Nesomyrmex simoni (Emery, 1895)

Garcia, Francisco Hita, Mbanyana, Nokuthula, Audisio, Tracy Lynn & Alpert, Gary D., 2017, Taxonomy of the ant genus Nesomyrmex Wheeler (Formicidae, Myrmicinae) in the Afrotropical region, with a review of current species groups and description of a new species of the N. angulatus group from Mozambique, European Journal of Taxonomy 258, pp. 1-31 : 12

Nesomyrmex simoni species group

Definition

Antennae with 12 segments; anterior clypeal lobe conspicuously convex and rounded, without a small median triangular projection; frontal carinae absent; propodeum usually unarmed, rarely with short teeth, in profile no longer than their basal width; petiole and postpetiole without lateral spines; usually all dorsal surfaces of body with (mostly) long, fine or (rarely) short, blunt standing pilosity, sometimes pilosity reduced on a few body parts, but never completely absent from all dorsal surfaces.

Comments

The 17 species of this group are all endemic to South Africa. In contrast to the members of most other Afrotropical groups, all N. simoni group species nest and live on the ground. Mbanyana & Robertson (2008) revised this group extensively, provided a sound and functional species identification key, and presented detailed descriptions of all species. Consequently, in this study we do not go into further details concerning the N. simoni group and refer to Mbanyana & Robertson (2008).