Simopone annettae Kutter
Type location Cameroun
(Simopone annettae n. sp.,
Kutter, 1976: 273, fully illustrated, queen) from Fo-Tabe, 5°31'N,
9°35'E, collected by Kutter, 11.i.1937; known only from a single winged
female recognised by Kutter as separable from the females of Simopone
conciliatrix .
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PUTATIVE WORKER (Bolton & Fisher, 2012: 18) HL
0.79–0.86, HW 0.50–0.59, SL 0.23–0.28, EL 0.26–0.30, PW 0.39–0.45, AIIW
0.38–0.46, AIIL 0.37–0.44, AIIIW 0.45–0.56, AIIIL 0.46–0.56, WL
0.90–1.04, MFL 0.40– 0.46, CI 65–69, SI 43–48, EL/HW 0.48–0.51, EP
0.90–1.00, AIIW/AIIL 1.03–1.07, AIIIW/AIIIL 0.96–1.02 (5 measured).
With head in full-face view the outlines of the outer
margins of the eyes fractionally fail to interrupt, or at most just
interrupt, the outlines of the sides of the head at their midlength. ES
0.23–0.26 and width of head across broad- est part of eyes 0.52–0.58.
Frontal carinae extend back to level of anterior margins of eyes and
are weakly divergent posteriorly. Cephalic dorsum with scattered broad,
shallow punctures. Conspicuous ground sculpture is present between the
eyes, organised into roughly longitudinal fine costulae or striolae
between the punctures; ground sculpture fades out behind the level of
the eyes. Leading edge of scape with a few setae, inclined toward the
scape apex. Sides of head below and behind eyes with projecting short
setae, inclined anteriorly. Cephalic dorsum with numerous short, curved
setae and with a few pairs of longer setae present; longest setae occur
on the frontal carinae and above the eye. Ventral surface of head with
short setae. Mesosoma in dorsal view narrowest across the mesonotum
(maximum width 0.37–0.46), broadest across the propodeum (maximum width
0.39–0.48). Anterior margin of pronotum weakly marginate. Propodeum
with a fine weak carina between dorsum and declivity. Entire dorsum of
mesosoma with widely spaced broad, shallow punctures. Mesopleuron with
a few punctures and a distinct transverse sulcus. Propodeal declivity
smooth except for a narrow band of disorganised superficial sculpture
immediately below the dorsal carina. In profile, dorsal surfaces of
mesosoma and all abdominal tergites with numerous posteriorly curved
setae. Standing setae present on middle and hind tibiae. AII (petiole)
in dorsal view with a weak transverse carina both anteriorly and
posteriorly, the sides convex, broadest behind the midlength; the width
across the anterior margin is somewhat less than across the posterior
margin. Dorsum of AII with large, shallow punctures whose diameters are
mostly equal to or greater than the distances that separate them. On
tergite of AIII the punctures are of similar size but slightly more
crowded, so that some are adjacent. AII broader than long, AIII about
as broad as long, AIV distinctly broader than long (width 0.44–0.60,
length 0.47–0.54; AIVW/ AIVL 1.19–1.24). Head capsule and body black;
scapes and funiculi light brown; femora and tibiae brown.
QUEEN (alate gyne). Answers the description of the worker and is about
the same size, but winged and with a full complement of flight
sclerites. HL 0.90, HW 0.61, SL 0.29, EL 0.30, PW 0.49, AIIW 0.47, AIIL
0.45, AIIIW 0.56, AIIIL 0.63, CI 68, SI 48, EL/HW 0.49, EP 1.18,
AIIW/AIIL 1.04, AIIIW/AIIIL 0.89; mesoscutum maximum width 0.52,
mesoscutum maximum length 0.32.
S. annettae was
originally described from a single alate queen. The workers described
above form the closest possible match to the holotype and are
tentatively described here as the workers of the species..
Material examined. Ghana: Afwerase (P. Room). Cameroun: Fo-Tabe (H.
Kutter). Gabon: Prov. Ogooue- Maritime, Res. Monts Doudou, NW Doussala
(B.L. Fisher); Res. Monts Doudou, NW Doussala (S. van Noort). Central
African Republic: P.N. Dzanga-Ndoki, Lidjombo (B.L. Fisher). Democratic
Republic of Congo: Yangambi, rive Lubilu (Raignier & van
Boven).
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