Aenictus villiersi Bernard, 1953

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 : 24

Aenictus villiersi Bernard, 1953

( Figs 9 A–D , 10 )

Aenictus villiersi BERNARD, 1953: 221 , fig. 7 (w.)

Syntypes, GUINEA: forêt du Nimba nord est, 700 m. ix-1946 (Villiers) (4w) [ EY9136 , EY20210 , EY20211 , EY20212 ]. Material examined and remounted on four different pins, EY9136 with original labels.

DESCRIPTION ( Fig. 9 A–D ). WORKER: HL: 0.71 [0.70-0.73]; HW: 0.72 [0.70-0.74]; SL: 0.7 [0.69-0.72]; WL: 1.21 [1.14-1.26]; PL: 0.27 [0.26-0.28]; PH: 0.21 [0.21-0.22]; PPL: 0.23 [0.21- 0.23]; PPH: 0.18 [0.17-0.18]; CS: 0.71 [0.7-0.72]; CI: 101 [98-105]; SIL: 99 [95-102]; SIW: 97 [94-102]; WL/HW: 167 [163-170]; PI: 125 [118-133]; PPI: 128 [116-135]; CSR: 102; (n=4).

Aenictus villiersi fits the description of A. batesi and A. decolor , except for SIL considerably larger, the biggest of all the Afrotropical species (~100), subpetiolar process considerably smaller and shaped as a quarter of ellipse with its vertical side oriented forward, instead of subrectangular as in the other two sibling species. Petiole with dorsolateral ridges small but present, extending to the spiracle; in dorsal view forming a small flat platform differentiable from petiolar node (this character also present in some A. decolor samples). Also see discussion under A. bidentatus .

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED. GUINEA: • Nzérékoré, Forêt Mt Leclerc ( Mount Nimba ), 7.66878, -8.41697 19/04/2017. Monolithe (Kolo, Y.). Forest (1w) [ KY00118GUI ] YKPC.

DISTRIBUTION. West Africa, known only from one location, Mount Nimba in Guinea ( Fig. 10 ).

Figures

Fig. 9. Aenictus villiersi, syntype (CASENT0915327). A, head, dorsal view. B, habitus, lateral view. C, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole, lateral view. D, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole, dorsal view.

Fig. 10. Distribution of Aenictus villiersi.