Phrynoponera gabonensis (André)

Type location Gabon (Bothroponera gabonensis, André, 1892a: 50, worker; in Phrynoponera, Wheeler, 1920: 53; Stitz, 1910: 130, queen) - no images on Antweb (April 2015).
junior synonyms
esta (Wheeler, 1922: 77, worker & queen) from Zaïre - see bottom
fecunda (Wheeler, 1922: 78, worker & queen) from Zaïre - see below
robustior (Santschi, 1919h: 82, worker) from Zaïre - see below
umbrosa (Wheeler, 1922: 78, worker) from Zaïre - see bottom
synonymy by Brown (1950e: 246); worker and queen described (see Bolton, 1995).
I have separated the former variety Phrynoponera striatidens as a separate species .

André's (1892a) description is at - . Santschi's (1919h) brief description of robustior is at - .

Botlon & Fisher (2008b: 39) had the synonymy as - var. striatidens (Santschi, 1914); armata (Santschi, 1919, synonymy Bolton & Fisher, 2008); var. robustior (Santschi, 1919), var. esta Wheeler, 1922, var. fecunda Wheeler, 1922, var. umbrosa Wheeler, 1922, and heteroderus Wheeler, 1922b, synonymy Bolton & Fisher, 2008). Their synonymy of striatidens seems questionable, however.

Bolton & Fisher's (2008b) description is at http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2008/f/z01892p052f.pdf.

Santschi's (1919h) description of armata is at - .In this he stated the clypeus has an anterior lobe which was without any impression or teeth on the anterior border. He noted also that the base of the gaster was almost smooth. Both these features set armata apart from gabonensis. Bolton & Fisher made no specific comment on armata but make a blanket statement claiming "Gastral tergites 1-2 show much variation in density and intensity of sculpture".

Note - I find the Bolton & Fisher (2008b) separation off of a few specimens as Phrynoponera transversa far from convincing. The sole distinguishing character appears to be the strength and angling of the striations/rugae on the face. Among the material they list as examined for both species are specimens from Gabon, "Res. Monts Doudou, NW Doussala (B L Fisher)", and from the Central African Republic, "P.N. Dzanga-Ndoki, Lidjombo". The specimens shown below from a range of locations (including the Wheeler material synonymized by Bolton & Fisher) show a considerable variation in the frontal sculpture on the head. On the transversa page, I also show an illustration from Stitz (1910: 130), a paper not cited by Bolton & Fisher, that shows a worker one might identify as transversa and an associated queen that is close to the gabonensis I show below from Congo.

WORKER - TL 6.5-7.5 mm, mandibles 4-toothed, gaster shining and apical areas of head, body and appendages red. Wheeler (1922, type form illustrated, right) wrote of there being five forms in the collections before him and separated all the varieties (now synonyms) on the basis of colouration and/or sculpturation on the mandibles. All the specimens were found in the stomachs of toads.

The specimen from Zaïre (Wheeler, 1922), is also pictured by Hölldobler & Wilson (1990, page 91).

Bernard (1952) listed findings, most of variety fecunda, at Mt. Nimba by Lamotte (Nimba, locality not given, 1 female, 1 worker; Nion crest, 1300 m, 19.iv.1942, 1 worker, var. robustior; Camp IV, 1000m, 1 worker; Nion, 1 immature female. He felt it curious that the specimens of what seemed to otherwise be a tropical forest species should be found on the high crest and in cultivated land.

Described as widespread, at 6 sites, in the Ghana semi-deciduous forest zone, from leaf litter sampling, 24 workers, and soil, one specimen, by Belshaw & Bolton (1994b). A single worker was collected from the ground at CRIG by Bigger (1981a).

Phrynoponera heteroda Wheeler Type location Zaïre (Wheeler, 1922: 78, not illustrated. queen) collected at Stanleyville by Lang & Chapin; queen only known (see Bolton, 1995, who changed the spelling from heteroderus) - Now synonymised under gabonensis.

Wheeler (1922) described the single female as -
FEMALE (dealated), TL 9 mm. Very closely related to gabonensis but differing in its large size and - apical borders of mandibles 7-toothed, and in addition to the coarse punctures, striated in their apical halves. Antennae somewhat longer, funiculus joints 2-7 being as long as broad. Rugae on front and vertex coarser and more distinctly divergent, eyes somewhat smaller, the posterior corners of the head more acute, the clypeus bluntly bidentate as in gabonensis. Sculpture of thorax and petiole very similar, the gaster sculptured as in variety striatidens but even more sharply so the whole surface is opaque. Propodeal spines broad and flat as in gabonensis but the median petiolar tooth is nearly twice as long as the intermediate teeth. Pilosity if anything more abundant. Colour black, with mandibles, legs and posterior gaster dark castaneous brown.

The photomontage of a cotype of fecunda is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0178601.

The photomontage of the type of robustior is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=rmcaent000017728.

Oxford University Museum specimens

Phrynoponera gabonensis B Taylor det.	Liberia E Poirier Liabala PF 12	2.iv.2013 Nimba County 07°31’06" N 08°35’34" E	Pitfall trap Secondary forest 473 m asl	2
Phrynoponera gabonensis B Taylor det.	Liberia E Poirier Yekepa PF 3	29.iii.2013 Nimba County 07°33’38" N 08°32’33" E	Pitfall trap Degraded secondary forest 518 m asl	1
Phrynoponera gabonensis B Taylor det.	Liberia E Poirier Yekepa PF 6	29.iii.2013 Nimba County 07°33’38" N 08°32’33" E	Pitfall trap Degraded secondary forest 518 m asl	1
Phrynoponera gabonensis B Taylor det.	Liberia E Poirier Yekepa PF 17	29.iii.2013 Nimba County 07°33’38" N 08°32’33" E	Pitfall trap Degraded secondary forest 518 m asl	1
Phrynoponera gabonensis B Taylor det.	Ghana S Sky Stephens 06G0058	2006	in personal collection of S Sky Stephens	1
Phrynoponera gabonensis B Taylor det.	Gabon Y Braet Gabon 216	27.vi-10.vii.2006 Pongara 00°34' N 09°19' E	Leaf litter, winkler funnel	1
Phrynoponera gabonensis B Taylor det.	Congo E Zassi 07-t-2	8-9.xi.2007 Lésio-Louna 03°16'21.7" S 015°28'12.5" E	Gallery Forest; 24h pitfall trap	1
Phrynoponera gabonensis B Taylor det.	Central African Republic P Annoyer	12-18.x.2008 Dzanga-Sangha NP 03°03'58.3" N 16°08'59.6" E	Camp 1; 528 m; Ayous Barber campement	1

The photomontage is of a worker from Ghana, collected by S Sky Stephens, 2006.

The photomontage is of a worker from Gabon, Pongara National Park; collector Yves Braet (Gabon 216).

The photomontage is of a worker from Congo, Réserve de Lésio-Louna; collector Eric Zassi (sp 09).

The photomontage is of a worker from Liberia, Yekepa; collector E Poiriet (Yekepa PF 17).

The photomontage of a worker from Gabon is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0178229, used in the illustration by Bolton & Fisher (2008b, Fig. 2).
Collection Information: Ogooue-Maritime: Reserve de Faune de la Moukalaba-Dougoua, 12.2 km 305° NW Doussala; 02°19'00"S 010°32'00"E 110 m;: Collection codes: BLF02122; Collected by: B.L.Fisher; Habitat: rainforest; Date: 24 Feb 2000; Method: EC19 sifted litter; Transect Type: MW 50 sample transect, 5m Transect; Sample #: 09 Specimen chosen as exemplar in Bolton & Fisher (2008b)

The photomontage is of a cotype of Phyrnoponera gabonensis esta from Zaïre. The original photographs, together with enlarged images, are from the MCZ, Harvard University, website at - MCZ link.

The photomontage is of a cotype of Phyrnoponera gabonensis fecunda from Zaïre. The original photographs, together with enlarged images, are from the MCZ, Harvard University, website at - MCZ link.

The photomontage is of a cotype of Phyrnoponera gabonensis umbrosa from Zaïre. The original photographs, together with enlarged images, are from the MCZ, Harvard University, website at - MCZ link.