The Ants of Africa
Genus Myrmicaria
Myrmicaria fusca Stitz

Myrmicaria fusca Stitz

return to key {link to the Hymenoptera Name Server} Type location Zaïre (Myrmicaria eumenoides Gerst. v. fusca n. v., Stitz, 1911b: 385, worker; raised to species by Santschi, 1925c: 166) collected at Boga, north of Mt Ruwenzori, German Central Africa Expedition, 1907-08 - no images on Antweb (October 2014)
subspecies
consanguinea (Myrmicaria eumenoides st. congolensis, var. consanguinea, nov., Santschi, 1914b: 115; Myrmicaria fusca Stitz v. consanguinea n. var., Santschi, 1925c: 166, worker & queen) from Kenya, Likoni, Alluaud & Jeannel - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0913042
nigerrima (Myrmicaria nigerrima, Arnold, 1916: 270, illustrated, worker; Myrmicaria fusca Stitz stirps nigerrima Arnold, Santschi, 1925c: 167) from Zimbabwe, Matopo Hill, G Arnold - see below
unavailable name laevifrons (Myrmicaria fusca Stitz st. nigerrima Arnold v. laevifrons n. var., Santschi, 1925c: 167, male) from Mozambique, Amatonga Forest, Arnold - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0913043
all forms described (see Bolton, 1995) .


{Myrmicaria fusca nigerrima}Stitz's (1911b) description is at {original description}. Santschi's (1914b) description of consanguinea is at {original description}. Arnold's (1916) description of nigerrima is at {original description}. Santschi's (1925c) description, with consanguinea and laevifrons, is at {original description}.

Probably purely from eastern Africa with the Zaïre being from the border area with Uganda, i.e. east of the Congo Basin.


{Myrmicaria fusca nigerrima}The photomontage of the nigerrima holotype is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0900508.

Santschi (1925c) noted this as more truly (franchement) black and with sharper rugae on the genae.  The colour variation, however, appears to be the major difference between this worker and those from Tanzania shown below, although, as Arnold wrote, this is less sculptured, notably on the lateral alitrunk.


Oxford University Museum specimens

Myrmicaria fusca
B Taylor det.
Tanzania
V Grebennikov


09-11.x.2002
Usambara Mts
5°05' S
38°38' E
Amani NR, Zigi Lodge, 2200 m
2
{album}

{Myrmicaria fusca}The photomontage is of a worker from the Usambara Mts, Tanzania, Amani NR, Zigi Lodge, S x°y' E x°y'; 2200 m; collector V. Grebennikov; 9-11.x.2002. 

Note - the specimens from Zigi Lodge are both larger and have more rugose sculpturation on a shiny ground than indicated in the published descriptions. It seems possible, but unlikely, that they actually are Myrmicaria rustica which also is known from Tanzania and was described with TL 7.5-8 mm. Santschi's (1925c) description of rustica is quite explicit on the petiole shape, etc. and these are different to the Zigi Lodge specimens.  The consanguinea form was reported from Kenya and Tanzania, Amani (Santschi, 1925c).

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© 2007, 2008, 2012, 2014 - Brian Taylor CBiol FSB FRES
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