Ant Diversity of Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique

Gorongosa National Park [1] in Mozambique is in the process of restoring animals to this wonderful habitat and is creating a biodiversity inventory of the fauna and flora within the park boundary. The ants are being inventoried as a special project.

This page supports the study of the ant diversity of Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique. Even though the richness of the ant fauna has not been fully examined, so far we have posted records of 52 genera and 209 species. This page will include notes on biology and distribution. Illustrated keys to species will be presented using a combination of identification tools.

Contributors

• E.O. Wilson (Harvard University)
• Gary D. Alpert (Harvard University)
• Piotr Naskrecki (Harvard University\Gorongosa National Park)
• Patrick McCormack (Harvard University)
• Leeanne Alonso (Global Wildlife Conservation)
• Allan Short (Gorongosa National Park)
• Marc Stalmans (Gorongosa National Park)
• Vasco Galante (Gorongosa National Park)
• Kathleen Horton (Harvard University)
• Domingos Muala (Gorongosa National Park)
• Tonga Torcida (Gorongosa National Park)
• Francisco (Paco) Hita-Garcia (Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt, Germany)

Acropyga

• Acropyga species (arnoldi)

Anochetus

• Anochetus africanus

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• Anochetus levaillanti

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• Anochetus traegaordhi

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• Anochetus species 1 (talpa)

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• Anochetus species 2 (katonae)

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Anoplolepis

• Anoplolepis custodiens

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Atopomyrmex

• Atopomyrmex mocquerysi

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Bothroponera

• Bothroponera cariosa Emery, 1895

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• Bothroponera kruegeri Forel, 1910

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• Bothroponera cf. pachyderma

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• Bothroponera species 2 (crassa)

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• Bothroponera species 7 (silvestrii)

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• Bothroponera species 8 (soror)

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Calyptomyrmex

• Calyptomyrmex kaurus Bolton, 1981

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• Calyptomyrmex species 1 (piripilis)

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Camponotus

• Camponotus auropubens Forel, 1894

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• Camponotus braunsi Mayr, 1895

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• Camponotus chrysurus Gerstäcker, 1871

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• Camponotus cosmicus (Smith, 1858)

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• Camponotus eugeniae

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  Major

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• Camponotus grandidieri Forel, 1886

Worker

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Queen

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• Camponotus maculatus

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• Camponotus robecchii troglodytes Forel, 1894

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  Worker

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  Soldier

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• Camponotus valdeziae Forel, 1879

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  Major

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  Minor

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This species nests in the ground in open areas. There is a modest crater surrounding the nest opening. Workers are polymorphic. They are very fast moving ants active during the day

• Camponotus vestitus (Smith, F., 1858)

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  Major

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  Minor

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• Camponotus species 1

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• Camponotus species 5

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• Camponotus species 6

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• Camponotus species 8

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  Major

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  Minor

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• Camponotus species 12

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• Camponotus species 15

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• Camponotus species 16

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• Camponotus species 19

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• Camponotus species 20

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Cardiocondyla

• Cardiocondyla emeryi

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Carebara

• Carebara species 1

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• Carebara species 2 (perpusilla)

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• Carebara species 3 (arnoldiella)

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• Carebara species 4

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  Worker

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  Minor

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• Carebara species 5 (erythraea)

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• Carebara species 6 (sarita)

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• Carebara species 7 (nicotianae)

• Carebara species 8

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Cataulacus

• Cataulacus intrudens

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• Cataulacus wissmannii

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• Cataulacus species 1 (brevisetosus)

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• Cataulacus species 5

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Centromyrmex

• Centromyrmex sellaris Mayr, 1896

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Cerapachys

• Cerapachys species 1 (Parasyscia sudanensis)

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• Cerapachys species 2 (Parasyscia)

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• Cerapachys species 3 near wroughtoni (Eburopone)

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• Cerapachys species 4

Crematogaster

• Crematogaster species 1

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• Crematogaster species 2

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• Crematogaster species 3

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• Crematogaster species 4

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• Crematogaster species 5

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• Crematogaster species 6

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• Crematogaster species 7

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• Crematogaster species 8

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• Crematogaster species 9

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Discothyrea

• Discothyrea mixta

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• Discothyrea oculata

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• Discothyrea traegaordhi Santschi, 1914

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Dorylus

See Key to Dorylus species of Gorongosa National Park

• Dorylus bequaerti

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• Dorylus species 1 (helvolus)

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• Dorylus species 2/5/6 (fulvus)

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• Dorylus species 3 (helvolus)

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• Dorylus species 4/7 (nigricans molestus)

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• Dorylus species 5/6/2 (fulvus)

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• Dorylus species 6/5/2 (fulvus)

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  Major

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  Minor

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• Dorylus species 7/4 (nigricans molestus)

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Hypoponera

• Hypoponera spei Forel, 1910

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• Hypoponera species 1 (angustata)

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• Hypoponera dulcis (Forel, 1907)

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• Hypoponera species 3 (importuna)

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• Hypoponera species 4 (ragusai)

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Lepisiota

• Lepisiota species 1

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• Lepisiota species 2

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• Lepisiota species 3

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• Lepisiota species 4

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• Lepisiota species 5

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Leptogenys

• Leptogenys leiothorax

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• Leptogenys maxillosa

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• Leptogenys species 1 (janneli)

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• Leptogenys species 3 (nitida)

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• Leptogenys species 5 (ferrari)

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Megaponera

• Megaponera analis (Megaponera analis)

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• Megaponera species 9

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• Megaponera species 4

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Melissotarsus

• Melissotarsus emeryi Forel, 1907

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Only a single species of Melissotarsus has been found in Mozambique. This species was found in a small secondary forest patch a few kilometers east of Chitengo. This species can be identified by the abrupt anterior edge of the pronotum in dorsal and lateral view. Many workers and several queens nest under the bark of a a tree tunneling their galleries in live wood, close to the surface. They tend armoured scale insects and only depart from their nest for mating flights.

Reference:

• Ben-Dov, Y. & Fisher, B.L. 2010. The mutualism of Melissotarsus ants and armoured scale insects in Africa and Madagascar: distribution, host plants and biology. Entomologia Hellenica 19:45-53.

Meranoplus

• Meranoplus glaber

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• Meranoplus inermis

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• Meranoplus magrettii

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• Meranoplus nanus

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Mesoponera

• Mesoponera ambigua Andre, 1890

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• Mesoponera subiridescens Wheeler, W.M. 1922

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• Mesoponera species 11 (ingesta)

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Microdaceton

• Microdaceton exornatum

Monomorium

• Monomorium junodi

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• Monomorium mirandum

• Monomorium species 1

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• Monomorium arnoldi sp2

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• Monomorium species 4

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• Monomorium bicolor species 5 (bicolor)

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• Monomorium invidium species 6 (invidium)

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• Monomorium hanneli species 7

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• Monomorium species 8

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• Monomorium species 10

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• Monomorium shilohense species 11

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Myrmicaria

• Myrmicaria species 1

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• Myrmicaria species 2

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Nesomyrmex

• Nesomyrmex angulatus

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Nylanderia

• Nylanderia natalensis

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Ocymyrmex

• Ocymyrmex phraxus

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Odontomachus

• Odontomachus assiniensis

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This species has been found on Gorongosa Mountain within the park at about 800 meters elevation.

• Odontomachus troglodytes

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This species has been found frequently at lower elevations surrounding Chitengo Camp in moist forest that is occasionally inundated during the rainy season. Nests are often located under and in rotten wood on the ground.

Key to Odontomachus species

Return to List of ant species of Mozambique.

• In dorsal view, pronotm with transverse rugae, gaster without appressed hairs , (Fig. 1) Odontomachus assiniensis

• In dorsal view, pronotom with longitudinal rugae, gaster with numerous short appressed hairs , (Fig. 2) Odontomachus troglodytes

Fig.1. Dorsal view of Odontomachus assiniensis worker

Fig.2. Dorsal view of Odontomachus troglodytes worker

Oecophylla

• Oecophylla longinoda

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Paltothyreus

• Paltothyreus tarsatus (Fabricius, 1798)

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• Paltothyreus species 10

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Paraparatrechina

• Paraparatrechina albipes

Paratrechina

• Paratrechina longicornis

• Paratrechina zanjensis

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Pheidole

• Pheidole crassinoda pluto

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• Pheidole liengmei

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  major worker

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  major worker

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  major worker

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  major worker

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  minor worker

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  minor worker

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  minor worker

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  minor worker

• Pheidole megacephala

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• Pheidole megacephala impressifrons

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  Soldier

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  Minor

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• Pheidole punctulata

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• Pheidole species 1 cf. kitschneri

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  Soldier

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  Minor

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  Queen

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• Pheidole cf. aurivillii

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  Soldier

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  Minor

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• Pheidole cf. caffra

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  Soldier

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  Minor

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• Pheidole cf. katonae

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• Pheidole cf. megacephala

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  Soldier

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  Minor

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• Pheidole cf. njassae

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• Pheidole cf. tenuinodis (mentita)

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  Soldier

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  Minor

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• Pheidole species 8 (strator fugax)

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• Pheidole species 9 (crassinoda pluto)

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  soldier

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  minor

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• Pheidole species 10 (arnoldi ballaensis)

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  soldier

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  minor

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• Pheidole species 11 (strator fugax)

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  soldier

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  minor

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Plagiolepis

• Plagiolepis chirindensis Arnold, 1949

• Plagiolepis species 2 (fuscula)

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• Plagiolepis species 4 (brunni)

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• Plagiolepis species 5

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Platythyrea

• Platythyrea arnoldi

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• Platythyrea cribrinodis

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• Platythyrea modesta

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• Platythyrea schultzei

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Plectroctena

• Plectroctena mandibularis

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This species is a specialized predator of millipedes.

• Plectroctena subterranea

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Key to Plectroctena species

Return to List of ant species of Mozambique.

• In frontal view, ventral surfaces of head with striation between the punctures, color black (Fig. 1) Plectroctena mandibularis

• In frontal view, ventral surfaces of head without striation between the punctures, color red or orange-brown (Fig. 2) Plectroctena subterranea

Fig.1. Dorsal view of Plectroctena mandibularis worker

Fig.2. Dorsal view of Plectroctena subterranea worker

Polyrhachis

• Polyrhachis schistacea

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• Polyrhachis species 1

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• Polyrhachis species 2 (gagates)

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• Polyrhachis species 4 (schlueteri)

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• Polyrhachis species 5 (viscosa)

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Pristomyrmex

• Pristomyrmex cribrarius Arnold, 1926

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Proceratium

• Proceratium carri

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Pseudoponera

• Pseudoponera species 6 (Mesoponera)

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Solenopsis

• Solenopsis species 1

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• Solenopsis species 2

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  Soldier

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  Worker

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• Solenopsis punctaticeps Mayr 1865

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Sphinctomyrmex

• Sphinctomyrmex species 1 (Zasphinctus)

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Stigmatomma

• Stigmatomma species 1

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Strumigenys

• Strumigenys faurei

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These slow moving ants specialize on collembola found in leaf litter. This species appears to be rather common throughout Gorongosa National Park.

• Strumigenys lujae Forel, 1902

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• Strumigenys marginata

• Strumigenys maxillaris Baroni Urbani, 2007

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• Strumigenys simoni

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• Strumigenys species 2

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• Strumigenys nykara

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Syllophopsis

• Syllophopsis cryptobia cf.

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Tapinolepis

• Tapinolepis species 1

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Tapinoma

• Tapinoma species 1 (luteum)

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• Tapinoma schultzei PM

Technomyrmex

• Technomyrmex ilgi (Forel, 1910)

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• Technomyrmex voeltzkowi

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• Technomyrmex pallipes

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• Technomyrmex FHG sp1

• Technomyrmex FHG sp2

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Tetramorium

• Tetramorium chloe cf.

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• Tetramorium constanciae cf

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• Tetramorium decem (ultor)

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• Tetramorium do Forel, 1914

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• Tetramorium gladstonei Forel, 1913

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• Tetramorium humbloti Forel, 1891

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• Tetramorium longicorne Forel, 1907

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• Tetramorium muscorum Arnold, 1926

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• Tetramorium phasias Forel, 1914

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• Tetramorium sepositum Santschi, 1918

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• Tetramorium sepultum Bolton, 1980

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• Tetramorium sericeiventre Emery, 1877

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• Tetramorium setigerum Mayr, 1901

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• Tetramorium setuliferum Emery, 1895

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• Tetramorium simillimum (Smith, F., 1851)

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• Tetramorium simillimum cf

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• Tetramorium weitzeckeri Emery, 1895

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• Tetramorium zambezium Santschi, 1939

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  Queen

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  Queen

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  Queen

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  Queen

• Tetramorium species 1 (gabousense group sp. n.)

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• Tetramorium species 2 (camerunense group sp. n.)

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• Tetramorium species 3

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• Tetramorium species 7 (solidum group sp. n.)

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• Tetramorium species 13 (pusillum)

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Tetraponera

• Tetraponera ambigua (Emery, 1895)

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  soldier

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  worker

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  queen

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  male

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• Tetraponera andrei

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• Tetraponera emeryi Forel, 1911

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• Tetraponera natalensis Smith, F. 1858

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  Worker

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  Queen

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• Tetraponera schulthessi Santschi, 1915

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  Worker

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  Queen

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