Pyramica (Serrastruma) mckeyi Taylor new species

Type location Cameroon  .

WORKER DESCRIPTION: Entire body, except the gaster and central area of lateral mesonotum, reticulopunctate, coarsest on the head. Erect hairs few, most being on the gaster, relatively long, narrow and clavate. Appressed narrow clavate hairs on the dorsal head and alitrunk. Long sinuous hairs at the humeral angles and on the head above the eyes. Colour dull yellow to yellowish-brown.

TL 1.96 mm, HL 0.45, HW 0.36, CI 90, SL 0.26, SI 68, PW 0.25

TL 1.9-2.3; larger and less pilose than lujae (Bolton, 1983: 349, illustrated) - previously placed by me under Pyrmica concolor.

Named in recognition of Professor Doyle McKey, who asked me to try and identify specimens from the Cameroon Project and, unknowingly, inspired me to embark on the expansion of the website.

The specimens are deposited in the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.

Oxford University Museum specimens

Pyramica mckeyi B Taylor det.

Cameroun G Debout & A Dalecky Cameroon 113

25.iii.2001 Kienké 2°52.02' N 9°59.13' E

from on Leonardoxa africana africana 8 specimens on 3 points

3

The photomontage is of workers collected in Cameroun - south-western tropical coastal forest area between Edéa and Campo (McKey Wolbachia project) - Cameroon 113 from location KIEN, 25 March 2001 (Kienké - swamp/river alongside plantations at 2°52.02' N 9°59.13'; marshy land); from on Leonardoxa africana africana. 

Second worker