Axinidris bidens Shattuck
or
Type location Ghana (Shattuck, 1991: 111, illustrated,
worker), holotype and two paratypes from CRIG, collector C.A.M.
Campbell  .
WORKER - HL 0.61-0.68, HW 0.53-0.58, SL 0.46-0.48, PW 0.24-0.25
Small species; area between propodeal spines smooth, no medial
carina; pronotum with 2 elongate erect hairs; propodeal spines
reduced to lateral angles, each spine with a single distinct erect
hair; head, alitrunk and gaster reddish-brown, tarsi light yellow
(Shattuck, 1991: 111, illustrated alitrunk and propodeum views,
worker).
Gaume, Matile-Ferrero & McKey (2000) mention this as being
observed, in Cameroun, "on rare occasions" tending a
coccoid, Paraputo anomala, in domatia of the
myrmecophilous forest sub-storey tree Leonardoxa africana
letouzeyi (more commonly inhabited by
Aphomomyrmex
afer, see also McKey studies).
They added that this ant is usually associated with a Planococcus
species but gave no other details.
Snelling (2007: 557) reports specimens from Cameroun (those
above); Central African Republic, the Fisher specimens shown
below; and, from in Kenya, Kakamega Forest, 00.24°N
034.05°E, 1550-1600 m. |
 The
photomontage is of specimens collected in Cameroun -
south-western tropical coastal forest area between Edéa and
Campo (McKey Wolbachia project) - Cameroon 33 from
location BP, 05 April 2001; Cameroon 38 from location BOU, 05
April 2001; Cameroon 111, from location BP, 25 March 2001; and
Cameroon 114 from location LA, 25 March 2001; all samples from
caulinary domatia of Leonardoxa africana africana.
The morphology of all the specimens (from all four locations)
matches that of the Ghanaian bidens including the distinct
erect hair on each of the reduced propodeal spines. The
colouration, as shown in the illustration, differs in being all
over dark brown with lighter areas being only the antennal scapes
(which darken from a light base to the apex) and the tarsi. The
lateral area of the head seems smoother, although the rest of the
head, pronotum and gaster has the fine imbrication noted by
Shattuck; the mesonotum and propodeum, however, are more coarsely
spiculated. The clypeus has a u-shaped medial notch.
Other images can be seen in the folders at -
and, queen - .
|
 The
photomontage is collated from -
http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0403871
Collection details - Central African Republic: Prefecture
Sangha-Mbaéré; Réserve Spéciale de Forêt
Dense de Dzanga-Sangha, 12.7 km 326° NW Bayanga; 03°00'18"N
016°11'36"E, 420m. Collection Information: Collection
codes: BLF4087. Date: 10-17 May 2001. Collected by: B.L.Fisher.
Method: EC30 beating low vegetation. Habitat: rainforest. Transect
Type: Beat 25 sample transect, 10m. Transect Sample No.: 4.
|
Queen