Nigeria

• Identification resources for Afrotropical Ants
• Afrotropical Region Species List

Nigeria
Location
Region	Africa
Subregion	Western Africa
BioRegion	Afrotropical Region
Diversity
Subfamilies	9
Genera	44
Endemic Genera	0
% Endemic Genera	0.0%
Species/Subspecies	140
Endemic Species	21
% Endemic Species	15.0%
Introduced Species	0

The following valid species and subspecies of ants are known to occur in Nigeria. Unidentified and undescribed species will be added to this list as identifications are verified and taxonomic revisions are published. This species list is based upon the effort of many ant collectors as well as myrmecologists who have published on the taxonomy of Nigerian ants. Those who have specimen records that expand this list are encouraged to submit this information in the discussion section of the Nigerian Ants web page. Please advise if any corrections are warranted.

Aenictus

• Aenictus asantei Campione, Novak & Gotwald, 1983
• Aenictus bidentatus Donisthorpe, 1942
• Aenictus boltoni Gomez, 2022
• Aenictus decolor (Mayr, 1879)
• Aenictus guineensis Santschi, 1924
• Aenictus popeyei Gomez, 2022
• Aenictus vagans Santschi, 1924
• Aenictus weissi Santschi, 1910

Anochetus

• Anochetus africanus (Mayr, 1865)
• Anochetus bequaerti Forel, 1913
• Anochetus fuliginosus Arnold, 1948
• Anochetus katonae Forel, 1907
• Anochetus pellucidus Emery, 1902
• Anochetus punctaticeps Mayr, 1901
• Anochetus siphneus Brown, 1978
• Anochetus talpa Forel, 1901

Apomyrma

• Apomyrma stygia Brown, Gotwald & Levieux, 1971

Asphinctopone

• Asphinctopone silvestrii Santschi, 1914

Atopomyrmex

• Atopomyrmex cryptoceroides Emery, 1892
• Atopomyrmex mocquerysi André, 1889

Axinidris

• Axinidris denticulata (Wheeler, 1922)

• Axinidris kinoin Shattuck, 1991

Baracidris

• Baracidris meketra Bolton, 1981

Bondroitia

• Bondroitia lujae (Forel, 1909)

Bothroponera

• Bothroponera ryderae Joma & Mackay, 2017
• Bothroponera silvestrii Santschi, 1914
• Bothroponera soror (Emery, 1899)

Brachyponera

• Brachyponera sennaarensis Mayr, 1862

Calyptomyrmex

• Calyptomyrmex barak Bolton, 1981
• Calyptomyrmex nummuliticus Santschi, 1914

Camponotus

• Camponotus aberrans Mayr, 1895
• Camponotus acvapimensis Mayr, 1862
• Camponotus barbarossa Emery, 1920
• Camponotus bayeri Forel, 1913
• Camponotus bituberculatus André, 1889
• Camponotus brutus Forel, 1886
• Camponotus chrysurus Gerstäcker, 1871
• Camponotus compressiscapus André, 1889
• Camponotus congolensis Emery, 1899
• Camponotus flavomarginatus Mayr, 1862
• Camponotus foraminosus Forel, 1879
• Camponotus foraminosus deductus Santschi, 1915
• Camponotus haereticus Santschi, 1914
• Camponotus maculatus (Fabricius, 1782)
• Camponotus perrisii Forel, 1886
• Camponotus perrisii nigeriensis Santschi, 1914
• Camponotus schoutedeni Forel, 1911
• Camponotus sericeus (Fabricius, 1798)
• Camponotus solon Forel, 1886
• Camponotus solon chiton Emery, 1925
• Camponotus vestitus (Smith, 1858)
• Camponotus vestitus comptus Santschi, 1926
• Camponotus vividus (Smith, 1858)
• Camponotus vividus meinerti Forel, 1886

Cardiocondyla

• Cardiocondyla emeryi Forel, 1881
• Cardiocondyla neferka Bolton, 1982
• Cardiocondyla sekhemka Bolton, 1982
• Cardiocondyla shuckardi Forel, 1891
• Cardiocondyla weserka Bolton, 192
• Cardiocondyla yoruba Rigato, 2002
• Cardiocondyla zoserka Bolton, 1982

Carebara

• Carebara distincta (Bolton & Belshaw, 1993)
• Carebara silvestrii (Santschi, 1914)
• Carebara termitolestes (Wheeler, 1918)

Cataglyphis

• Cataglyphis bicolor (Fabricius, 1793)
• Cataglyphis bicolor seticornis (Emery, 1906)

Cataulacus

• Cataulacus bequaerti Forel, 1913
• Cataulacus boltoni Snelling, 1979
• Cataulacus brevisetosus Forel, 1901
• Cataulacus difficilis Santschi, 1916
• Cataulacus egenus Santschi, 1911
• Cataulacus guineensis Smith, F., 1853
• Cataulacus huberi André, 1890
• Cataulacus lujae Forel, 1911
• Cataulacus mocquerysi André, 1889
• Cataulacus moloch Bolton, 1982
• Cataulacus pullus Santschi, 1910
• Cataulacus pygmaeus André, 1890
• Cataulacus taylori Bolton, 1982
• Cataulacus traegaordhi Santschi, 1914
• Cataulacus vorticus Bolton, 1974
• Cataulacus weissi Santschi, 1913

Centromyrmex

• Centromyrmex sellaris Mayr, 1896

Crematogaster

• Crematogaster africana Mayr, 1895
• Crematogaster africana alligatrix Forel, 1911
• Crematogaster batesi Forel, 1911
• Crematogaster bequaerti Forel, 1913
• Crematogaster brunneipennis André, 1890
• Crematogaster brunneipennis yorubosa Santschi, 1933
• Crematogaster buchneri Forel, 1894
• Crematogaster buchneri graeteri Forel, 1916
• Crematogaster castanea Smith, 1858
• Crematogaster clariventris Mayr, 1895
• Crematogaster depressa Latreille, 1802
• Crematogaster excisa Mayr, 18955
• Crematogaster gabonensis Emery, 1899
• Crematogaster gambiensis André, 1889
• Crematogaster gerstaeckeri Dalla Torre, 1892
• Crematogaster kneri Mayr, 1862
• Crematogaster kneri pronotalis Santschi, 1914
• Crematogaster kohli winkleri Forel, 1909
• Crematogaster lamottei Bernard, 1953
• Crematogaster laurenti Forel, 1909
• Crematogaster luctans Forel, 1907
• Crematogaster nigeriensis Santschi, 1914
• Crematogaster solenopsides costeboriensis Santschi, 1919
• Crematogaster stadelmanni dolichocephala Santschi, 1911
• Crematogaster stigmata Santschi, 1914
• Crematogaster striatula Emery, 1892
• Crematogaster wellmani Forel, 1909
• Crematogaster zavattarii Menozzi, 1926

Dicroaspis

• Dicroaspis cryptocera Emery, 1908

Discothyrea

• Discothyrea oculata Emery, 1901

Dorylus

• Dorylus affinis Shuckard, 1840
• Dorylus atratus Smith, F., 1859
• Dorylus braunsi Emery, 1895
• Dorylus depilis Emery, 1895
• Dorylus emeryi Mayr, 1896
• Dorylus fimbriatus (Shuckard, 1840)
• Dorylus fulvus (Westwood, 1839)
• Dorylus gribodoi Emery, 1892
• Dorylus helvolus (Linnaeus, 1764
• Dorylus kohli Wasmann, 1904
• Dorylus nigricans Illiger, 1802
• Dorylus nigricans burmeisteri (Shuckard, 1840)
• Dorylus nigricans rubellus (Savage, 1849)
• Dorylus rufescens Santschi, 1915
• Dorylus savagei Emery, 1895
• Dorylus savagei mucronatus Emery, 1899
• Dorylus spininodis Emery, 1901

Euponera

• Euponera brunoi Forel, 1913
• Euponera sjostedti (Mayr, 1896)

Hypoponera

• Hypoponera angustata (Santschi, 1914)
• Hypoponera camerunensis (Santschi, 1914)
• Hypoponera coeca Santschi, 1914
• Hypoponera dulcis (Forel, 1907)
• Hypoponera inaudax (Santschi, 1919)
• Hypoponera lea (Santschi, 1937)
• Hypoponera lepida Bolton & Fisher, 2011
• Hypoponera punctatissima (Roger, 1857)

Lepisiota

• Lepisiota canescens (Emery 1897)
• Lepisiota capensis (Mayr, 1862)
• Lepisiota capensis guineensis (Mayr, 1902)
• Lepisiota capensis laevis (Santschi, 1913)
• Lepisiota incisa (Forel, 1913)
• Lepisiota monardi (Santschi, 1930)
• Lepisiota spinosior (Forel, 1913)
• Lepisiota validiuscula (Emery, 1897)

Leptanilla

• Leptanilla africana Baroni Urbani, 1977

Leptogenys

• Leptogenys conradti Forel, 1913
• Leptogenys elegans Bolton, 1975
• Leptogenys khaura Bolton, 1975
• Leptogenys longiceps Santschi, 1914
• Leptogenys stygia Bolton, 1975

Lioponera

• Lioponera foreli (Santschi, 1914)

Loboponera

• Loboponera politula Bolton & Brown, 2002
• Loboponera vigilans Bolton & Brown, 2002

Megaponera

• Megaponera analis (Latreille, 1802)

Meranoplus

• Meranoplus inermis Emery, 1895

Mesoponera

• Mesoponera ambigua André, 1890
• Mesoponera caffraria (Smith, 1858)

Melissotarsus

• Melissotarsus beccarii Emery, 1877

Meranoplus

• Meranoplus inermis Emery, 1895
• Meranoplus nanus André, 1892

Messor

• Messor galla Mayr, 1904
• Messor regalis Emery, 1892

Monomorium

• Monomorium afrum André, 1884
• Monomorium bicolor Emery, 1877
• Monomorium egens Forel, 1901
• Monomorium exiguum Forel, 1894
• Monomorium floricola (Jerdon, 1851)
• Monomorium invidium Bolton, 1987
• Monomorium pharaonis (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Monomorium rosae Santschi, 1920
• Monomorium vaguum Santschi, 1930
• Monomorium vonatu Santschi, 1930

Myrmicaria

• Myrmicaria fumata Santschi, 1916
• Myrmicaria natalensis eumenoides (Gerstäcker, 1859)
• Myrmicaria striata Stitz, 1911

Nesomyrmex

• Nesomyrmex angulatus Mayr, 1862

Nylanderia

• Nylanderia boltoni LaPolla, Hawkes & Fisher, 2011

• Nylanderia bourbonica (Forel, 1886)

• Nylanderia lepida (Santschi, 1915)

• Nylanderia scintilla LaPolla et al., 2011

• Nylanderia umbella LaPolla et al., 2011

Odontomachus

• Odontomachus troglodytes Santschi, 1914

Oecophylla

• Oecophylla longinoda (Latreille, 1802)
• Oecophylla longinoda fusca Emery, 1899

Paltothyreus

• Paltothyreus tarsatus Fabricius, 1798

Paraparatrechina

• Paraparatrechina albipes (Emery, 1899)
• Paraparatrechina gnoma LaPolla & Cheng, 2010
• Paraparatrechina subtilis (Santschi, 1920)

Parasyscia

• Parasyscia cribrinodis Emery, 1899
• Parasyscia sudanensis (Weber, 1942)

Paratrechina

• Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille, 1802)

Parvaponera

• Parvaponera darwinii africana (Forel, 1909)

Pheidole

• Pheidole aurivillii kasaiensis Forel, 1911
• Pheidole bequaerti Forel, 1913
• Pheidole caffra Emery, 1895
• Pheidole caffra senilifrons Wheeler, 1922
• Pheidole crassinoda Emery, 1895
• Pheidole excellens weissi Santschi, 1910
• Pheidole liengmei Forel, 1894
• Pheidole megacephala Fabricius, 1793
• Pheidole megacephala costauriensis (Fabricius, 1793)
• Pheidole megacephala impressifrons Wasmann, 1905
• Pheidole megacephala melancholica Santschi, 1912
• Pheidole minima Mayr, 1901
• Pheidole minima catella Santschi, 1914
• Pheidole nigeriensis Santschi, 1914
• Pheidole semidea Fischer, Hita Garcia & Peters, 2012
• Pheidole speculifera Emery, 1877

Plagiolepis

• Plagiolepis alluaudi Emery, 1894
• Plagiolepis brunni Mayr, 1895

Platythyrea

• Platythyrea conradti Emery, 1899
• Platythyrea frontalis Emery, 1899
• Platythyrea lamellosa (Roger, 1860)
• Platythyrea modesta Emery, 1899

Plectroctena

• Plectroctena cristata Emery, 1899
• Plectroctena macgeei Bolton, 1974
• Plectroctena minor Emery, 1891

Polyrhachis

• Polyrhachis concava André, 1889
• Polyrhachis decemdentata André, 1889
• Polyrhachis fissa Mayr, 1902
• Polyrhachis laboriosa Smith, F., 1858
• Polyrhachis militaris Fabricius, 1782
• Polyrhachis monista Santschi, 1910
• Polyrhachis otleti Forel, 1916
• Polyrhachis phidias Forel, 1910
• Polyrhachis rufipalpis Santschi, 1910
• Polyrhachis schistacea (Gerstäcker, 1859)
• Polyrhachis viscosa Smith, F., 1858
• Polyrhachis weissi Santschi, 1910

Pristomyrmex

• Pristomyrmex orbiceps (Santschi, 1914)

Psalidomyrmex

• Psalidomyrmex foveolatus André, 1890

Simopone

• Simopone conradti

Solenopsis

• Solenopsis geminata (Fabricius, 1804)
• Solenopsis globularia (Smith, F., 1858)
• Solenopsis orbuloides André, 1890

Strumigenys

• Strumigenys cacaoensis Bolton, 1971
• Strumigenys exunca (Bolton, 2000)
• Strumigenys hastyla Bolton, 1983
• Strumigenys laticeps Brown, 1962
• Strumigenys ludovici (Forel, 1904)
• Strumigenys lujae (Forel, 1902)
• Strumigenys malaplax Bolton, 1983
• Strumigenys maynei Forel, 1916
• Strumigenys ninda (Bolton, 1983)
• Strumigenys pallestes Bolton, 1983
• Strumigenys petiolata Bernard, 1953
• Strumigenys rogeri Emery, 1890
• Strumigenys rufobrunea Santschi, 1914
• Strumigenys scotti Forel, 1912
• Strumigenys simoni (Emery, 1895)
• Strumigenys vazerka Bolton, 1983

Syllophopsis

• Syllophopsis cryptobia Santschi, 1921

Tapinolepis

• Tapinolepis pernix (Viehmeyer, 1923)

Tapinoma

• Tapinoma carininotum Weber, 1943

• Tapinoma lugubre Santschi, 1917

• Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius, 1793)

Syllophopsis

• Syllophopsis cryptobia Santschi, 1921

Technomyrmex

• Technomyrmex andrei Emery, 1899
• Technomyrmex moerens Santschi, 1913
• Technomyrmex nigriventris Santschi, 1910
• Technomyrmex parviflavus Bolton, 2007
• Technomyrmex semiruber Emery, 1899

Terataner

• Terataner elegans Bernard, 1952
• Terataner luteus (Emery, 1899)
• Terataner piceus Menozzi, 1942

Tetramorium

• Tetramorium aculeatum (Mayr, 1866)
• Tetramorium africanum (Mayr, 1866)
• Tetramorium angulinode Santschi, 1910
• Tetramorium asetyum Bolton, 1980
• Tetramorium ataxium Bolton, 1980
• Tetramorium bellicosum Bolton, 1980
• Tetramorium bicarinatum (Nylander, 1846)
• Tetramorium boltoni Hita Garcia et al., 2010
• Tetramorium brevispinosum (Stitz, 1910)
• Tetramorium caldarium (Roger, 1857)
• Tetramorium calinum Bolton, 1980
• Tetramorium cristatum Stitz, 1910
• Tetramorium critchleyi (Bolton, 1976)
• Tetramorium delagoense Forel, 1894
• Tetramorium dumezi Menozzi, 1942
• Tetramorium dysderke Bolton, 1980
• Tetramorium edouardi Forel, 1894
• Tetramorium eminii (Forel, 1894)
• Tetramorium ericae Arnold, 1917
• Tetramorium flavithorax (Santschi, 1914)
• Tetramorium furtivum (Arnold, 1956)
• Tetramorium granulatum Bolton, 1980
• Tetramorium guineense (Bernard, 1953)
• Tetramorium intonsum Bolton, 1980
• Tetramorium jugatum Bolton, 1980
• Tetramorium khyarum Bolton, 1980
• Tetramorium lanuginosum Mayr, 1870
• Tetramorium legone Bolton, 1980
• Tetramorium longicorne Forel, 1907
• Tetramorium lucayanum Wheeler, W.M., 1905
• Tetramorium minimum (Bolton, 1976)
• Tetramorium opacum (Forel, 1909)
• Tetramorium quadridentatum Stitz, 1910
• Tetramorium raptor Hita Garcia, 2014
• Tetramorium rubrum Hita Garcia et al., 2010
• Tetramorium sericeiventre Emery, 1877
• Tetramorium simillimum (Smith, F., 1851)
• Tetramorium uelense Santschi, 1923
• Tetramorium wadje Bolton, 1980
• Tetramorium zapyrum Bolton, 1980

Tetraponera

• Tetraponera aethiops Smith, F., 1877
• Tetraponera anthracina Santschi, 1910
• Tetraponera latifrons (Emery, 1912)
• Tetraponera mocquerysi (André, 1890)
• Tetraponera ophthalmica Emery, 1912

Trichomyrmex

• Trichomyrmex abyssinicus (Forel, 1894)
• Trichomyrmex destructor (Jerdon, 1851)
• Trichomyrmex mayri (Forel, 1902)
• Trichomyrmex oscaris (Forel, 1894)

Xymmer

• Xymmer muticus (Santschi, 1914)

Zasphinctus

• Zasphinctus rufiventris (Santschi, 1915)

REFERENCES

• Jimoh BO, Gómez K, Kemabonta KA, Wakanjuola WA, Phiri EE, Mothapo PN (2024) A checklist of Nigerian ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae): a review, new records and exotic species. Biodiversity Data Journal 12: e99555.