Tetramorium occidentale (Santschi)

Type location Cameroun (Xiphomyrmex occidentalis, Santschi, 1916a: 50, illustrated, worker) no collection details; junior synonyms akengensis (Wheeler, 1922: 194, worker) from Zaïre; and insularis from Principé Is. (Menozzi, 1924b: 223, illustrated, worker); worker only described (see Bolton, 1995) .

Santschi's (1916a) description is at . Menozzi's (1924b) description of insularis is at . Bolton's modern description (1980) is at .

WORKER - TL 2.3-3.3 mm; 11-segmented antennae; frontal carinae ending at the level of the scrobe and not curving back and down; petiole thickly squamiform. Largely unsculptured. Fine erect hairs on all dorsal surfaces. Colour uniform dark brown to black, appendages lighter, sometimes much lighter (Bolton, 1980, illustrated).

Wheeler (1922) giving the first description of akengensis, noted that it had a "dark brown paper nest", perhaps abandoned by some other species; he noted having a single dealated female from Liberia in his collection which probably belonged to the subspecies. Santschi (1935) also noted a specimen from Kasai, Ngombe, by Dr Schouteden, 9.xi.1921.

From West and Central Africa, described by Bolton (1980) as quite common in thickly forested areas of Ghana, usually found in leaf litter samples, with nests in rotten stumps and logs. Curiously, Belshaw & Bolton (1994b) did not come across it in their many leaf litter samples). Bolton listed collections from Ghana (C.A. Collingwood; D. Leston; himself) at CRIG, Mampong, Pankese and Mt. Atewa. From Ivory Coast, at Banco Forest (W.L. Brown) and Divo (C. Collingwood); and Cameroun, the type location (not named) plus Yaoundé (E.S. Ross and K. Lorenzen) and Muyuka (B. Malkin) (Bolton, 1980). Bernard (1952), recorded it (as X. occidentalis) from Guinea, one worker being found at N'Zo; adding that the "examples" (plural) differed from the type in being truly black rather than brown-red and having the sides of the head and thorax smooth (wrinkled, ?with rugulae?, in the type); a very variable species but one of which it seemed useless to describe specific forms.

The photomontage is of a specimen from the Central African Republic, Dzanga-Sangha National Park; 20.01.2005, 03°55’13.2" N 16°36’46.1" E 536m; U.V : 2h-6h, après Sefka (entre Bambio et croisement Nola/Berberati), dans layon forestier; from on a reduviid bug; collected in forest, 1st hour of the morning; collector Philippe Annoyer. Other images can be seen in the folder at -

The photomontage is of a specimen from the Benin, Bonou, Forêt de Ghamboué, N 06°22'28" E 02°31'32", Pitfall trap, S Tchibozo, 27.viii.2006. Other images can be seen in the folder at -