Centromyrmex praedator

Bolton, Barry & Fisher, Brian L., 2008, Afrotropical ants of the ponerine genera Centromyrmex Mayr, Promyopias Santschi gen. rev. and Feroponera gen. n., with a revised key to genera of African Ponerinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Zootaxa 1929, pp. 1-37 : 21

Centromyrmex praedator Bolton & Fisher sp. n.

( Figs 19–20 )

HOLOTYPE WORKER. TL 6.4, HL 1.06, HW 0.99, CI 93, ML 0.82, MI 77, SL 0.72, SI 73, PW 0.82, WL 1.90.

With characters of the genus and the feae group. Head capsule in full-face view longer than broad, the sides almost straight and approximately parallel. Mandibles smooth with scattered small punctures. Masticatory margin of mandible almost smooth, weakly uneven, the teeth almost entirely effaced. Basal margin of mandible shallowly convex, distinctly shorter than the masticatory margin. Dorsum of head with scattered punctures on smooth cuticle; on sides of head the punctures denser than on dorsum, and also with very weak remnants of punctulate to striolate sculpture within the antennal fossae and anteriorly on the sides. Anterior margination of pronotum thick and bluntly rounded; sides of pronotum not marginate. Dorsal surface of metatibia with 4–5 spiniform setae near the apex and with 3–4 others located more proximally; the most proximal is at about the midlength. Anterior surface of metatibia with about a dozen spiniform setae, most located near the apex but some more basal. Petiole node in dorsal view longer than broad, the node narrow anteriorly and becoming much broader posteriorly. Pronotal dorsum with coarse shallow punctures that are linked by low, broad rugulae. Mesonotal dorsum mostly smooth, with a few widely scattered broad, shallow punctures. Colour yellow to light brownish yellow.

QUEEN and MALE: unknown.

Holotype worker, Democratic Republic of Congo ( Zaire on data label): Bandundu, Kinzambi For., 25.iii.1985 (A. Dejean) (BMNH). [Holotype is damaged: left midleg and right hindleg are absent except for their coxae.]

As only a single specimen is known it is impossible to say whether the almost edentate condition of the mandible is normal or if the teeth have been worn down. The closest relative of praedator is fugator . They share a similar long petiole node that contrasts strongly to the usual transverse, broad short dorsal shape of feae group species, and this makes them immediately recognisable. The two are separated by size and the distinctly different form of their mandibles, as noted in the key and descriptions. Apart from this the metatibia of praedator appears to have many more spiniform setae than are seen in fugator , but as so little material is available the consistency of this character cannot be tested.

Figures

FIGURES 17 – 24. Full face and lateral view of body. Figs 17 – 18: Centromyrmex longiventris worker CASENT 0178742; Figs 19 – 20: C. praedator worker CASENT 0102928; Figs 21 – 22: C. raptor holotype worker CASENT 0066716; Figs 23 – 24: C. raptor paratype queen CASENT 0178746.