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The Ants of
Africa SUBFAMILY DOLICHODERINAE Genus Technomyrmex Mayr |
Technomyrmex Introduction |
Key to workers of African species
Derived in part from that compiled by Wheeler (1922) for Engramma;
with additions and amendments following Bolton (2007).
- | BT KEY | SPECIES | Bolton 2007 status |
1 | ![]() |
(subgenus Technomyrmex) 13 | . |
-- | ![]() |
(subgenus Engramma) 2 | |
- | (subgenus Engramma) | - | . |
2 | Notch on the clypeal margin more or less semi-circular with rounded lateral corners | 3 | . |
-- | Head shape cordiform, clypeus with distinct medial notch which has sharp corners | 5 | |
- | . | - | . |
3 | ![]() |
. | in arnoldinus group |
. | ![]() |
eastern &
southern Africa - arnoldinus |
in arnoldinus group |
-- | Pilosity much reduced or absent |
4 | . |
4 | Promesonotum
profile
flattened with a slight impression at pronotum-mesonotum suture;
clypeus with well-defined impression of anterior margin |
4A | . |
-- |
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Central
African Republic - dzangae n. sp. |
new species here |
4A | ![]() |
West Africa
& Congo Basin east to Kenya - andrei |
in bicolor group |
-- | ![]() |
Gabon - parandrei |
Bolton n.sp. in bicolor group |
-- | ![]() |
Central
African Republic - metandrei |
Bolton n.sp. in bicolor group |
- | Head shape cordiform, clypeus with distinct medial notch which has sharp corners | - | . |
5 | Long slender species with elongated head and alitrunk | 6 | . |
-- | Relatively short and without obvious elongation of head or alitrunk | 8 | |
6 | ![]() |
Mozambique - taylori |
as "taylori" in camerunensis group |
-- | Frontal carinae with 2-3 setae, the posteriormost close to the level of the rear of the eye | 7 | |
7 | ![]() |
. | . |
. | ![]() |
Cameroun and
Congo Basin east to Kenya - camerunensis |
new status in camerunensis group |
-- | ![]() |
Gabon - schoedli |
new species in camerunensis group |
- | . | - | . |
8 | Scapes surpassing the occiput | 9 | . |
-- | Scapes not surpassing the occiput | 10 | . |
9 | ![]() |
. | . |
. | ![]() |
East Africa -
ilgi |
in ilgi group |
-- | ![]() |
Eastern & southern Africa -
voeltzkowi |
in textor group [dubious grouping as all others have the clypeal margin shallowly impressed] |
- | . | - | . |
10 | Head roughly triangular with curved sides; propodeum profile no more than weakly convex | 11 | new species in lasiops group |
-- | Head, without the mandibles, as broad as long, deeply excavated behind; propodeum profile with a distinct rise from the metanotal groove and a domed transition to the decilivity | 12 | . |
11 | ![]() |
. | . |
. | ![]() |
Cameroun,
Gabon, Congo - lasiops |
new species in lasiops group |
-- | ![]() |
Zaïre, Cameroun & Gabon - lujae |
in lujae group |
12 | ![]() |
Congo Basin -
laurenti |
in laurenti group |
-- | ![]() |
Congo Basin - kohli |
j.syn. of laurenti in laurenti group |
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subgenus Technomyrmex | . | albipes
group . |
13 | Dorsum of head behind the clypeus entirely without erect hairs (setae); clypeal margin with a shallow median impression less than semicircular | 14 | textor group; parviflavus complex |
-- | Dorsum of head behind the clypeus with erect hairs present | 16 | |
14 | ![]() |
Cameroun - nsp Cameroun fk um20 |
new species |
-- | At least gastral tergites 1 without
hairs |
14A | . |
14A | ![]() |
. | . |
. | ![]() |
West Africa
& Congo Basin - senex |
new species - textor group; parviflavus complex |
-- | With gaster distinctly darker than the head and alitrunk; gastral tergites 1-3 without setae | 15 | . |
15 | ![]() |
. | . |
. | ![]() |
West Africa
& Congo Basin - parviflavus |
new species - textor group; parviflavus complex |
-- | ![]() |
Gabon - sycorax |
new species - textor group; parviflavus complex. |
- | . | . | . |
16 | ![]() |
. | . |
. | ![]() |
Zaïre - rusticus |
in albipes group but in no named complex. |
-- | Gastral tergites 2-3 with setae, ranging from 1-2 pairs to many | 17 | . |
17 | Dorsal or outer surfaces of middle and hind tibiae with numerous suberect to erect setae | 18 | . |
-- | Dorsal or outer surfaces of middle and hind tibiae without any setae | 19 | . |
18 | ![]() |
West Africa - semiruber | in albipes group |
-- | ![]() |
Cameroun - pilipes | unchanged, in schoutedeni group |
- | . | . | . |
19 | Dorsal surfaces of pro- and mesonotum without setae | 20 | . |
-- | Dorsal surfaces of either pro- and mesonotum, or both, with at least one pair of erect setae | 21 | |
20 | No image but very close to schoutedeni - TL 3.4-3.5 mm; clypeal notch broad and shallow, the median border without an impression; funicular joints shorter; colour yellowish red, gaster black, its segments narrowly bordered with yellow | Tanzania & Zaïre - zimmeri | in schoutedeni group |
-- | ![]() Type worker image poor due to a covering of glue. |
Zaïre - schoutedeni | in schoutedeni group |
. | . | . | . |
21 | ![]() |
22 | . |
-- | Head with one or more pairs of erect setae behind the level of the posterior margin of the eye | 25 | |
22 | ![]() |
Congo - new species Mayombe | in albipes group |
-- | Bicoloured or darker brown to black | 22A | . |
22A | ![]() |
Panafrican - nigriventris | in albipes group |
-- | Darker brown to black | 23 | |
23 | ![]() |
. | . |
. | ![]() |
West Africa & Congo Basin - moerens | . |
-- | Lateral margins of propodeal declivity with 1-3 pairs of erect setae | 24 | |
24 | ![]() |
Tramp species - albipes | in albipes group |
-- | ![]() |
tramp species, not known from Africa - vitiensis | in albipes group |
- | . | . | . |
25 | Larger species, HL > 0.80, HW > 0.75, SL > 0.70; propodeal profile with a long curved dorsum | 26 | . |
-- | Smaller species | 27 | |
26 | ![]() |
. | . |
. | ![]() |
Tanzania - hostilis | in albipes group |
-- | ![]() |
. | . |
. | ![]() |
Zimbabwe - menozzii | in albipes group |
27 | ![]() |
. . | . |
. | ![]() |
Pan-African & Tramp - pallipes | in albipes group |
-- | ![]() |
. | new species in albipes group |
. | ![]() |
Kenya & Tanzania - vapidus | new species in albipes group |
Described as widespread, 821 workers from fourteen sites, in Ghana semi-deciduous forest leaf litter by Belshaw & Bolton (1994b).
Described as widespread, 168 workers from eleven sites, in Ghana semi-deciduous forest leaf litter by Belshaw & Bolton (1994b).
Three workers found in secondary forest leaf litter at CRIG, Ghana, by Belshaw & Bolton (1994b) = nigriventris.
In Ghana, three workers were found in primary forest (Mankrang Forest Reserve) and cocoa (Asiakwa) leaf litter by Belshaw & Bolton (1994b).
Described as widespread, 530 workers from ten sites, in Ghana semi-deciduous forest leaf litter by Belshaw & Bolton (1994b).
From Bolton (2007) the three common species in Belshaw's findings can be deduced as T. andrei, T. moerens and T. parviflavus. The fourth remains enigmatic but T. andrei was sighted from Mankrang and T. parviflavus was sighted from Asiakwa.
From Ghana at the Mampong Cemetery Farm on leaf litter and herbs under cocoa (Room, 1971); also on cocoa at Kade by Majer (1975). Also collected by Bigger (1981a) at CRIG, 6 workers by pkd from Amelonado cocoa canopy and 19 from the ground under the cocoa.
From Ghana at the Mampong Cemetery Farm on leaf litter and nesting in dead wood under cocoa (Room, 1971).
Collected in Ghana by Bigger (1981a) at CRIG, 7 workers from the ground under Amelonado cocoa.
From Ghana at the Mampong Cemetery Farm on herbs under cocoa (Room, 1971).
From Ghana at the Mampong Cemetery Farm on leaf litter and nesting in dead wood under cocoa (Room, 1971).
Found on Ghana cocoa at Kade by Majer (1975, 1976b), using pkd, with 14-20 workers per sample.
From Ghana on cocoa mistletoe (Room, 1975).
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© 2007. 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014 - Brian
Taylor
CBiol FSB FRES 11, Grazingfield, Wilford, Nottingham, NG11 7FN, U.K. |
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