Promyopias silvestrii (Santschi)

Bolton, Barry & Fisher, Brian L., 2008, Afrotropical ants of the ponerine genera Centromyrmex Mayr, Promyopias Santschi gen. rev. and Feroponera gen. n., with a revised key to genera of African Ponerinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Zootaxa 1929, pp. 1-37 : 31

Promyopias silvestrii (Santschi) comb. rev.

( Figs 29–32 )

Myopias (Promyopias) silvestrii Santschi, 1914: 324 , fig. 10. Syntype workers, GUINEA: Mamou, 24.viii.1913 (F. Silvestri) (NHMB) [examined]. [Combination in Promyopias by Emery, 1915: 26; in Pseudoponera (Promyopias) by Wheeler, W.M. 1922: 779; in Promyopias by Brown, 1963: 10; in Centromyrmex by Bolton, 1995: 140.] Comb. rev.

Promyopias asili Crawley, 1916: 30 , fig. Holotype queen, MALAWI: Mlanje, 15.xi.1913 (S.A. Neave) (BMNH) [examined]. [Combination in Pseudoponera (Promyopias) by Wheeler, W.M. 1922: 779. Synonymy with silvestrii by Brown, 1963: 10.]

WORKER. TL 6.0–6.3, HL 1.05–1.16, HW 1.00–1.12, CI 95–99, ML 0.62–0.68, MI 55–61, SL 0.62–0.64, SI 57–62, PW 0.74–0.86, WL 1.78–1.90 (5 measured).

With characters of the genus and the following. Dorsum of head densely punctulate-costulate, the sculpture stops near the posterior margin so that the occipital surface is mostly smooth and shining. Ventral surface of head longitudinally striolate and with scattered small punctures. Head capsule deep, in profile the maximum depth about 0.75 × HL. Scapes and cephalic dorsum with dense long pubescence that may be elevated, but without long setae such as are present on the clypeus and inner mandibular margins. Pronotum bluntly and obtusely marginate anteriorly and laterally. Metanotal groove vestigial to distinct across the dorsum, not impressed in profile. Pronotal dorsum broadly and densely punctate except for the median strip, which is smooth. Punctate sculpture on mesonotum weaker and more widely spaced than on pronotum; on propodeal dorsum the punctures weaker still, very sparse and almost effaced posteriorly. Sides of mesosoma finely striolate everywhere, or at most with posterior portion of mesopleuron smooth. PW about 1.85 × the maximum width of the propodeal dorsum. Gastral tergites with scattered small punctures. Dorsal surfaces of body with conspicuous pubescence or very short standing hairs everywhere. Occasionally one or two longer setae may occur on the petiole and gastral tergites 1–3, but long conspicuous setae are mostly confined to the apical gastral segment and the gastral sternites.

QUEEN. TL 7.6, HL 1.14, HW 1.17, CI 103, OI 21, ML 0.72, MI 63, SL 0.68, SI 58, PW 0.97, WL 2.32. All main morphological characters of the worker are duplicated in the queen caste; see under diagnosis of the genus.

MALE: unknown.

An uncommon but widely distributed species. Its diet, presumably termites but not actually demonstrated, may be more restricted or specialised than in Centromyrmex . The morphology of the mandible is unique and immediately identifies silvestrii .

Material examined. Guinea: Mamou (F. Silvestri). Ivory Coast: For. de Teke, Anyama (T. Diomande); Lamto, Toumodi (J. Lévieux); Goudi (J. Lévieux). Cameroun: Prov. Sud-Ouest, Bimbia Forest, ESE Limbe (B.L. Fisher). Angola: S. Rob’t Williams (Ross & Lorenzen). Malawi: Mlanje (S.A. Neave)

Figures

FIGURES 25 – 32. Full face and lateral view of body. Figs 25 – 26: Centromyrmex sellaris worker CASENT 0066705; Figs 27 – 28: Feroponera ferox paratype worker CASENT 0102994; Figs 29 – 30: Promyopias silvestrii worker CASENT 0178751; Figs 31 – 32: Promyopias silvestrii queen CASENT 0178752.