The
Ants of Africa
CONTENTS |
UNDERSTANDING THE SITE AND QUICK ACCESS PAGES
Preface - with
explanatory notes.
Acknowledgement
of the support and provision of facilities for this website; also, the
contributors of specimens and information.
Frontispiece and Summary
- a Quick Tour of the Ants of Nigerian Cocoa, with links to the main
text.
The Many Faces of West
African Ants - a selection of the many genera of ants, with
links to the main text.
Taxonomic Name Indices
- to find species names, modern and historic, and coded "forms" listed
in modern literature; also quick access to currently recognised genera.
Catalogues
List of Maps,
Illustrations, Figures and Tables.
Ancillary collections of ants from North Africa, Egypt, the
Middle East, Iran and The Maldives - Miscellaneous
ants.
The
Taylor guide to "Ants of the Nigerian Forest Zone", published by the
Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, 1976-1980, with an update as at
January 2009.
New, developed
and enhanced Keys developed for this website.
Taxonomic
changes and additions to previously described species first recorded on
this website.
New
genera and species recorded on this website - fully updated as at 8 February 2010.
BIOLOGY AND DISTRIBUTION
Chapter 1 -
Fascinating Ants
Chapter 2 - Geography & History
- The Exploration of
Africa by Europeans and Colonial Development - up to ca 1907.
- General History of ant
collecting and identification.
- Compilation of known
ant collectors - 1770 to the present.
- General Geography of
West Africa & the Congo Basin.
- Geography &
History - Ghana.
- Geography &
History - Nigeria.
- Geography &
History - Cameroun.
- Geography &
History - Ivory Coast.
- Geography &
History - Guinea.
- Geography &
History - Other West African Countries - Benin, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau,
Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.
- Geography &
History - Sub-Saharan Burkino Faso, Chad, Mali & Niger.
- Geography &
History - Congo Basin - Central African Republic, Congo DR, Congo -
Zaïre, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, São
Thomé.
- Geography &
History - Northeast Africa - Sudan, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea
& Somalia.
- Geography &
History - East Africa - Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania
& Mozambique.
- Geography &
History - Angola.
- Geography &
History - Southeastern Africa - Botswana, Malawi, Lesotho, Namibia,
South Africa, Zambia & Zimbabwe.
Chapter 3 - Mosaics
Chapter 4 - Economic Importance of Ants
Chapter 5 - Biodiversity and Niches
- Niches.
- More on Niches.
- Ant Ecology in Guinea -
Bernard and Lamotte.
- Examples of Diverse
Habitats.
- Summary Tables from various published surveys.
- New thoughts on diversity and
distribution.
Derived mostly from modern surveys and other collecting identified by
B. Taylor (most otherwise unpublished). Also incorporating distribution
information in modern taxonomic works and sources such as Antweb.com.
- Ants
collected in Benin by Séverin Tchibozo, 2007.
- Ants collected in
Cameroun, by Debout & Dalecky, 2001.
- Ants collected
in the Central African Republic, by Philippe Annoyer, 1998, 2005
& 2008.
- Ants
collected in the Congo, by Yves Braet & Eric Zassi, 2007.
- Ants from
Congo, Réserve de Lésio-Louna, collected by Eric
Zassi, 2007.
- Ants
collected in Gabon, by Yves Braet, 2006, with reference to
the published findings (Braet & Taylor, 2008).
- Ants
collected in Ghana, by S. Sky Stephens, 2005.
- Ants collected
in South Africa by Peter Hlavác, 2004, and others.
- Ants
photographed in South Africa by Joan Young and others, 2008.
- Ants
collected in the Usambara Mountains, Tanzania, by Valery Grebennikov,
2002.
- Ants
collected by tree canopy sampling in the Mkomazi Game Reserve, Tanzania
by George McGavin, 1995-1997. The page is linked to a draft
manuscript interpreting the findings.
- Ants
collected in Sudan, by Awatif Omer, 2005 & 2006 and 2009.
- Ants
collected in miscellaneous countries
Sahelian - Morocco, Tunisia, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Mali
West African - Senegal, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Cameroun
East & Southern Africa - Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania (south)
- Ants
collected in Kenya, by Roy Snelling, and posted on AntWeb.org; note
identifications by me differ in some instances from those of Snelling.
Chapter 6 - Taxonomy
THE CATALOGUE
KEY TO
SUBFAMILIES
Subfamily
Aenictinae - Genus Aenictus -
35 species; 14 with workers described; 21 species known only from the
males; a new key to workers is provided. Descriptions are available for
all but two of the males. Illustrations are given in the form of
drawings for 11 of the workers and (genitalia) for 17 of the males,
and, photographs for 4 workers.
Subfamily
Aenictogitoninae - Genus Aenictogiton
- With new key, males only known, seven species. Descriptions of all.
Descriptions of all are available with drawings for five species and
photographs of two.
Subfamily
Amblyoponinae - introduction and key for separation
of genera.
- Genus
Amblyopone - three species, plus four
undescribed species (one a queen, possibly of one of the named
species); with descriptions available for all the named species, with
drawings of two species and photographs of all eight forms.
- Genus
Concoctio - monotypic, with a
description, drawing and photograph.
- Genus
Mystrium - One species, with a
description, drawing and photograph.
- Genus
Prionopelta - three species, with a
new key to all three, plus one species from Madagascar; all with
descriptions, drawings and photographs.
Subfamily
Apomyrminae - Genus Apomyrma -
monotypic, with description, drawing and photograph.
Subfamily
Cerapachyinae - introduction and separation of
genera.
- Genus
Cerapachys - 28 species, of which
three species are known only from the male; an updated key to workers
of 25 species; with descriptions of all species, drawings of 17 and
photographs of ten.
- Genus
Simopone - thirteen species, two known
are only from the queen; With an updated key to workers; full or
partial descriptions are available for all species, with drawings of
eight and photographs of nine.
- Genus
Sphinctomyrmex - two definitive
species known from males; plus incompletely described workers of
unnamed species from Ivory Coast and Gabon; descriptions are available
for two species, with drawings of three and photographs of two.
Subfamily
Dolichoderinae - introduction and separation of
genera.
- Genus
Axinidris - 22 species, with a key;
descriptions of all are available, with drawings or SEM images of 15,
and photographs of nine five without a drawing).
- Genus
Ecphorella - monotypic, the
description is available, plus a drawing and a photograph.
- Genus
Linepithema - one species is known as
an exotic in South Africa, with description and photograph.
- Genus
Tapinoma - 17 species, with an
original key; descriptions are available for all, with drawings of
eleven and photographs of eleven.
- Genus
Technomyrmex - 27 species (following
the review by Bolton, 2007), one species is known only from the queen;
With a key to all, the descriptions of all species are available;
drawings are available of 21 species and photographs of eleven.
Subfamily Dorylinae
- Genus Dorylus - introduction and new
key to subgenera, plus four subsections:
- Subgenus Alaopone
- 14 species, workers are known only of six species; the others are
known only as males; (vi.2009) keys are given to the workers and, on a
linked page, the males; descriptions are available of all the species
and drawings of all but one, in the case of males the illustrations are
of the genitalia; there are photographs of the workers of one species.
- Subgenus Anomma
- introduction; a new revision and key - 29 species,
of which six are known only from sexual stages; descriptions of all
species are available; drawings are included of 21 species and there
are photographs of twenty-five.
- Subgenus Dorylus
- 21 species, eight are known only from males and three only from a
queen. with a new key to workers; descriptions are available for all
species, drawings are shown for workers of eight species, for four
males (genitalia) and for three queens; also photographs of workers of
9 species.
- Subgenus Rhogmus
- Six species, only two are known as workers; descriptions are
available for all, with drawings of workers of one species, of one
queen and of the male genitalia of two species; keys are provided to
separate the males and the workers; there are photographs of one male.
- Subgenus Typhlopone
- nine species (as at August 2009), with descriptions of all forms,
also drawings and photographs.
Subfamily
Formicinae - with key to genera.
- Genus
Acropyga - three named species, with
descriptions and drawings of all three, plus photographs of two; also
an undescribed species, with an electron micrograph.
- Genus
Agraulomyrmex - two species from
southern Africa, with descriptions and drawings.
- Genus
Anoplolepis - 13 species, with a new
key to all known workers; two species are known only from males
& queens and one species is known only from the queen;
descriptions are available for all species, with drawings of three
species and photographs of five species.
- Genus
Aphomomyrmex - one species; the
description, drawings and photographs are available.
- Genus
Brachymyrmex - one undescribed
species; the description and a photomontage are available.
- Genus
Camponotus with a guide and
subsections for the subgenera:
- subgenus
Mayria - no species from mainland
Africa; two examples from Madagascar given.
- subgenus
Myrmacrhaphe - ten species, with a
new key; with descriptions of all, a photograph of five species, and
drawings of all but one; plus one undescribed form with a drawing.
- subgenus
Myrmamblys - four species, with a
new key; with descriptions of all; drawings of two species and
photographs of one.
- subgenus
Myrmespera - 10 species, one
species known only from the queen; with a new key to workers;
descriptions of all and drawings of seven species.
- subgenus
Myrmisolepis - five species; with
a new key to workers; descriptions of all, drawings of three species
and photographs of three.
- subgenus
Myrmonesites - one species is
transferred from subgenus Myrmopiromis as first
member from mainland Africa; all others are known from Madagascar. With
a description and drawing.
- subgenus
Myrmopelta - five species, with a
new key; descriptions of all, drawings of two species and photographs
of five species.
- subgenus
Myrmopiromis - seven species, one
with only the worker known, one with the worker and queen but not the
major (soldier); with a new key; descriptions of all are available,
with drawings of five species and photographs of two.
- subgenus
Myrmopsamma - two species from
sandy areas of southern Africa; descriptions and drawings of both
species are available.
- subgenus
Myrmosaga - eight species from
mainland Africa; descriptions are available for all; with drawings of
three species, and photographs of three.
- subgenus
Myrmosericus - 11 species; with a
new key; descriptions of all are available, with drawings of four
species and a photographs of four.
- subgenus
Myrmotrema - 31 species, with a
new key; descriptions of all are available, with drawings of seven
species and photographs of seven.
- subgenus
Myrmoxygenys - monotypic, with
descriptions and drawings.
- subgenus
Orthonotomyrmex - eight species,
with a new key; descriptions of all are available, with drawings of six
species and photographs of four.
- subgenus
Paramyrmamblys - 17 species, one
known only from the queen, with a new key; descriptions of all are
available, with drawings of 10 species and photographs of one.
- subgenus
Tanaemyrmex - 57 species, with a
new key to all but five species, one is known only from the queen; With
descriptions of all, drawings of 33, and photographs of 25; separate
pages provide a re-description of Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex)
maculatus (Fabricius) sensu stricto and a separate
compilation of the numerous purported subspecies and junior synonyms.
- undetermined
forms.
- Genus
Cataglyphis - 10 species but two may
have been mistakenly identified; with a key; descriptions of all are
available, with drawings of eight species and photographs of nine.
- Genus
Lepisiota - 54 species, plus two
possibly undescribed species, one species is known only from the sexual
stages; with new keys to species-groups and workers; drawings of 37
species and photographs of twenty-one.
- Genus
Oecophylla - revised to contain four
species; "Oecophylla longinoda", with re-examination
of variability and a new key; descriptions are given of all, darwings o
atwo and photographs of all four.
- Genus
Paratrechina - 17 species, one is
known only from the sexual stages and one is undescribed; a new key has
been developed; descriptions of all are available, with drawings of 13
species and photographs of ten.
- Genus
Petalomyrmex - monotypic, description,
drawing and photographs provided.
- Genus
Phasmomyrmex - four species, one is
known only from the queen; descriptions of all are available, also
drawings of three and photographs of one.
- Genus
Plagiolepis - 21 species; with key;
descriptions of all are available, also drawings of 12 and photographs
of seven.
- Genus
Polyrhachis - 47 species, one is known
only from the queen; with an enhanced key; descriptions of all,
drawings of 45 and photographs of eleven.
- Genus
Pseudolasius - five species, with a
key adapted from Menozzi (1924b); plus descriptions and drawings of
all, also photographs of one.
- Genus
Santschiella - monotypic, with
description, drawing and photographs.
- Genus
Tapinolepis - nine species, with a new
key to all known species, including one from North Africa; descriptions
are available of all, with drawings of three species and photographs of
three species.
Subfamily
Leptanillinae - Genus Leptanilla
- three species, with descriptions and drawings of all.
Subfamily
Myrmicinae - with illustrated key to 38 genera.
Note 1 - Fernandez (2004) has synonymized Afroxyidris,
Oligomyrmex
and Paedalgus
in the genus Carebara
Note 2 - Baroni Urbani & de Andrade
(2007) have reverted Bolton's (1999) revival of Pyramica
by synonymizing it and all the genera synonymized by Bolton under Pyramica
under the prior genus Strumigenys. The synonymy
also included Quadristruma [which I missed as under
Pyramica according to Bolton (1999)].
To those, like myself, trying to identify species, this produces yet
another over-large genus and, so, for simpler use of keys, I retain all
the Bolton (1995) genera as subgenera under Strumigenys.
- Genus
Adelomyrmex - unproven from Africa.
- Genus
Afroxyidris - monotypic, with a
description, drawing and photograph.
- Genus Anillomyrma
- one undescribed species from Tanzania.
- Genus
Ankylomyrma - monotypic, with a
description, drawing and photograph.
- Genus
Atopomyrmex - three species; with key,
descriptions and drawings of all are available, with photographs of
three.
- Genus
Baracidris - two species; with
descriptions,drawings and photographs of both.
- Genus
Bondroitia - two species, one known
only from sexual stages; descriptions of both are available, with a
drawing and photographs of one species.
- Genus
Calyptomyrmex - 16 species; with a key
to workers, descriptions of all are available, with drawings of
thirteen, and photographs of five.
- Genus
Cardiocondyla - 12 species, one known
from the queen only; with a key to workers; descriptions of all are
available, with drawings of ten and photographs of six.
- Genus
Carebara - 11 species; only five
species are known from workers; with keys to workers and queens (eight
species); descriptions of all are available, with drawings of seven and
photographs of two.
- Genus
Cataulacus - 39 species; with a key;
descriptions of all species are available; with drawings of twenty-five
species and photographs of seventeen.
- Genus
Crematogaster - introduction and an
updated key to subgenera, which are considered in separate sections;
and list of species and forms plus subsections
covering
- subgenus
Atopogyne - 17 species; with new
key to workers of all but one species; descriptions are available of
all but one species, with drawings of eight and photographs of eight.
- subgenus
Crematogaster sensu stricto - 67
species, two are known only from the queen and two remain undescribed;
with a new key to workers; descriptions of all are available, plus 41
drawings and photographs of twenty-six.
- subgenus
Decacrema - six species, with new
key; descriptions are available for all, with drawings of four species
and photographs of three.
- subgenus
Eucrema - included as a single
unnamed species was referred to by Bolton, with a drawing, in an
unpublished key to the genus
- subgenus
Nematocrema - three species, two
species are known only from the queen; two species with descriptions
available and a drawing of one.
- subgenus
Orthocrema - 14 species, with a
new key; descriptions are available of all, with drawings of seven
species and photographs of six.
- subgenus
Oxygyne - five species; with a new
key, descriptions, drawings and photographs of of all are available.
- subgenus
Sphaerocrema - 32 species, three
known only as queens; with a new key to workers; descriptions are
available of all, plus drawings of 20 species and photographs of
twenty-three.
- subgenus
uncertain.
- Genus
Cyphoidris - four species; with
updated key; descriptions of all are available, with drawings and
photographs of two.
- Genus
Decamorium - two species; descriptions
of both species are available, with a photograph of one
- Genus
Dicroaspis - two species;
descriptions, drawings and photographs of both are available.
- Genus
Diplomorium - monotypic, with a
description, drawing and photograph available.
- Genus
Melissotarsus - four species (one new
and unnamed), with key; descriptions, drawings and photographs are
available of all.
- Genus
Meranoplus - eight species, with key;
descriptions and drawings are available for all species, with
photographs of two.
- Genus Messor
- 17 species; with descriptions available of all, drawings of 10
species
and photographs of four.
- Genus
Metapone - one species; undescribed, a
photograph is available.
- Genus
Microdaceton - five species; with new
key; descriptions, drawings and photographs are available of all.
- Genus
Monomorium - 153 species; with an
introduction and new key Monomorium
morphological groups for all Africa based on the
species-groupings adopted by Bolton (1987); in part, that format
replaced the earlier subgenera, which were synonymised by Bolton;
descriptions are available for all species, with drawings of 94 species
and photographs of 45 (five without drawings).
- Genus
Myrmicaria - 23 species, one is known
from the male only. With a new key and descriptions of all but one
species; separate species page with descriptions of all but one
species, drawings of 20 and photographs of seven.
- Genus
Nesomyrmex - revived status Bolton
(2003); 10 species; with a new key; descriptions are available of all
species, also drawings of nine and photographs of three.
- Genus
Ocymyrmex - 37 species; modern
descriptions of all are available together with a modern key, plus
drawings of 23 and photographs of four.
- Genus
Oligomyrmex - 33 species, three not
fully described, eight known only from the worker (or worker and queen)
and two known only from the queen. With new keys to major and minor
workers; descriptions are available of all but onespecies, with
drawings of 17 species and photographs of nine.
- Genus
Paedalgus - nine species are
recognised, one only from the queen, with a key to workers;
descriptions of all species are available, with drawings of eight
species and photographs of two (one without a drawing).
- Genus
Pheidole - 82 species, including seven
undescribed forms; one only from sexual morphs and one with a dubious
status; descriptions are available of all but two species, with
drawings of 44 and photographs of 48 (five of which are not shown as
drawings); keys to both major and minor workers have been developed
which cover all but seven of the species; to help with comparison of
species, a number of tentative species-groups have been adopted -
- Genus
Pheidologeton - eight species, of
which one is a dubious record of the tramp species, P.
diversus, the worker is known for only four species;
descriptions are available all, with drawings of three and photographs
of two.
- Genus Pongara
- (provisional) new genus, one species, with genus
definition, species description and photographs.
- Genus
Pristomyrmex - five species, with a
key; descriptions and drawings of all are available, also photographs
of three.
- Genus
Rhoptromyrmex - five species, one
known only from the queen; descriptions and drawings are available of
all, plus photographs of three.
- Genus
Solenopsis - 12 species, one known
only from the queen; with a new key to major and minor workers;
descriptions are available of all, with drawings of eight species and
photographs of three.
- Genus Strumigenys (note I have retained
the pre-Bolton, 1999, subdivisions to facilitate use of the keys)
- subgenus
Strumigenys - 44 species, with an
updated key; descriptions are available for all but two species, with
drawings of 30 species and photographs of twenty-four.
- subgenus
Quadristruma - monotypic, with
information, drawings and photographs available.
- subgenus
Pyramica
- subgenus
Cladarogenys - monotypic; with
a
description and drawings.
- subgenus
Epitritus - six species, with
a
key to workers; descriptions are available of all with a key to
workers; drawings are given for four species and photographs of two.
- subgenus
Glamyromyrmex - 12 species,
with a
key to workers; all species have descriptions available, nine with
drawings, seven with photographs.
- subgenus
Serrastruma - 12 species, one
is
known only from inquiline queens; with an updated key; a separate page
has details of all the species, with descriptions available of all;
drawings of 10 species and photographs of eight.
- subgenus
Smithistruma, including the
synonymised Miccostruma; 36 species, with an
updated key; descriptions are available of all; drawings of 24 species
and photographs of sixteen.
- subgenus
Trichoscapa - monotypic tramp
species, with descriptions, drawings and a photograph.
- Genus
Temnothorax - two species; with a
new
key; descriptions and drawings are available of both.
- Genus
Terataner - six species, with an
updated key; descriptions are available of all, plus drawings of five
species and photographs of five species, one being without a drawing.
- Genus
Tetramorium - 214 species, with an
introduction and a new key based on the species-groupings adopted by
Bolton.
I have retained Triglyphothrix and Triglyphothrix
as subgenera for ease of separation; also with an alphabetic list of
all species.
Descriptions are available for all, with drawings of 151 and
photographs of forty-one.
- Genus Tetramorium
species-groups
known from sub-Saharan Africa - an interactive graphical key in five
parts:
- Genus
Wasmannia - a single introduced
tramp
species, with descriptions available, also a drawing and photographs.
Subfamily Ponerinae
- with illustrated key to genera
- Genus
Anochetus - 19 species, with an
illustrated key; descriptions are available of all, with drawings of 16
species and photographs of 16 (one being without a drawing)
- Genus
Asphinctopone - three species,
with
descriptions and drawings of all, plus a photograph of one
- Genus
Boloponera - monotypic, with link
to
description (2006) and a photograph.
- Genus
Centromyrmex - ten species are
known
from Africa; a new key is provided covering those and all other
described species from Asia (two) and the Neotropics (three);
descriptions are available of all named species, with drawings of six
of the African species and all five other species, plus photographs of
all the African species, and of two from other areas.
- Genus
Cryptopone - one species, plus one
unnamed forms; the description of the named species is available,
together with a drawing; one of the unnamed forms is shown in a
photograph.
- Genus
Dolioponera - one species, with a
description, drawing and photograph.
- Genus
Feroponera - one species; with
linked
description and photograph.
- Genus
Hypoponera - my review of the
African
species descriptions and specimens, plus the descriptions of a number
of Indo-Australian and American species leads me to separate the genus
into -
- a hypoponera species group - 12
species; descriptions are available of all the species, with drawings
of 10 species and photographs of seven
- and, a similoponera species
group -
further separated into two species complexes, the similoponera-complex,
13 species; and, the squamoponera-complex, 16
species; descriptions are available of all the species, with drawings
of 22 and photographs of 11, of which two do not have a drawing.
- Genus
Leptogenys - 56 species, with an
updated illustrated key; descriptions of all species are available,
with drawings of 30 species and photographs of 18 species (six of which
do not have drawings).
- Genus
Loboponera - nine species are
known,
descriptions are available for all named species, plus photographs of
all nine and drawings for six
- Genus
Odontomachus two species; with a
key
and descriptions, drawings and photographs of both species.
- Genus
Pachycondyla - introduction with keys
to historic subgenera (species-groups) and species. Descriptions are
available for all 59 species, with drawings of 39 and photographs of
forty-two.
- Genus
Phrynoponera - five or six
species,
one being known only from the queen and possibly synonymous with
another known only from the worker; with descriptions of all, drawings
of four and photographs of five, one being without a drawing.
- Genus
Platythyrea - 14 species, one
known
only from the sexual stages, with a new key; descriptions of all are
available, with drawings of eight species and photographs of ten.
- Genus
Plectroctena - 18 species, with an
updated key; descriptions of all are available, together with drawings
of 15 species and photographs of seventeen.
- Genus Ponera
- one species, which is a tramp species of Holarctic origin;
descriptions, drawings and photographs are available.
- Genus
Promyopias - one species; with
descriptions, drawing and photograph.
- Genus
Psalidomyrmex - six species, with
an
updated key; descriptions, drawings and photographs of all are available
- Genus
Streblognathus - two species, with
descriptions of both species, drawings of one and photographs of both.
Subfamily
Proceratiinae - new status as subfamily from Bolton
(2003); with an introduction page, including a new key to separate the
three genera known from Africa.
- Genus
Discothyrea - seven species, one
is
known only from the queen, with a new key; descriptions of all are
available, together with drawings of three species and photographs of
six.
- Genus
Probolomyrmex - four species,
descriptions of all are available, with drawings of four and a
photograph of three.
- Genus
Proceratium - six species,
descriptions of all are available, with drawings of four plus a
photograph of one.
Subfamily
Pseudomyrmecinae -
- Genus
Tetraponera - 37 species
recognised,
four of which are known only from the queen, with a new key;
descriptions are available for all species, together with drawings of
21 and photographs of sixteen.
References
I have sought to include all relevant references and have
followed the listing of Bolton (1995) for references in his catalogue
(including the suffix letters, e.g. 1901c).
The references have been subdivided as follows:-
About the author
© 2007, 2008, 2009 - Brian
Taylor CBiol FIBiol FRES
11, Grazingfield, Wilford, Nottingham, NG11 7FN, U.K.
Comments to dr.brian.taylor@ntlworld.com
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