The Ants of Africa
Ants collected at Brazzaville, Congo
by Yves Braet & Eric Zassi, 200

Main Congo page
Ants from Brazzaville, 4°15'33" S 15°17'5" E; collected by Yves Braet & Eric Zassi, from 24h pitfall traps, 19.viii.2007


{Brazzaville} A total of 46 species from twenty 24h pitfall traps on 19.viii.2007. 


{Brazzaville} Site details -The transect (yellow line on the large map) was realized in the forest around the GERDIB laboratories (Groupe d'Etude et de Recherche sur la Diversité Biologique; route de l'Auberge Gascogne Château d'eau, Brazzaville; ex-ORSTOM), This forest is rather protected but has been modified by human activities such as construction, vegetables gardening, and other undocumented activities. In some parts the understorey ("sous-bois") vegetation is very dense. The first and last pitfall traps were in open ground; pitfalls 10 to 12 were in the domestic garden of one house). Some of the houses have been used as lodges for visitors (locals or foreigners) and/or scientific work before the last civil war. The airport is very close around 1.5 km distant. The altitude is around 300 meters. From Yves Braet.


{Tree cover in the GERDIB compound}Tree cover in the GERDIB Compound


Taxonomic list ¤ = first record for Congo; * = also in Zassi findings from Réserve de Lésio-Louna.

DOLICHODERINAE - Tapinoma longiceps ¤, Tapinoma lugubre ¤, Technomyrmex nigriventris, Technomyrmex senex ¤

FORMICINAE - Paraparatrechina splendida ¤, Paratrechina grisoni * ¤, Paratrechina lepida ¤, Paratrechina longicornis, Paratrechina traegaordhi ¤, Polyrhachis laboriosa

MYRMICINAE - Cardiocondyla emeryi ¤, Cardiocondyla neferka, Cardiocondyla wassmanni ¤, Monomorium altinode, Monomorium angustinode ¤, Monomorium borlei ¤, Monomorium exiguum minutissimum ¤, Monomorium jacksoni ¤, Monomorium vaguum * ¤, Pheidole corticicola, Pheidole crassinoda ¤, Pheidole mylognatha ¤, Pheidole philippi ¤, Pheidole rohani ¤, Pheidole spinulosa ¤, Pheidole squalida, Pheidole tenuinodis * ¤, Pheidole termitophila * ¤, Pheidole weissi *, Pyramica (Serrastruma) braeti new species ¤, Solenopsis globularia ¤, Strumigenys petiolata * ¤, Tetramorium angulinode *, Tetramorium antrema ¤, Tetramorium ataxium * ¤, Tetramorium caldarium ¤, Tetramorium intextum ¤, Tetramorium minimum ¤, Tetramorium sericeiventre, Tetramorium simillimum *, Tetramorium zambezium * ¤, Tetramorium (Xiphomyrmex) new species ¤

PONERINAE - Hypoponera lotti ¤, Odontomachus troglodytes, Pachycondyla soror


Records from individual pitfall traps

Pitfall t 1.1 (in open ground)

Cardiocondyla emeryi Forel
Cardiocondyla wassmanni Santschi revived here from synonymy with C. shuckardi (as stated by Bolton (1982: 316)] in part following Seifert (2003) and sighting of the type specimen - first photo
Monomorium exiguum minutissimum Santschi [revived from synonymy with M. exiguum by Heterick (2006: 115) previously synonymized under M. mictilis by Bolton (1987: 401)]
Pheidole corticicola Santschi
Tapinoma longiceps Wheeler
Tetramorium sericeiventre Emery

Pitfall t 1.2

Cardiocondyla emeryi Forel
Paratrechina lepida (Santschi) - first photo
Monomorium altinode (Santschi)
Pheidole tenuinodis Mayr
Solenopsis globularia (F. Smith) - first record outside the Neotropics
Tetramorium sericeiventre Emery (numerous not mounted)
Tetramorium simillimum (F Smith)

Pitfall t 1.3

Cardiocondyla emeryi Forel
Monomorium borlei (Santschi) - first photo
Pheidole corticicola Santschi
Pheidole mylognatha Wheeler - minors
Technomyrmex nigriventris Santschi - first photo
Tetramorium rugosum new species

Pitfall t 1.4

Pheidole squalida Santschi
Pyramica (Serrastruma) braeti new species
Tetramorium antrema (Bolton) - first photo & illustration

Pitfall t 1.5

Odontomachus troglodytes (Santschi) (five) - unmounted
Tapinoma lugubre Santschi
Tetramorium (Triglyphothrix) minimum (Bolton)

Pitfall t 1.6

Hypoponera lotti (Weber) - first photo
Pachycondyla (Bothroponera) soror (Emery)
Paratrechina grisoni (Forel)
Pheidole crassinoda Emery
Tetramorium intextum Santschi - revived status - first photo
Tetramorium (Triglyphothrix) minimum (Bolton)
Tetramorium zambezium Santschi - first photo

Pitfall t 1.7

Monomorium jacksoni Bolton - first photo (first illustration)
Paratrechina grisoni (Forel)
Tetramorium (Triglyphothrix) antrema (Bolton)
Tetramorium zambezium Santschi - first photo

Pitfall t 1.8

Monomorium vaguum Santschi - dark form
Tetramorium simillimum (F Smith)
Tetramorium zambezium Santschi

Pitfall t 1.9

??

Pitfall t 1.10 In a domestic garden

Monomorium exiguum minutissimum Santschi - dark form

Pitfall t 1.11 In a domestic garden

Paratrechina lepida (Santschi) - first photo
Solenopsis globularia (F. Smith)

Pitfall t 1.12 In a domestic garden

??

Pitfall t 1.13

Tapinoma lugubre Santschi
Pheidole mylognatha Wheeler
Tetramorium ataxium Bolton - first photo
Tetramorium zambezium Santschi

Pitfall t 1.14

Odontomachus troglodytes (Santschi) (five) - unmounted
Monomorium jacksoni Bolton
Tetramorium zambezium Santschi

Pitfall t 1.15

Monomorium vaguum Santschi - light form
Pheidole rohani Santschi - first photo
Tetramorium caldarium (Roger)

Pitfall t 1.16

Monomorium jacksoni Bolton
Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille) - unmounted
Pheidole rohani Santschi
Paraparatrechina splendida (LaPolla & Cheng) - first photo [ID corrected v.2010]
Pheidole termitophila Forel - minor
Polyrhachis laboriosa F Smith
Tetramorium ataxium Bolton
Tetramorium zambezium Santschi

Pitfall t 1.17

Odontomachus troglodytes (Santschi) (five) - unmounted
Pheidole termitophila Forel - minors
Strumigenys petiolata Bernard

Pitfall t 1.18

Cardiocondyla neferka Bolton
Monomorium angustinode Forel - first photo
Monomorium vaguum Santschi - light form
Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille) - unmounted,
Pheidole termitophila Forel - minor
Pheidole spinulosa Forel - minors only, many

Pitfall t 1.19

Cardiocondyla emeryi Forel
Monomorium altinode (Santschi)
Paratrechina traegaordhi (Forel) - first photo

Pitfall t 1.20 (in open ground)

Monomorium angustinode Forel
Monomorium altinode (Santschi)
Paratrechina traegaordhi (Forel) - probable male, first photo


Collected at ORSTOM, Brazzaville - Technomyrmex albipes Bolton [not T. senex as I previously thought

B. Taylor, February 2008

© 2009, 2010, 2014 - Brian Taylor CBiol FSB FRES
11, Grazingfield, Wilford, Nottingham, NG11 7FN, U.K.

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