Mesoponera ingesta (Wheeler)
Type location Zaïre (Euponera
(Mesoponera) ingesta, Wheeler, 1922: 88, illustrated, worker; in Pachycondyla
Bolton, 1995: 306; new placement by Schmidt & Shattuck, 2014: 110);
collectors Lang and Chapin), all specimens taken from toad stomachs, at
Akenge (type), Niapu, Fardaje and Lubila.
Workers only described. .
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Description by Wheeler (1922) - TL 5.5-6.0 mm. Head
somewhat longer than broad and about as broad in front as behind, with
evenly convex sides and feebly excavated posterior border. Eyes small,
flat, broadly elliptical, placed at the anterior fifth of the sides of
the head. Clypeus carinate, its anterior border entire, rounded and
projecting in the middle, sinuate at the sides.
Mandibles moderately long, convex, their apical borders with 8 or 9
subequal teeth. Antennal scapes extending slightly beyond the posterior
border of the head; first and second funicular joints subequal, about
one and one-half times as long as broad, joints 4 to 6 somewhat
shorter, remaining joints, except the last, as broad as long. Pronotum
as long as broad, somewhat depressed above and very bluntly
submarginate on the sides. Mesonotum convex, transversely elliptical,
nearly twice as broad as long, completely surrounded by a strong
suture; metanotal groove distinct. Propodeum nearly as long as the pro-
and mesonotum together, but somewhat lower, the base and declivity
straight, subequal, forming an obtuse angle with each other, the former
horizontal in profile, the latter flat; marginate on the sides.
Petiolar scale in profile high and cuneate, its anterior surface feebly
convex from side to side, its posterior surface flat, with a shallow
longitudinal impression in the middle; the border evenly rounded,
semicircular from behind, slightly narrowed ventrally. Gaster short,
postpetiole sharply truncated in front, the constriction between it and
the gaster feeble. Legs moderately long.
Mandibles shining, finely and rather indistinctly punctate; remainder
of body subopaque; clypeal carina and legs more shining; very finely
and densely punctate, especially the head, scapes and thorax. Hairs
almost lacking on the head, thorax, and appendages; on the gaster pale
yellow, sparse, erect, slender, and rather uniformly distributed;
pubescence very fine, yellowish, moderately abundant, investing the
whole body, including the appendages. Overall castaneous; legs somewhat
paler; mandibles deep red, with black teeth; in some specimens the
extensor surfaces of the tibiae are yellowish.
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The
photomontage of the holotype is collated from the MCZ website.
Santschi
(1930a: 54; Euponera (Mesoponero)
ingesta Wheeler) lists others findings from Zaïre, Uélé, Moto
(L. Burgeon); Mali,
Timbuctu; Dar Banda, Kosa Botolo, Mission Charri Tchad - Chad; Sierra
Leone (André); Congo Brazzaville (A. Weiss). He commented that it
was close to caffraria Smith
differing primarily in being smaller and paler.
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