Cataulacus pygmaeus André

Type location Sierra Leone (André, 1890: 325, worker), collected at 'Riv.N' Gamie, Chutes de Samlia, A. Mocquerys; junior synonyms bakusuensis (Forel, 1913h: 350, queen & male) from Zaïre, at Bakusu; and chariensis (Santschi, 1911c: 358, worker) from Chad, collected at Moyen Chari, Fort-Archambault, by Dr J Decorse, 1904 (Bolton, 1974a and 1995); all forms known .

André's (1890) description is at and Santschi's (1911c) description of chariensis is at . Forel's (1913h) description of bakusuensis is at . Bolton's modern description (1974a) is at

WORKER - TL 3.7-4.4 mm; the distinguishing feature of the stout hairs which expand from base to apex was described as rare for the "species" by Bolton (1974a: 48, illustrated full-face view and dorsal alitrunk), when he had the now-revived (by Bolton, 1982: 359) Cataulacus traegaordhi as a junior synonym.

Otherwise, Bolton (1982) lists it from Ghana and Cameroun.

The photomontage is of a specimen from Gabon, Pongara National Park; Gabon 109; 1-8.viii.2006; sweep net, sesame & forest; collected by Yves Braet. Other images can be seen in the folder at -

I suspect that this may be a savannah species, while traegaordhi is a forest species but it may be that the taxonomic position still is not satisfactory. Thus, it may well be among the findings from Mt. Nimba, Guinea, which came from both savanna and forest locations, being numerous at the savanna sites (Kéoulenta and Ziéla), and living in stems (twigs?) and under bark (Bernard, 1952). The new Gabon findings of both from essentially the same area suggest a species overlap.