Psalidomyrmex foveolatus André
Type location Sierra Leone (André, 1890: 314,
worker; NOTE - Emery, 1899e: 471, queen & male was a
description of P. procerus, correction by Emery 1901a)
collector A. Mocquerys; all forms described
 .
André's (1890) description is at
 .
Bolton's modern description (1975b) is at
 .
WORKER - TL 8.42 mm, HL 1.87, HW 1.65, SL 1.24, PW 1.03
Colour dark red-brown, shiny. Sculpturation as for genus.
Mandible falcate. Antennal scapes relatively short. First gastral
tergite not narrowed anteriorly, the foveolae on this segment and
the pronotal dorsum with a dense striation between them. Bolton
(1975b: 7, illustrated, first gastral tergite and petiole in
dorsal view) described generally larger specimens, TL 9.4-10.2.
Wheeler (1922) also listed it from Guinea (Kakoulima, F.
Silvestri) and Cameroun (Conradt; Bibundi, Tessmann).
Bernard (1952) reported findings (unlisted by Bolton, 1975b) from
Guinea - Kéoulenta, 500 m, sample D, 1 queen;
Station T134, Ziéla, savanna, without rocks, 4 workers (2
brown and 2 orange-yellow immatures - a state in which the large
Ponerines can remain for several months). He described it as
similar to the types of André, characterised by the ventral
border of the petiole with a sharp angle - rounded in other
species.
In Nigeria, collected by me from soil at the base of a
cocoa tree at CRIN. Soil nesting and foraging under the surface.
Also recorded from "Ibadan" probably CRIN (R.H. Booker)
(in Bolton, 1975b).
Elsewhere, known from Ivory Coast, at Lamto, Toumodi (J.
Lévieux); and Ghana, at CRIG, Kibi, Wiawso and
Asamankese (D. Leston; CRIG also by B. Bolton) (Bolton, 1975b).
In Ivory Coast also in Lévieux (1972). Bolton &
Brown (2002) reported findings from Ivory Coast, Palmeraie Lame,
by T. Diomande, and Iringou, by F. Krell; Cameroun, Ottotomo
Forest, by A. Dejean.
The holotype can be seen at
http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0101471
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The photomontage
is collated from