Monomorium sutu

Except for the type material stating is was collected in Acacia/Commiphila scrub, nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
Bolton (1987) - A member of the M. australe complex in the M. salomonis species group. The distinctive cephalic sculpture links sutu with Monomorium opacior and its immediate allies, but sutu is quickly separated from these, and from all other members of the australe-complex, by its relatively very large eyes. Range of eye size throughout the remainder of the complex is 0.23-0.30 x HW, as compared to 0.35-0.38 x HW in sutu.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Kenya.

Nomenclature

 *  sutu. Monomorium sutu Bolton, 1987: 361 (w.) KENYA.

Worker
Holotype. TL 2.9, HL 0.73, HW 0.56, CI 77, SL 0.58, SI 104, PW 0.40, AL 0.94. Median portion of clypeus with anterior free margin transverse to shallowly convex. Head in full-face view with sides evenly weakly convex, broadest at the level of the eyes; the sides more obviously convergent behind than in front of the eyes. Occipital margin broadly but shallowly concave. Eyes relatively large, the maximum diameter 0.36 x HW and with 12 ommatidia in the longest row. Eyes situated at the midlength of the sides in full-face view and distinctly larger than in any other member of the australe-complex. Promesonotal dorsum in profile sloping shallowly and evenly posteriorly, the metanotal groove indicated by a weak incised line across the dorsum but not impressed. Petiolar peduncle anteroventrally with a very low flange-like process. Dorsum of head with a single pair of short standing hairs behind the level of the frontal lobes, situated approximately at the level of the posterior margins of the eyes when the head is viewed in profile (in the holotype the left hand hair of this pair is missing). Occipital margin of head and all of dorsal alitrunk without standing hairs. Petiole and postpetiole each with a single pair of backward directed hairs. First gastral tergite with 2 pairs of standing hairs in front of the apical transverse row; one pair situated at about the midlength of the tergite, the second somewhat closer to the base. Dorsum of head opaque, blanketed by fine and dense reticulate-shagreenate to punctate-shagreenate sculpture; mid-dorsally the surface with exceptionally fine dense scratch-like longitudinal sculpture. Dorsal alitrunk finely and densely reticulate to reticulate-punctate. First gastral tergite very densely and finely shagreenate, opaque but dully shining. Head in front of eyes yellowish brown, posteriorly the head becoming darker brown. Sides of head below level of eyes lighter than dorsum. Promesonotum yellowish brown and lighter than head, but propodeum, petiole, postpetiole and gaster much darker, the last very dark brown.

Paratypes. TL 2.7-3.0, HL 0.68-0.75, HW 0.50-0.57, CI 74-79, SL 0.54-0.59, SI 102-108; PW 0.36-0.40, AL 0.84-0.94 (17 measured). As holotype but maximum diameter of eye 0.35-0.38 x HW and with 10-12 ommatidia in the longest row. Pilosity as holotype but some paratypes with only a single pair of hairs on the first gastral tergite (discounting the apical transverse row), this pair situated at the midlength of the sclerite.

Type Material
Holotype worker, Kenya: Tana River, Kora, 0-100 m, 1983, no. 19, Acacia/Commiphila scrub (N. M. Collins & M. Ritchie). Paratypes, 17 workers with same data as holotype (BMNH; ; ).