Cyphoidris parissa, Bolton, B., 1981

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 : 258-259

Cyphoidris parissa sp. n.

Holotype worker. TL 3.7, HL 0.84, HW 0.76, CI 90, SL 0.62, SI 82, PW 0.58, AL 1.00.

Mandibles smooth with scattered small pits, the apical margin armed with 11 - 12 low denticles. Anterior clypeal margin convex but medially slightly flattened and apparently with a minute median indentation. Median portion of clypeus raised and the raised section bicarinate above. Frontal carinae strongly developed, running back beyond the level of the eyes but fading out well in front of the occipital margin, forming the dorsal borders of the broad but shallow conspicuous scrobes. Frontal carinae slightly diverging posteriorly, their separation at the level of the midlengths of the eyes only c. 0.30, about 0.40 x HW. Eyes distinctly longer than wide, their maximum diameter 0.18, about 0.24 x HW. With the head in full-face view the sides rounding broadly and evenly into the occipital margin, without trace of an occipital corner; the occipital margin itself evenly shallowly convex, not impressed or concave medially. Alitrunk in profile with the promesonotum strongly swollen and dome-like, much higher than the surface of the propodeum; the latter sloping posteriorly to a pair of narrow spines which are very feebly sinuate along their length. Metapleural lobes short-triangular and acute. Petiole node in profile with the anterior face higher than the posterior so that the dorsal surface slopes downwards posteriorly; posterodorsal angle of node more obtuse than anterodorsal angle. Postpetiole with a sharp anteroventral dentiform process (which is seen in ventral view as a short transverse flange). In dorsal view both petiole node and postpetiole broader than long. Dorsum of head unsculptured except for a median carina between the frontal carinae and some extremely faint vestiges of feeble sculpture between the frontal carinae. Alitrunk unsculptured and shining. Petiole and postpetiole unsculptured, the latter with traces of punctulate sculpture posteriorly. First gastral tergite densely, strongly and conspicuously shagreened on the basal half, this sculpture fading out apically on the sclerite. Dorsum of head with numerous short fine curved hairs. Dorsal alitrunk and pedicel segments without hairs but with scattered sparse short pubescence which is appressed and very inconspicuous. First gastral tergite without hairs but with a fairly dense coat of short appressed pubescence superimposed upon the shagreened surface of the sclerite and quite conspicuous. Scapes and tibiae with pubescence but without hairs. Colour dark reddish brown, the gaster darker in shade than the head.

Holotype worker, Liberia: Gibi, Smithsonian Firestone Exp. 1940 (W. M. Mann) (USNM, Washington).

The only known representative of Cyphoidris from West Africa, parissa is easily separated from both its Central African congeners by its lack of strong cephalic sculpture, unsculptured alitrunk, strongly shagreened first gastral tergite, lack of hairs on the dorsal body behind the head, and presence of a sharp subpostpetiolar process.