Nylanderia mendica ( Menozzi, 1942 )

Lapolla, John S., Hawkes, Peter G. & Fisher, Brian L., 2011, Monograph of Nylanderia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the World, Part I: Nylanderia in the Afrotropics, Zootaxa 3110, pp. 10-36 : 21

Nylanderia mendica ( Menozzi, 1942)

( Figs. 37–39 , 81 [worker])

Paratrechina (Nylanderia) mendica Menozzi, 1942: 179 (worker and queen described). Syntype worker and queen, EQUATO- RIAL GUINEA: Fernando Po Island [not examined, depository unknown]. LaPolla et al., 2010: 127, combination in Nylanderia .

Worker diagnosis: Overall color dark brown; mesosoma laterally striated; mesonotum rugulose; gaster dorsally and ventrally striated.

Compare with: N. brevisetula

WORKER. Measurements (n = 4): TL: 2.42–2.86; HW: 0.56–0.66; HL: 0.65–0.72; EL: 0.15–0.18; SL: 0.78– 0.86; PW: 0.41–0.43; WL: 0.85–1.0; GL: 0.92–1.16

Indices: CI: 81–95; REL: 20–26; SI: 130–144

Overall dark brown, with lighter mandibles, antennae, trochanters, joints of legs and tarsi; yellowish around acidopore. Head and mesosoma rugulose; gaster with distinct striations along dorsal and ventral surfaces. Head with erect and appressed macrosetae; posterior margin broadly rounded, with distinctly rounded posterolateral corners; medially posterior margin slightly emarginate; scapes surpass posterior margin by about the length of the first 3–4 funicular segments; scapes with erect macrosetae and a layer of pubescence (SMC = 30–50). Mesosoma laterally faintly striated; mesonotum rugulose; pronotum and mesonotum with scattered erect macrosetae (PMC = 2; MMC = 2–3); pronotum gently rounded toward mesonotum; metanotal area elongate and rugulose; dorsal face of propodeum dome-like, but lower than mesonotum, dorsal face and declivitous face about the same length. Gaster with suberect to erect and appressed macrosetae.

The queen and male castes are currently unknown for this species.

Non-type material examined. CAMEROON: Prov. Sud PN Campo, 43.3 km 108° ESE Campo, 2°17.0' N, 10°12.4' E, 290 m, 7 April 2000 (B.L. Fisher); CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: PN Dzanga-Ndoki, 21.4km 53° NE Bayanga, 3°02.01' N, 16°24.57' E, 510 m, 6 May 2001 (S. van Noort); D.R. CONGO: Epulu, 1°23' N, 28°35' E *, Nov 1995 (S.D. Torti); GABON: Prov. Ogooue-Maritime, Reserve des Monts Doudou, 24.3 km, 307° NW Doussala, 2°13.35' S, 10°24.35' E, 370 m, 8 March 2000 (S. van Noort).

Notes. The striated pronotum and gaster make this species fairly easy to identify. The only species with which it could be confused is N. brevisetula , but the short notal setae of that species make it fairly easy to distinguish between N. mendica and N. brevisetula . As both N. mendica and N. brevisetula have striations on the gaster (although they are faint and found only on the dorsum in N. brevisetula ) and similar looking heads, they may be sister species. Unfortunately, males are currently unknown for both species.

Figures

FIGURES 31 – 45. Afrotropical Nylanderia species in various views: lepida (male, 31 – 33, CASENT 0217337, Gabon); luteafra (worker, 34 – 36, CASENT 0179584, Gabon); mendica (worker, 37 – 39, CASENT 0179590, Gabon); natalensis (worker, 40 – 42, CASENT 0396096; male, 43 – 45, CASENT 0396027; both from South Africa)

FIGURES 73 – 88. Scapes of Afrotropical Nylanderia species (workers only): boltoni (73, CASENT 0179580, Gabon); bourbonica (74, CASENT 0101309, Reunion); brevisetula (75, CASENT 0090304, Central African Republic); impolita (76, CASENT 0179589, Gabon); incallida (77, CASENT 0179576, Ivory Coast); jaegerskioeldi (78, CASENT 0179577, Kenya); lepida (79, CASENT 0179591, Gabon); luteafra (80, CASENT 0179584, Gabon); mendica (81, CASENT 0179590, Gabon); natalensis (82, CASENT 0396096, South Africa); scintilla (83, CASENT 0179579, Ivory Coast); silvula (84, LACMENT 272717, Kenya); umbella (85, CASENT 0179583, Cameroon); usambarica (86, CASENT 0235343, Tanzania); vaga (87, CASENT 0104253, U. S. A); vividula (88, CASENT 0103260, U. S. A.)