Tapinoma new species Cameroon 60

Type location Cameroun .

Nigeria specimens (as Tapinoma species T²) -
WORKER - TL 1.59 mm, HL 0.47, HW 0.40, SL 0.31, PW 0.26
Colour all over brown, shiny. Antennal scapes noticeably short relative to the head length. Erect hairs only on the clypeus. Dense fine pubescence on all surfaces except the sides of the head, where it is sparse. Dorsum of alitrunk nearly smoothly convex in profile with a slight depression at the metanotal suture.
I found it nesting under bark of a cocoa tree at Ilesha and under the bark of an Indian Almond tree at CRIN.

Tapinoma species Cameroon 60

Colour dark brown, except antenna, tarsi and tibiae which are colourless. Head, alitrunk and gaster dull due to dense imbrication. Eyes set well forward of the midline of the sides of the head. Scapes very short (under two-thirds of HL); funiculus apical segment swollen, segments 9-10 slightly larger than 2-8. In dorsal view alitrunk with near right angled anterior lateral shoulders. Promesonotal suture arched forward. Erect seta only on the clypeus. Dense fine flat pubescence. Propodeum with rounded raised transition from dorsum to declivity, declivity flat.

The photomontage is of specimens collected in Cameroun - south-western tropical coastal forest area between Edéa and Campo (McKey Wolbachia project) - Cameroon 60 from location LOL, 10 April 2001; also Cameroon 28 (shown below) from location GRO, 25 March 2001; and Cameroon 30 from location KIEN, 05 April 2001; all from in caulinary domatia of Leonardoxa africana africana.

Other images can be seen in the folders at - and