Odontomachus troglodytes

Very common and widely spread across almost all of sub-Saharan Africa. Found to be common in open or loosely wooded areas. Nests in rotting wood on the ground or in tree stumps or among the roots at the base of trees. It can be dominant throughout the cocoa growing area, on 1.0-2.5% of cocoa trees but only on lower trunk (Taylor 1977; Taylor & Adedoyin 1978). Often found ascending cocoa trees to tend aphids and assorted other Homoptera; activity includes tent-building, using coarse soil and debris. The tents were frequently associated with cocoa black pod infections. In Benin it occurs in mango (Mangifera indica) orchards and is prey of Oecophylla longinoda (Taylor et al., 2018).

Identification
A member of the Odontomachus haematodus group. Workers of this species can be easily distinguished from Odontomachus coquereli by their smaller size, distinct extraocular furrows and temporal ridges on vertex and short and blunt mandibular teeth.

Distribution
Known from Zimbabwe, Liberia, Senegal, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Seychelles and South Africa.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Benin, Cameroun, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Malagasy Region: Madagascar, Seychelles.

Cameroon
Dassou et al. (2017) found this ant to be a subordinate species at baits in Cameroon plantain agrosystems.

Malagasy
Fisher and Smith (2008) - Odontomachus troglodytes was first reported from Madagascar by André [38:290] as O. haematodes (Linnaeus). African and Malagasy records of haematodes actually refer to troglodytes. In Madagascar, troglodytes is widespread throughout the east in secondary habitats, including coastal scrub, eucalyptus plantations, littoral forest, and rainforest below 800 m elevation. Forel [25:159] recorded Odontomachus (as haematodes) from Seychelles. These specimens have not been examined but probably refer to Odontomachus simillimus and not troglodytes. Because of its preference of secondary habitats, it is possible that troglodytes in Madagascar is a recent colonist from Africa, possibly introduced by humans. This is in contrast to Odontomachus coquereli which is most closely related to Melanesian species in the tyrannicus group. Our collections in Madagascar were focused primarily on less disturbed habitats, thus its distribution probably does not reflect the full extent of its range. O. troglodytes was most often recorded nesting in rotten logs (30 collection records) followed by sifted litter (15). Males were collected at light, malaise traps, and yellow pan traps. A lab colony was kept for a number of months and thrived on a diet of crickets, producing numerous larvae, brood, and males. The trap jaw behavior is very similar to that of O. bauri [39, Fisher unpublished]. When disturbed, the specimen use trap jaw propulsion to “jump” away.

Nomenclature

 * . Odontomachus haematodes var. troglodytes Santschi, 1914b: 58 (w.) KENYA.
 * Type-material: lectotype worker (by designation of Brown, 1976a: 169).
 * [Note: 3 syntype workers were originally recognised, all from Shimoni; Brown does not specify which is the lectotype.]
 * Type-locality: Kenya (“Afrique orientale anglaise”): Shimoni, entrance of Cave A (1 worker), and interior of Cave B (2 workers), st. no. 9, xi.1911 (Ch. Alluaud & R. Jeannel).
 * Type-depository: NHMB.
 * André, 1887: 290 (m.); Arnold, 1915: 109 (q.); Menozzi, in Eidmann, 1944: 437 (l.).
 * Subspecies of haematodus: Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 795.
 * Status as species: Brown, 1976a: 106, 167; Bolton, 1995b: 297; Dorow, 1996a: 76; Fisher & Smith, 2008: 16 (redescription); Hita Garcia, et al. 2013: 220; Borowiec, L. 2014: 139; Madl, 2019: 17.
 * Senior synonym of stanleyi: Brown, 1976a: 106; Bolton, 1995b: 297; Fisher & Smith, 2008: 16.
 * Distribution: Botswana, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria, São Tomé & Principe, Senegal, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
 * [Note: Afrotropical records of haematodus, prior to Brown, 1976a: 167, are properly referable to troglodytes.]
 * stanleyi. Odontomachus haematoda var. stanleyi Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 102 (w.) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO.
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated, “numerous specimens from two colonies”).
 * Type-locality: Democratic Republic of Congo (“Belgian Congo”): Stanleyville (= Kisangani) (Lang & Chapin).
 * Type-depositories: AMNH, MCZC.
 * Junior synonym of troglodytes: Brown, 1976a: 106; Bolton, 1995b: 297; Fisher & Smith, 2008: 15.

Worker
Fisher and Smith (2008) - Measurements: maximum and minimum based on n = 15 from Madagascar: HL 2.23–2.66, HW (across vertex) 1.56–1.92, HW (across upper eye margin) 1.69–1.98, CI 74–78, EL 0.40–0.47, ML 1.13–1.33, MI 45–54, SL 2.07–2.42, SI 117–127, WL 2.61–3.07. FL 2.28–2.65, PW 1.02–1.19. The specimens from Madagascar are notably smaller than specimens in CAS collection from South Africa, central Africa and Sao Tome. Maximum and minimum measurements based on n = 5: HL 2.52–2.94, HW (across vertex) 1.81–2.25, HW (across upper eye margin) 1.94–2.31, CI 74–79, EL 0.41–0.51, ML 1.19–1.38, MI 47–49, SL 2.24–2.53, SI 110–122, WL 2.88–3.23. FL 2.42–2.91, PW 1.13–1.36.

Queen
Fisher and Smith (2008) - Measurements: maximum and minimum based on n = 5 from Madagascar: HL 2.59–2.74, HW (across vertex) 1.99–2.19, HW (across upper eye margin) 2.05–2.18, CI 78–79, EL 0.56–0.59, ML 1.39–1.44, MI 52–55, SL 2.36–2.52, SI 112–119, WL 3.18–3.49. FL 2.67–2.76.

Male
Fisher and Smith (2008) - Measurements: maximum and minimum based on n = 5 from Madagascar: HL 1.00–1.04, HW 1.30–1.35, CI 127–133, EL 0.68–0.70, SL 0.22–0.26, SI 17–19, WL 2.52–2.59. FL 1.80–1.88.

Type Material
Fisher and Smith (2008):

Lectotype worker: Kenya, Shimoni cave [examined] AntWeb CASENT0101134. Odontomachus haematodus stanleyi. Type worker: DRC (Zaire) Stanleyville, 25° 10′E, 0°30′N Feb 1915, [examined] AntWeb CASENT0104653, CASENT0104654.

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