Ocymyrmex weitzeckeri Emery

Bolton, B., 1981, A revision of six minor genera of Myrmicinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Ethiopian zoogeographical region., Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology 43, pp. 245-307 : 280-281

Ocymyrmex weitzeckeri Emery (Fig. 30)

Ocymyrmex weitzeckeri Emery , 1892: 116. Syntype workers, Lesotho: Leribe (Weitzecker) (MCSN, Genoa) [examined].

Ocymyrmex weitzeckeri subsp. wroughtoni Forel , 1910 b: 13. Syntype workers, male, South Africa: Natal (Wroughton) (MHN, Geneva) [examined]. Syn. n.

Worker. TL 6.8 - 7.8, HL 1.70 - 1.80, HW 1.62 - 1.72, CI 94 - 99, SL 1.44 - 1.58, SI 88 - 94, PW 1.02 - 1.10, AL 2.16 - 2.30 (8 measured).

Anterior clypeal margin with a conspicuous semicircular median impression flanked by a pair of short teeth. Occipital margin in full-face view with a median indentation. Maximum diameter of eyes 0.36 - 0.40, about 0.22 - 0.23 x HW. Promesonotum evenly convex in profile, the propodeal dorsum flat to very shallowly convex, rounding evenly into the declivity which is almost vertical. Metapleural lobes small but prominent, their apices narrowly rounded. Petiole in profile as in Fig. 30. Petiole node in dorsal view very broad, distinctly broader than long and its width greater than the distance from the spiracle to the apex of the collar where the petiole articulates with the postpetiole. Postpetiole node in dorsal view broader than long (excluding the anterior articulating portion). Base of first gastral tergite strongly constricted behind the postpetiole and forming a distinct neck. Head finely and densely rugulose everywhere, with punctulate or granular ground-sculpture. Pattern of the rugulae varying between individuals. On the dorsum from the level of the eyes to the occiput the rugulae never all running straight back. Either the rugulae away from the median strip diverge towards the occipital corners, or the rugulae close to the inner or posterior margins of the eyes are irregular to vermiculate; in some the rugulae are extensively vermiculate on the head. Dorsal alitrunk and propodeal declivity transversely rugose except for the area between the mesothoracic spiracles where the sculpture is longitudinal. Other components of the pronotal sculpture arch around the anterior end of these longitudinal rugae. In some workers the pronotum appears to be entirely longitudinally rugose in dorsal view as the median rugae extend so far forward that the more laterally situated rugae must parallel them almost to the cervical shield before arching round. Petiole with a few transverse rugae ventrally which may extend for some distance up the sides; the node with a few weak to vestigial transverse rugulae, those traversing the peduncle in front of the node stronger than those on the node itself. Postpetiole unsculptured except for the usual faint superficial patterning. All dorsal surfaces of head and body with fairly dense pilosity, the hairs of varying length; those on the first gastral tergite shorter and sparser than elsewhere on the body. Colour everywhere dark red to blackish red, in some specimens very dark indeed, almost entirely black.

Known only from the two type-series above and the two short series recorded below, weitzeckeri has served as the base from which many infraspecific forms have been described in the past. Of all the names formerly attached to it only wroughtoni has proved to be synonymous; the treatment of the remainder is summarized under the synonymic list of species.

Material examined South Africa: Orange Free State, Donga (R. W. Slobey); Transvaal, no loc. (G. Arnold).