Cyphoidris parissa

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Cyphoidris parissa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Crematogastrini
Genus: Cyphoidris
Species: C. parissa
Binomial name
Cyphoidris parissa
Bolton, 1981

Identification

The only known representative of Cyphoidris from West Africa, parissa is easily separated from both its Central African congeners by its lack of strong cephalic sculpture, unsculptured alitrunk, strongly shagreened first gastral tergite, lack of hairs on the dorsal body behind the head, and presence of a sharp subpostpetiolar process. (Bolton 1981)

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Liberia (type locality).

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

Nomenclature

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

  • parissa. Cyphoidris parissa Bolton, 1981b: 258 (w.) LIBERIA.
    • Type-material: holotype worker.
    • Type-locality: Liberia: Gibi, (Smithsonian Firestone Expd.), 1940 (W.M. Mann).
    • Type-depository: USNM.
    • Status as species: Bolton, 1995b: 167; Taylor, 2009: 25.
    • Distribution: Liberia.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Holotype. TL 3.7, HL 0.84, HW 0.76, CI 90, SL 0.62, SI 82, PW 0.58, AL 1.00.

Mandibles smooth with scattered small pits, the apical margin armed with 11-12 low denticles. Anterior clypeal margin convex but medially slightly flattened and apparently with a minute median indentation. Median portion of clypeus raised and the raised section bicarinate above. Frontal carinae strongly developed, running back beyond the level of the eyes but fading out well in front of the occipital margin, forming the dorsal borders of the broad but shallow conspicuous scrobes. Frontal carinae slightly diverging posteriorly, their separation at the level of the midlengths of the eyes only c. 0.30, about 0.40 x HW. Eyes distinctly longer than wide, their maximum diameter 0.18, about 0.24 x HW. With the head in full-face view the sides rounding broadly and evenly into the occipital margin, without trace of an occipital corner; the occipital margin itself evenly shallowly convex, not impressed or concave medially. Alitrunk in profile with the promesonotum strongly swollen and dome-like, much higher than the surface of the propodeum; the latter sloping posteriorly to a pair of narrow spines which are very feebly sinuate along their length. Metapleural lobes short-triangular and acute. Petiole node in profile with the anterior face higher than the posterior so that the dorsal surface slopes downwards posteriorly; posterodorsal angle of node more obtuse than anterodorsal angle. Postpetiole with a sharp anteroventral dentiform process (which is seen in ventral view as a short transverse flange). In dorsal view both petiole node and postpetiole broader than long. Dorsum of head unsculptured except for a median carina between the frontal carinae and some extremely faint vestiges of feeble sculpture between the frontal carinae. Alitrunk unsculptured and shining. Petiole and postpetiole unsculptured, the latter with traces of punctulate sculpture posteriorly. First gastral tergite densely, strongly and conspicuously shagreened on the basal half, this sculpture fading out apically on the sclerite. Dorsum of head with numerous short fine curved hairs. Dorsal alitrunk and pedicel segments without hairs but with scattered sparse short pubescence which is appressed and very inconspicuous. First gastral tergite without hairs but with a fairly dense coat of short appressed pubescence superimposed upon the shagreened surface of the sclerite and quite conspicuous. Scapes and tibiae with pubescence but without hairs. Colour dark reddish brown, the gaster darker in shade than the head.

Type Material

Holotype worker, Liberia: Gibi, Smithsonian Firestone Exp. 1940 (W. M. Mann) (National Museum of Natural History).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Bolton B. 1981. A revision of six minor genera of Myrmicinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Ethiopian zoogeographical region. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology 43: 245-307.
  • Taylor R. W. 2009. Ants of the genus Lordomyrma Emery (1) generic synonymy, composition and distribution, with notes on Ancyridris Wheeler and Cyphoidris Weber (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Zootaxa 1979: 16-28.