The Ants of Africa
Genus Anochetus
Anochetus traegaordhi Mayr
{Anochetus traegaordhi} {Anochetus traegaordhi}

Anochetus traegaordhi Mayr

return to key {link to the Hymenoptera Name Server}Type locality Sudan (Mayr, 1904b: 2, worker); junior synonyms angusticornis (Arnold, 1946: 56, worker & queen) from Zimbabwe, gracilicornis (Viehmeyer, 1923: 87, illustrated, worker) and sudanicus (Weber, 1942a: 47, illustrated, worker) from Sudan, and silvaticus (Bernard, 1952: 212, illustrated, worker & queen) from Guinea, Mt. Nimba collections; worker and queen described (see Bolton, 1995) .

Mayr's (1904b) description is at {original description}. Viehmeyer's (1923) description of gracilicornis, with illustration of funiculus, is at {original description}. Weber's (1942a) description of sudanicus is at {original description}. Arnold's (1946) description of angusticornis is at {original description}. Brown's (1978) notes, under the ghilianii complex, are is at {original description}.


{Anochetus traegaordhi}WORKER - No more than a summary description was given by Brown (1978: 559, illustrated), who places it in the very variable ghilianii group. Main features as in key, especially the shortness of the frontal striation on the head. A medium-sized species with medium-sized eyes (0.20-0.35 mm).

Bernard (1952: 212), describing the now synonymised silvaticus, gave - TL 5.3-6.4 mm; colour yellow-orange, slightly browner on the mid-gaster. Integument with minute but very dense striations on the anterior third of the head, the mandibles, and all the thorax, except for areas on the sides of the pronotum and mesopleuron; rest of mesopleuron and propodeum flanks matt. Petiole, gaster, tarsi and posterior of head shiny, almost smooth save for reticulation on the posterior angles of the head. Sparse white pubescence all over. Head rather short, analogous to that of africanus in size, but less indented, and with less prominent supraantennal lobes. Propodeum long, matt, and very flat dorsally. Petiole scale conical, not indented on the summit, yellow and shiny. Described related species as having the sides of the thorax very smooth and the petiole scale bifid.

Collingwood (1985) noted - eye about 0.16 X HW, mesonotum not striate, petiole tapering to a dorsal crest. The specimens were from Saudi Arabia, foraging on the surface under bushy scrub.

The illustrations given here suggest that the synonymy of the pale silvaticus and the darker traegaordhi is questionable. It is outside the scope of this website to comment further.

Distribution of specimens recorded by Brown (1978c) was sub-Saharan, south to Angola and Zimbabwe. From West Africa there were three workers from Ghana, at CRIG, in a rotten log (B. Bolton), notable as having relatively narrow heads (CI 84, eye length 0.20 mm).

Brown did not report Bernard's (1952) records. One worker (as holotype of silvaticus) and one queen from Ivory Coast; station H 5 (13.vii.1945, Delamare-Debouteville). One worker from Guinea, station B 8.10, Zouépo, forest, 1215 m (Lamotte), slightly larger and darker than Ivory Coast form.


{Anochetus traegaordhi}The photomontage is adapted from the Antweb.org site at http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=SAM-HYM-C001378B Collection Information: Locality South Africa: Natal: Mkuze Game Reserve, below Mantuma; 27°36'00"S 032°13'00"E 60 m; Collection codes: SAM-HYM-C001378; Date: 16 Oct 1998; Collected by: H.G. Robertson; Method: saw nest/nest entrance Habitat: riverine, woodland


{Anochetus traegaordhi}The photomontage is of the holotype of Anochetus sudanicus Weber (1942a). The original photographs, together with enlarged images, are from the MCZ, Harvard University, website at http://mcz-28168.oeb.harvard.edu/mcz/FMPro?-DB=Image.fm&-Lay=web&-Format=images.htm&Species_ID=26107&-Find.

Also see a paratype of gracilicornis at http://mcz-28168.oeb.harvard.edu/mcz/FMPro?-DB=Image.fm&-Lay=web&-Format=images.htm&Species_ID=30739&-Find.


{Anochetus ? traegaordhi}The photomontage is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0408018
Collection details - Locality: Central African Republic: Prefecture Sangha-Mbaéré; Parc National Dzanga-Ndoki, 37.9 km 169° S Lidjombo; 02°22'14"N 016°10'21"E, 360m. Collection Information: Collection codes: BLF4130. Date: 20-28 May 2001. Collected by: B.L.Fisher. Method: EC19 sifted litter. Habitat: rainforest .Transect Type: MW 50 sample transect, 5m Transect Sample No.: 08


{Anochetus traegaordhi}The photomontage is adapted from the Antweb.org site at http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0010781 This specimen seems a better match to the original description by Mayr (1904b) than the form drawn by Brown (1978). Collection Information: Anochetus n. sp. gab-03 (Specimen Images): Specimen Code CASENT0010781: Locality Gabon: Ogooue-Maritime: Reserve de Faune de la Moukalaba-Dougoua, 12.2 km 305° NW Doussala; 02°19'00"S 010°32'00"E 110 m; Collection codes: BLF02122; Date: 24 Feb 2000; Collected by: B.L.Fisher Method: EC19 sifted litter; Habitat: rainforest; Transect Type: MW 50 sample transect, 5m; Transect Sample No.: 44

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