Anochetus pellucidus var. maynei

Brown, WL Jr.,, 1978, Contributions toward a reclassification of the Formicidae. Part VI. Ponerinae, tribe Ponerini, subtribe Odontomachiti. Section B. Genus Anochetus and bibliography., Studia Entomologica 20, pp. 549-638 : 601-602

[28] A. pellucidus var. maynei

was based by Forel on a single dealate queen from Congo da Lemba, Zaire, near the mouth of the Congo River. It is clear at a glance that this specimen does not belong to the species pellucidus , because the habitus is completely different, and the frontal striation comes nowhere near reaching the nuchal carina; the vertex is largely smooth and shining. Measurements: HL 1.50, HW 1.38, ML 0.81, EL 0.30 mm; Cl 92, MI 54. The compound eye is only about the size of those of large pellucidus workers. The pronotum and propodeal dorsum are distinctly rugulose, but the mesonotum is only minutely roughened and almost smooth, shining. Propodeal angles obtuse. Petiolar node (fig. 25) tapered apicad in side view, lunate in dorsal view, with a thick emarginate crest. Head, petiole, gaster and appendages dull yellow, trunk darker, brownish-orange.

I tentatively associate with this species 4 specimens from Ghana (D. Leston, BMNH-London, MCZ). One of these is an ergatoid from Kade (HL 1.42, HW 1.23, ML 0.81, EL 0.29 mm; Cl 87, MI 57) with 3 ocelli and a differentiated scutellum, but otherwise worker-like; the trunk is piceous contrasting with the yellowish of the rest of the body. The petiolar node is thick in side view, with a concave anterior face overhung by the apex; the apex is lunate in dorsal view, convex in front and broadly concave behind, much as in the worker shown in fig. 25. The 3 workers are from Tafo in Ghana; 2 have dark trunks, but in one, the trunk is sordid yellow, only slightly darker than the rest of the body; the trunk is rugulose dorsally except for the mesonotum, which varies from smooth to very finely and superficially cross-striolate or shagreened. The propodeal angles are distinct and rectangular; the petiolar node is concave anteriorly in side view, and lunate in dorsal view (fig. 25). Measurements: HL 1.46-1.50, HW 1.22-1.27, ML 0.84-0.90, EL 0.23-0.24 mm; Cl 84-85, MI 58-60.

The nodes of the queen on the one hand, and the ergatoid and 3 workers on the other, are not a perfect match, even considering the usual differences of caste, but the general habitus, head shape, truncal sculpture, and the lunate top of the petiolar node as seen from above, all point to this association. But when all is said and done, A. tmynei may still prove to be just another of the variant forms of A. traegaordhi . Label notes on the Ghana specimens indicate that the workers were "active at night"; the ergatoid from Kade was taken on the ground.