The Ants of Africa
Genus Tetraponera
Tetraponera natalensis (F Smith)

Tetraponera natalensis (F Smith)

return to key {link to the Hymenoptera Name Server} Type location South Africa (29. Pseudomyrma natalensis, F Smith, 1858b: 160, in Tetraponera, F. Smith, 1877b: 69; queen; Emery, 1895h: 22, worker) - see queen below
subspecies
cuitensis (Sima natalensis Sm. var. cuitensis n. subsp., Forel, 1911d: 368, worker) from Angola, between the rivers Cubango and Cuito, Baum & Van den Kellen
obscurata (Sima natalensis F. Sm. var. obscurata n. var., Emery, 1895h: 22, worker; Arnold, 1916: 177, queen & male) from South Africa
unavailable names
bulawayana (Sima natalensis Sm. r. cuitensis v. bulawayana n. v., Forel, 1913a: 112, worker) from Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, collector Arnold;
all forms described (see Bolton, 1995) .

With the availability of type images, I have raised Tetraponera caffra to full species status, with quaniama as a junior synonym.

Forel also defined a new variety usambarensis from Tanzania (Forel, 1911d: 367, worker; Santschi, 1914b: 70, queen) but this differs so much from the type; comes from a location 1000s of kilometres to the north; and, seems so nearly identical to Forel's description, two pages earlier, of Tetraponera prelli; that I have removed usambarensis to a junior synonym of prelli.


{Tetraponera natalensis}F Smith's (1858b) description of the queen, is at {original description}. Emery's (1895h) description of the worker, with that of obscurata, is at {original description}. Forel's (1911d) description of cuitensis is at {original description} and his (1913a) description of cuitensis var. bulawayana is at {original description}. Santschi's (1914e) description of caffra is at {original description}. Arnold (1916: 176) gave a straight translation of natalensis, this is at {original description}, his translation (1916: 177) of obscurata and caffra is at {original description}, and his translation (1916: 177) of cuitensis var. bulawayana is at {original description}.

Smith (1876d) reported observations by J.M. Hutchison, at Weenen in South Africa, of the species making formicaria in the thorns of a species of acacia.


Comparison of forms

bulawayensis
bulawayensis
cuitensis
cuitensis
obscurata
obscurata
Separate species note difference in head shape - more elongated

caffra
caffra
quaniama
quaniama



Tetraponera natalensisThe photomontage of the type queen is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0902819.


Tetraponera natalensis obscurata workerThe photomontage of the obscurata worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0904031.


Tetraponera natalensis bulawayensis workerThe photomontage of the bulawayensis worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0907454.


Tetraponera natalensis cuitensis workerThe photomontage of the cuitensis worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0907453.


{Tetraponera natalensis queen}David King sent me these photographs, taken in Botswana, of what appear to workers of natalensis.


{Tetraponera natalensis queen}The photomontage of what appears to be the queen of natalensis is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0217594.


{Tetraponera natalensis queen}The photomontage of an apparent fresh male of natalensis is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent07782904.

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© 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2018 - Brian Taylor CBiol FRSB FRES
11, Grazingfield, Wilford, Nottingham, NG11 7FN, U.K.

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