and high postpetiole, like dolatu but that has 11-segmented antennae and these have 12. (in Bolton, 1987: 399, not illustrated).

The photomontage of the type worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=rmcaent000017770.

The photomontage of a worker from Kenya is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0246076
There is is listed as malatu but without any name label or identifier.