Camponotus (Dinomyrmex) massinissa, Wheeler, W. M., 1922

Wheeler, W. M., 1922, The ants collected by the American Museum Congo Expedition., Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45, pp. 39-269 : 244-245

Camponotus (Dinomyrmex) massinissa , new species

Female.- Length nearly 21 mm.

Head as broad as long (4.5 mm., without the mandibles), subrectangular, slightly broader behind than in front, with straight sides, feebly but broadly concave posterior border, and rather acute posterior corners. Mandibles large and convex, with 6 flattened, acuminate teeth, the apical tooth very long and broad at the base. Clypeus carinate only at the base, its anterior border emarginata on each side, the median lobe indistinct, somewhat erenate, without pronounced corners, with a small notch in the middle. Frontal area small, subtriangular, impressed. Frontal carinae closely approximated. Antennae long; scapes measuring 6.2 mm., extending half their length beyond the posterior corners of the head, not flattened at the base nor enlarged distally. Thorax robust, through the wing-insertions broader than the head. Mesonotum broader than long, with a narrow, shining, median, longitudinal groove on its anterior half. Epinotum sloping, evenly convex. Petiole higher than long, rather pointed above, its anterior surface made of two subequal planes which meet at a very blunt obtuse angle when seen in profile; the posterior surface flat, the superior border blunt. Hind tibiae and metatarsi distinctly flattened and channelled, the flexor border of the former with a row of strong bristles, except on their basal fourth.

Mandibles shining, coarsely punctate, striate near their apical borders, opaque, finely shagreened and less coarrely punctate at the base. Head and clypeus nearly opaque, densely and finely punctate, with coarser, sparse, piligerous punctures over the whole surface. Thorax and petiole with similar sculpture, but the piligerous punctures less pronounced. Gaster more shining, densely, coarsely and transversely shagreened, with coarse, scattered, transverse, piligerous punctures. Antennal scapes and legs shining, rather strongly and unevenly punctate.

Hairs fulvous, coarse, erect or suberect, long and abundant, especially on the head, gula, dorsal portion of the pronotum, mesonotum, epinotum, and fore coxae. Antennal scapes also with long erect hairs; those on the tibia; stiffer, much shorte and more oblique.

Black; mandibles except their bases and teeth, deep red; insertions of antennae, funiculi beyond the tip of the first joint, thoracic articulations, trochanters, and tips of coxa; yellowish; gaster and legs castaneous. Wings heavily infuscated, blackish, with dark brown veins.

A single specimen from Medje (Lang and Chapin), without further data.

This female is so easily recognized and so peculiar in its characters that I do not hesitate to describe it as new. It certainly does not belong to any of the workers in the collection and I am unable to regard it as the female of any of the Ethiopian species of Dinomyrmex that have been described from workers only.