Ant Diversity of Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique



This page is focused on the study of the ants of Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique. The richness of the ant fauna has not been fully examined. This page will contain a list of genera and species along with notes on biology and distribution. Keys to species will be presented along with identification tools.

Contributors
 * E.O. Wilson (Harvard University)
 * Gary D. Alpert (Harvard University)
 * Piotr Naskrecki (Harvard University\Gorongosa National Park)
 * Patrick McCormack (Harvard University)
 * Allan Short (Gorongosa National Park)
 * Domingo Muala (Gorongosa National Park)
 * Tonga Torcida

Melissotarsus

 * Melissotarsus emeryi Forel, 1907

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:
 * [[Media:2010-45-53-Ben-Dov and Fisher.pdf| 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. PDF]]

Odontomachus

 * Odontomachus assiniensis

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

Plectroctena

 * Plectroctena mandibularis

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