Cataulacus mocquerysi André
Type
location Sierra Leone (André, 1889: 229, worker;
Bolton, 1974a: 48, queen, illustrated, worker) probably by A.
Mocquerys, who collected at 'Riv.N' Gamie, Chutes de Samlia; junior
synonym nainei (Forel, 1918a: 724, worker) from Zaïre,
collected by H Kohl; worker and queen known (see Bolton, 1995)
.
André's (1889) description is at
.
Forel's (1918a) description of nainei is at
Bolton's modern description (1974a) is at
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Nigeria specimen (Taylor, 1979: 13). WORKER. TL 4.0-5.5 mm, HL 1.00-1.40, HW
1.12-1.54, SL 0.60-0.72, PW 1.02-1.48
Occipital corners with one or two small denticles, sides of head
behind the eyes denticulate or only crenulate. Sculpturation of head
and dorsal alitrunk a fine, loose rugo-reticulation. Stout erect hairs
on all dorsal surfaces. Pronotum marginate laterally, margins with a
few rather large denticles and posterolaterally with a flattened
expanded lobe with one or two denticles on its posterior border.
Mesonotum with one or two large denticles laterally. Propodeal spines
reduced to a pair of very short teeth, usually blunt apically. Petiole
and postpetiole strongly flattened dorsoventrally in dorsal view both
broadly and stoutly V-shaped. Subpetiolar process with a distinct
posteroventral spur or heel.
Described as a small, relatively uncommon species, nesting in hollow
twigs on bushes and trees, by Bolton (1974a, illustrated, full-face
head and dorsal alitrunk) but see below.
In Nigeria, found once on a cocoa tree, at Olukunle, to the
north-east of Ibadan, in our 76-farm survey (Taylor & Adedoyin,
1978). Earlier from CRIN perhaps on <0.25% of cocoa in pkd
collections from two cocoa blocks, W13/2 and W18/1 by Booker (1968)
and by Bolton (1974a).
From Ghana, at CRIG (B. Bolton) and Bunso (D. Leston)
(Bolton, 1974a). Collected by Room (1971) (as Cataulacus species
K, but defined by Bolton, 1974) from cocoa trees and on the ground
around such trees, at the Mamfe-Mampong cocoa farm in Ghana. His
report includes reference to it nesting in cocoa canopy. It also
occurred in 27 of his 168 canopy samples at other farms; with a
negative association with Crematogaster africana and a
positive association with Crematogaster clariventris. From
cocoa mistletoe (Room, 1975). On cocoa at Kade by Majer (1975, 1976b),
using pkd, in 99/144 samples from his main study plot, with 25-39
workers per sample.
Also known from scattered locations from Liberia, at Cape
Mount, Bendija, Reputa and Harbel (W.H. Mann). From Cameroun
(Bolton, 1982, no details, probably D.A. Jackson). Also from Zaïre
(Bolton, 1974a). |