Dorylus (Anomma) congolensis (Santschi)

Type locality Congo (Dorylus (Anomma) kohli var congolensis, Santschi, 1910c: 352, illustrated, workers, collected at Brazzaville, by Weiss, ; also Santschi, 1912b; raised to species by Boven & Lévieux, 1970: 376); soldier only known (see Bolton (1995); Raignier & van Boven considered minor (Santschi, 1911g: 206) from Angola as having no significant differences to the media worker, TL ca 8, of congolensis, therefore, it is included here as a junior synonym .

Santschi's (1910c) description is at and (the comparison was with D. kohli). Santschi's (1911g) description of minor is at

Described by Wheeler as "head of workers measuring (TL) 7 mm is as broad as long, whereas in the typical kohli it is longer than broad, with somewhat less pointed posterior angles".

Also from Congo at N'Douna, A. Weiss; and Zaïre, at Leopoldville, under a piece of tin on the shore of Stanley Pool by Lang & Chapin, and Thysville, by J. Bequaert, "marching in a subterranean burrow in a forest gallery" (Wheeler, 1922, under kohli).

Raignier & van Boven (1955) noting that Santschi's description (1910c) was very detailed, gave the key characteristics. Apparently, at the time the major of kohli was unknown so Santschi compared his new variety with emeryi and gerstaeckeri. Head matt and more sculptured than emeryi, with an irregular shiny triangle on the vertex; scape and funiculus segments shorter; petiole wider than long; differed from kohli type by posterior of head being narrower, shorter and laterally more convex, head square (HW = HL in 7 mm workers) whereas kohli is longer than wide. Also they felt a key separation from congolensis is the mandible in kohli being longer relative to the head length, index > 160 ; ca 150 in congolensis.

In their field studies in the essentially shady forest area of Yangambi, Raignier & van Boven made 14 collections of congolensis, a figure bettered only by the most common wilverthi. There was a consistency of form and shape and their notes show -

TL 11-2.1, CI 91; head with posterior strongly scalloped; mandibles short and quite straight, variably with subapical tooth and denticles; funiculus segments 1-5 differing little in length petiole wider than long; major head blackish red-brown (darker than kohli) and spiculate with a shiny frontal area on some specimens, cheeks darker, some specimens from shaded forest clear brown; mandibles and gaster shiny. Smaller morphs (TL 5 mm) with shinier head, anterior finely punctate, posterior shiny.

Photomontage of a major from Gabon; Pongara National Park, Pointe Wingombé, 0°19'336"N 0°19'102"E, 20.vii.2006, pitfalls under forest trees, collector Yves Braet.

Other images can be seen in the folder at -

Photomontage of a media from Gabon; Pongara National Park, Pointe Wingombé, 0°19'336"N 0°19'102"E, 20.vii.2006, pitfalls under forest trees, collector Yves Braet.

Photomontage of a minima from Gabon; Pongara National Park, Pointe Wingombé, 0°19'336"N 0°19'102"E, 20.vii.2006, pitfalls under forest trees, collector Yves Braet.