Pachycondyla (Xiphopelta) nimba (Bernard)

Type location Guinea (Euponera (Mesoponera) nimba) Mt. Nimba, Camp IV, 1000 m, single worker collected by Lamotte, 2.vi.1942; Bernard, 1952: 188, worker). Sole known specimen, although a single dealated queen, locality not given, seemed likely to be of this species .

WORKER (modified from Bernard) TL 6.6 mm, HL 1.22, HW 1.0 mm. Almost entirely dark red, shiny, darker on the propodeum and last segments of gaster; tarsi and scapes paler. Dorsum of thorax shiny with fine puncturations; pleuron and sides of abdomen very smooth, without puncturations. Fine yellowish hairs throughout, except on the head. Colouration and size of eyes indicate a greater tendency towards a subterranean form (slender and less darkly coloured) than previously described Mesoponera from Africa. Head somewhat elongated. Mandibles slender, shiny, with finely spaced points, 13 small, black, spaced out teeth, terminal 3 smaller. Clypeus convex, depressed apically, terminating in a prominent point. Antennae slender, scapes extending past the rear of the head, by about 1/6 of their length. First three funicular segments subequal, twice as long as wide, following segments shorter. Eyes black and flat, around 60 facets (150-250 for Mesoponera). Pronotum very globose; propodeum (epinotum) straight, declivity much longer than anterior face, concave and limited on the sides by large shining rims, without carinae. Petiole scale thin and high, like other Mesoponera/Xiphopelta.