Paraparatrechina albipes

A species of the rainforest, little else is known about the biology of  beyond this detail about its preferred habitat.

Identification
LaPolla et al. (2010) - Mesosomal dorsum (primarily pronotum and mesonotum) much lighter (almost white in some specimens) than remainder of mesosoma, head and gaster; white pubescence covering body.

Compare with: Paraparatrechina brunnella. This species has an unusual coloration pattern and is usually easily identifiable, with most specimens exhibiting a striking white patch on the mesosomal dorsum that contrast strongly with the darker body. There is variation in the degree of how large and white the patch is, with some specimens barely exhibiting a white patch at all. Sometimes the patch can also be of a more yellowish color rather than white.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Cameroun, Central African Republic, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria, Togo.

Nomenclature

 *  albipes. Prenolepis albipes Emery, 1899e: 497 (w.) CAMEROUN. LaPolla, Cheng & Fisher, 2010: 4 (q.m.). Combination in Prenolepis (Nylanderia): Emery, 1914f: 422; in Paratrechina (Nylanderia): Emery, 1925b: 218; in Paraparatrechina: LaPolla, Brady & Shattuck, 2010a: 128.

LaPolla et al. (2010):

Worker
(n=20): TL: 1.41–1.89; HW: 0.35–0.42; HL: 0.39–0.47; EL: 0.11–0.13; SL: 0.48–0.53; PW: 0.24–0.31; WL: 0.48–0.55; PDH: 0.20–0.25; PrFL: 0.38–0.42; PrFW: 0.11–0.15; GL: 0.52–0.9 Indices: CI: 81–93; REL: 26–29; SI: 119–140; FI: 27–37

Head brown, with contrasting yellowish-brown antennae and mandibles; head slightly longer than broad. White colored pubescence covers head in neat longitudinal rows. Scapes surpass posterior margin by about the length of the first 2–3 funicular segments. Lateral parts of mesosoma brown, and typically a distinctly white to whitish-yellow patch covers the dorsum of the pronotum and mesonotum, with the dorsum of the propodeum whitish to lighter brown. Fine, white pubescence covers entire mesosomal dorsum. Pronotum rises slightly more than 45° from anterior margin to dorsum; mesosoma compact; propodeum dorsum gently rounded. Procoxae brown, meso/metacoxae and trochanters white. Femurs brown posteriorly becoming white towards anterior ends; tibiae and tarsi white; gaster brown, sometimes slightly lighter colored around segmental margins.

Queen
(n=1): TL: 4.28; HW: 0.744; HL: 0.74; EL: 0.29; SL: 0.84; PW: 0.91; WL: 1.30; PDH: 0.52; PrFL: 0.73; PrFW: 0.19; GL: 2.24. Indices: CI: 100; REL: 39; SI: 113; FI: 27

As in worker, with modifications expected for caste. The queen examined does not display the lighter colored mesosomal dorsum observed in workers of this species and is darker brown overall in coloration.

Male
(n=1): TL: 1.63; HW (including eyes): 0.41; HL: 0.37; EL: 0.17; SL: 0.33; PW: 0.34; WL: 0.63; PrFL: 0.44; PrFW: 0.08; GL (including parameres): 0.67. Indices: CI: 112; REL: 46; SI: 80; FI: 19

Head brown, with bulging large eyes that occupy most of the lateral region of the head; head slightly broader than long. Palps distinctly lighter than head in color. A dense layer of pubescence covers head, with scattered erect setae along mid-region, posterior margin and clypeus. Scapes surpass posterior margin by about length of the first 2 funicular segments; antennae 13-segmented. Mandible with apical tooth and an indistinct basal angle. Mesosoma same color as head; pronotum short and collar-like; mesonotum large, rounded anteriorly, overarching pronotum; mesosoma dorsum flat, with suberect setae. Gaster slightly darker brown than head and mesosoma, covered with pubescence and scattered erect setae. Parameres elongate, with scattered erect setae, especially towards apices.

Type Material
2 syntype workers(?), CAMEROON, IX-XI 1895, L. Conradt [examined]. The description mentions two specimens, which are assumed to have been workers since only workers were described by Emery, but of the two specimens labeled types for this species in MSNG, one of them is a queen. It remains unclear if this specimen is one of the syntypes or not, although a queen was not mentioned in the original description.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * LaPolla J. S., C. H. Cheng, B. L. Fisher. 2010. Taxonomic revision of the ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) genus Paraparatrechina in the Afrotropical and Malagasy region. Zootaxa 2387: 1-27.
 * Lapolla, J. S., C. H. Cheng, and B. L. Fisher. "Taxonomic revision of the ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) genus Paraparatrechina in the Afrotropical and Malagasy Regions." Zootaxa 2387 (2010): 1-27.
 * Menozzi C. 1942. Formiche dell'isola Fernando Poo e del territorio del Rio Muni (Guinea Spagnola). 24. Beitrag zu den wissenschaftlichen Ergebnissen der Forschungsreise H. Eidmann nach Spanisch-Guinea 1939 bis 1940. Zoologischer Anzeiger 140: 164-182.
 * Stephens S. S., P. B. Bosu, and M. R. Wager. 2016. Effect of overstory tree species diversity and composition on ground foraging ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in timber plantations in Ghana. International Journal of Biodiversity Science, Ecosystem Services & management 12(1-2): 96-107.