Aenictus congolensis

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Aenictus congolensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Dorylinae
Genus: Aenictus
Species group: rotundatus
Species complex: rotundatus
Species: A. congolensis
Binomial name
Aenictus congolensis
Santschi, 1911

Aenictus congolensis casent0911420 p 1 high.jpg

Aenictus congolensis casent0911420 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Identification

Identification of A. congolensis is quite straightforward in the rotundatus group due to its developed propodeal ridge and sparse, adpressed white setae and long, digitiform subpetiolar process. The other two species with developed propodeal ridge (Aenictus nyuyi and Aenictus weissi) present erect to suberect setae and poorly developed subpetiolar process.

Mesosomal sculpture may be quite variable among individuals, varying from completely and deeply reticulated to individuals with glassy dorsal mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Identification

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 6.216666667° to -12°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Central African Republic, Congo (type locality), Gabon, Zambia.

Distribution based on AntMaps

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Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
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Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
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Biology

Castes

Known only from the worker caste.

Images from AntWeb

Aenictus congolensis casent0911419 h 1 high.jpgAenictus congolensis casent0911419 d 1 high.jpgAenictus congolensis casent0911419 p 1 high.jpgAenictus congolensis casent0911419 p 3 high.jpgAenictus congolensis casent0911419 l 1 high.jpg
Syntype of Aenictus congolensisQueen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0911419. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by NHMB, Basel, Switzerland.

Images from AntWeb

Congolensis casent0066799 h 1 high.jpgCongolensis casent0066799 p 1 high.jpgCongolensis casent0066799 d 1 high.jpgCongolensis casent0066799 l 1 high.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0066799. Photographer Michele Esposito, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • congolensis. Aenictus rixator var. congolensis Santschi, 1911g: 207 (w.) CONGO.
    • Type-material: holotype worker.
    • Type-locality: Congo (“Congo français”): (no further data) (A. Weiss).
    • Type-depository: NHMB.
    • Santschi, 1917a: 277 (q.).
    • Status as species: Santschi, 1917a: 277 (redescription); Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 751; Bolton, 1995b: 59.
    • Distribution: Congo, Gabon.

Type Material

  • Syntype, GABON: Mayomba. (1w) [CASENT0911420] NHMB [Examined by Gomez, 2022]; Syntype, CAMEROON, Grand Batanga (1w) [CASENT0911445] NHMB [Examined by Gomez, 2022].

Description

Aenictus congolensis descp.jpg

Worker (Translated from the original): Length 2mm. Thorax, posterior half of the head and petiole dark reddish brown, the rest borwnish yellow. Head, postpetiole and gaster smooth and shiny. Thorax and petiole matt, reticulated, punctuated (like a thimble) over almost the whole propodeum. Mandibles very finely reticulated and finely striated. Pilosiy short, decumbent, yellowish, all over body and legs. Mandibles with 3 to 6 teeth, the apical longer than in ceylonicus. Funicular segments 3 to 7 wider than long. The rest like the type.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Baroni Urbani C. 1977. Katalog der Typen von Formicidae (Hymenoptera) der Sammlung des Naturhistorischen Museums Basel (2. Teil). Mitt. Entomol. Ges. Basel (n.s.) 27: 61-102.
  • IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection
  • Santschi F. 1917. Description d'une nouvelle reine de Formicide du genre Aenictus Shuckard. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 85: 277-278.