Centromyrmex hamulatus (Karavaiev)

Bolton, B. & Fisher, B. L., 2008, Afrotropical ants of the ponerine genera Centromyrmex Mayr, Promyopias Santschi gen. rev. and Feroponera gen. n., with a revised key to genera of African Ponerinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)., Zootaxa 1929, pp. 1-37 : 25

Centromyrmex hamulatus (Karavaiev)

Typhloteras hamulatum Karavaiev, 1925: 129 (worker). [Combination in Centromyrmex by Brown, 1953: 8. Description of queen and male: Karavaiev, 1926: 419.]

This is currently the sole member of the C. hamulatus group and is quite widespread in the Malesian region. In morphological terms hamulatus forms a striking intermediary between the Old World species of the bequaerti group and the feae group, but it also has several apomorphies of its own.

i. Characters shared between workers of hamulatus and bequaerti group: shape of head capsule; close proximity of frontal lobes medially; non-swollen protibiae; lack of hypertrophy of procoxae; lack of pronotal margination; elongate slit-like orifice of propodeal spiracle; presence of spiniform metasternal process.

ii. Characters shared between workers of hamulatus and feae group: structure of mandible; dorsal outline shape of mesonotum and propodeum; position of propodeal spiracle; bilaterally compressed propodeal dorsum; petiole anteriorly pedunculate; form of prora; distribution of setae; monomorphic worker caste.

iii. Characters of hamulatus workers not shared by bequaerti or feae groups: mesotibia with 1 spur; metatibia with 1 spur; subpetiolar process a pair of stout teeth; mesopleuron with a weak transverse sulcus; constriction of second gastral segment strong and conspicuously cross-ribbed.