Tapinoma luridum Emery subspecies longiceps, Wheeler, W. M., 1922

Wheeler, W. M., 1922, The ants collected by the American Museum Congo Expedition., Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45, pp. 39-269 : 208

Tapinoma luridum Emery subspecies longiceps , new subspecies

Worker.-2.5 to 3 mm. Larger than the typical form and the subspecies connexum Santschi and differing also in the following characters. The head is longer, narrower behind and the posterior border is straight, not convex, as figured by Santschi for connexum , nor concave, as described by Emery for the type. The anterior clypeal border is straight in the middle, not feebly notched, and the scapes surpass the occipital border by nearly a third of their length. The eyes are decidedly smaller than in either of the other forms of the species. The thorax and petiole agree with Santschi's figure of connexum . The body is uniformly lustrous or moderately shining, the pilosity as described by Emery for the type, the pubescence exceedingly fine so that it somewhat dims the shining surface. The color is uniformly brown, except the tarsi, which are pale brownish yellow.

Described from numerous specimens found by Lang, Chapin, and Bequaert nesting in a deserted carton termitarium on a tree on the forested bank of the Congo River at Zambi. This form is so distinct that it may prove to be an independent species.