Aenictus asantei Campione, Novak & Gotwald, 1983

Gómez, Kiko, 2022, A revision of the Afrotropical species of the Dorylinae ant genus Aenictus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) based on the worker caste, Belgian Journal of Entomology 124, pp. 1-86 : 17-18

Aenictus asantei Campione, Novak & Gotwald, 1983

( Figs 1 E , 3 A–E , 4 )

Aenictus asantei CAMPIONE, NOVAK & GOTWALD, 1983: 873 , 7 figs. (w., Q.)

Holotype, GHANA: Legon, University of Ghana (8mi. N Accra) (1w) [ MCZC: ENT:33040 ] MCZC [Images examined only, material seen on web].

WORKER HL: 0.72 [0.70-0.74]; HW: 0.70 [0.67-0.72]; SL: 0.58 [0.56-0.60]; WL: 1.24 [1.18- 1.29]; PL: 0.29 [0.27-0.29]; PH: 0.22 [0.20-0.22]; PPL: 0.26 [0.25-0.26]; PPH: 0.18 [0.17- 0.19]; CS: 0.71 [0.68-0.73]; CI: 97 [95-101]; SIL: 80 [80-81]; SIW: 82 [80-84]; WL/HW: 175 [171-178]; PI: 130 [122-134]; PPI: 141 [131-147]; CSR: 106; (n=5).

The types deposited at MNHN and BMNH ( CAMPIONE et al., 1983) couldn't be found, so the diagnosis below is based on workers from the type locality checked against the Holotype images at MCZBASE (https://mczbase.mcz.harvard.edu/guid/ MCZ:Ent:33040).

DIAGNOSIS. The long mandibles crossing one over the other when closed and the presence of some irregular longitudinal rugulae over mesopleurae and propodeum makes this species unmistakable. Its overall size, hairy propodeum and habitus could at first glance resemble A. eugenii , but both can be easily distinguished with the cited mandibular characters.

DESCRIPTION ( Fig. 1 E , 3 A–E ). CAMPIONE et al. (1983) offers an accurate description for both worker and queen castes. One of the biggest Afrotropical Aenictus species (HW~0.74, WL~1.26). Mandibles long, one closing tight against the clypeus with the apical tooth surpassing the opposite antennal insertion, and the other mandible crossed over it at an angle; apical tooth present, without preapical, sometimes (but not usually) followed by small denticles. Frontal ridges not fused, expanded in its laterobasal corner into a big projecting rounded triangle clearly visible in lateral or dorsal views. Parafrontal ridge present but weak. Ventrolateral margin present and extending ventrally to approximately half head’s length. Petiole with anterolateral and anterodorsal ridges present, sometimes a parallel ridge runs from the propodeal spiracle to the anterolateral ridge. Propodeal ridge developed and projecting, clearly visible in dorsal view. Petiole subsessile. subpetiolar process from elliptical to triangular, rounded, oriented downwards.

Head, pronotum, mesonotum, gaster, scapes and legs glassy smooth, mesopleurae and lateropropodeum longitudinally rugulose, dorsopropodeum from smooth to rugulose. Petiole with 1–2 (at most) horizontal rugulae extending horizontally at spiracle height, another maybe present dorsally. Petiole and postpetiole densely punctated.

Orange to dark brown. Whole body (including propodeal dorsum) covered with similar, abundant, very long greyish setae, the longest as long as petiole height. No pubescence noted.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED. GHANA: • Jukwa , C. R. (Gotwald) (3w) [ NHMUK012849241 ] BMNH; Legon , A. D. (Leston, D.) (2w) [ NHMUK012849242 ] BMNH .

DISTRIBUTION. West Africa, known from Southern Ghana ( Fig. 4 ).

Figures

Fig. 1. Mandibular and clypeal shapes for the different species groups. A, gr. rotundatus (Aenictus guineensis, CASENT0876634). B, gr. koloi (Aenictus koloi, sp. nov., KGCOL00552). C, gr. eugenii (Aenictus eugenii, CASENT0235822). D, gr. eugenii (Aenictus mvuvii, sp. nov., CASENT0350555). E, gr. popeyei (Aenictus popeyei, sp. nov., CASENT0810234). F, gr. decolor (Aenictus decolor, CASENT0317077). G, gr. asantei (Aenictus asantei, NHMUK012849241). H, gr. rixator (Aenictus rixator, CASENT0907030).

Fig. 3. Aenictus asantei, worker (NHMUK012849241). A, head, dorsal view. B, habitus, lateral view. C, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole, lateral view. D, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole, dorsal view. E, mandibles and clypeus, dorsal view.

Fig. 4. Distribution of A. asantei.