South Africa



The following valid species and subspecies of ants are known to occur in South Africa. 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 South African ants. Those who have specimen records that expand this list are encouraged to submit this information in the discussion section of the South African Ants web page. Please advise if any corrections are warranted.

A

 * Acropyga arnoldi 	Santschi, 1926


 * Aenictus eugenii 	Emery, 1895


 * Aenictus inconspicuus 	Westwood, 1845


 * Aenictus mariae 	Emery, 1895


 * Aenictus rixator 	Emery, 1901


 * Aenictus rotundatus merwei 	Santschi, 1932


 * Aenictus steindachneri 	Mayr, 1901


 * Agraulomyrmex meridionalis 	Prins, 1983


 * Anochetus faurei 	Arnold, 1948


 * Anochetus fuliginosus 	Arnold, 1948


 * Anochetus jonesi 	Arnol’di, 1926


 * Anochetus levaillanti 	Emery, 1895


 * Anochetus natalensis 	Arnold, 1926


 * Anochetus punctaticeps 	Mayr, 1901


 * Anochetus talpa 	Forel, 1901


 * Anoplolepis custodiens 	Smith, F., 1858


 * Anoplolepis fallax 	Mayr, 1865


 * Anoplolepis nuptialis 	Santschi, 1917


 * Anoplolepis rufescens 	Santschi, 1917


 * Anoplolepis steingroeveri parsonsi 	Santschi, 1937


 * Atopomyrmex mocquerysi Andre, 1889

C

 * Calyptomyrmex brunneus Arnold, 1948


 * Calyptomyrmex claviseta 	Santschi, 1914


 * Calyptomyrmex foreli 	Emery, 1915


 * Calyptomyrmex piripilis Santschi, 1923


 * Camponotus  knysnae 	Arnold, 1922


 * Camponotus  storeatus 	Forel, 1910


 * Camponotus  traegaordhi 	Santschi, 1914


 * Camponotus bifossus 	Santschi, 1917


 * Camponotus sellidorsatus 	Prins, 1973


 * Camponotus klugii 	Emery, 1895


 * Camponotus nasutus quinquedentatus 	Forel, 1910


 * Camponotus cuneiscapus 	Forel, 1910


 * Camponotus emarginatus 	Emery, 1886


 * Camponotus havilandi 	Arnold, 1922


 * Camponotus nasutus 	Emery, 1895


 * Camponotus reevei 	Arnold, 1922


 * Camponotus transvaalensis griqua 	Arnold, 1952


 * Camponotus trifasciatus 	Santschi, 1926


 * Camponotus arminius bicontractus 	Wheeler, W.M., 1922


 * Camponotus berthoudi 	Forel, 1879


 * Camponotus brevisetosus 	Forel, 1910


 * Camponotus detritus 	Emery, 1886


 * Camponotus fulvopilosus 	De Geer, 1778


 * Camponotus niveosetosus irredux Forel, 1910


 * Camponotus scalaris 	Forel, 1901


 * Camponotus victoriae 	Arnold, 1959


 * Camponotus mystaceus 	Emery, 1886


 * Camponotus  angusticeps 	Emery, 1886


 * Camponotus  cosmicus 	Smith, F., 1858


 * Camponotus eugeniae 	Forel, 1879


 * Camponotus  petersii janus 	Forel, 1911


 * Camponotus  rufoglaucus zulu 	Emery, 1895


 * Camponotus  valdeziae 	Forel, 1879


 * Camponotus vestitus strophiatus 	Santschi, 1926


 * Camponotus  auropubens absalon 	Santschi, 1915


 * Camponotus  grandidieri mendax Emery, 1895


 * Camponotus  olivieri infelix Santschi, 1915


 * Camponotus  postoculatus 	Forel, 1914


 * Camponotus cubangensis dofleini 	Forel, 1911


 * Camponotus liogaster 	Santschi, 1932


 * Camponotus mayri mayri 	Forel, 1879


 * Camponotus  bertolonii 	Emery, 1895


 * Camponotus  brookei 	Forel, 1914


 * Camponotus  orites 	Santschi, 1919


 * Camponotus  ostiarius 	Forel, 1914


 * Camponotus  arnoldinus 	Forel, 1914


 * Camponotus  baynei 	Arnold, 1922


 * Camponotus  bianconii 	Emery, 1895


 * Camponotus  buttikeri 	Arnold, 1958


 * Camponotus  caffer 	Emery, 1895


 * Camponotus  cleobulus 	Santschi, 1919


 * Camponotus  dicksoni 	Arnold, 1948


 * Camponotus  hova pictiventris 	Mayr, 1901


 * Camponotus  importunus 	Forel, 1911


 * Camponotus maculatus 	Fabricius, 1782


 * Camponotus  natalensis corvus 	Forel, 1879


 * Camponotus  thraso agricola 	Forel, 1910


 * Camponotus  werthi skaifei 	Arnold, 1959


 * Cardiocondyla emeryi Forel, 1881


 * Cardiocondyla shuckardi Forel, 1891


 * Carebara arnoldiella 	Santschi, 1919


 * Carebara junodi 	Forel, 1904


 * Carebara perpusilla 	Emery, 1895


 * Carebara robertsoni 	Bolton & Belshaw, 1993


 * Carebara semilaevis 	Mayr, 1901


 * Carebara traegaordhi 	Santschi, 1914


 * Carebara vidua vidua 	Smith, F., 1858


 * Cataulacus brevisetosus 	Forel, 1901


 * Cataulacus fricatidorsus 	Santschi, 1914


 * Cataulacus guineensis 	Smith, F., 1853


 * Cataulacus intrudens 	Smith, F., 1876


 * Cataulacus micans 	Mayr, 1901


 * Cataulacus traegaordhi 	Santschi, 1914


 * Cataulacus wissmannii 	Forel, 1894


 * Centromyrmex fugator Bolton & Fisher, 2008


 * Cerapachys arnoldi 	Forel, 1914


 * Cerapachys braunsi 	Emery, 1902


 * Cerapachys faurei 	Arnold, 1949


 * Cerapachys natalensis 	Forel, 1901


 * Cerapachys peringueyi 	Emery, 1886


 * Cerapachys validus 	Arnold, 1960


 * Cerapachys wroughtoni 	Forel, 1910


 * Crematogaster resulcata 	Bolton, 1995


 * Crematogaster  acaciae generosa 	Santschi, 1919


 * Crematogaster  arnoldi 	Forel, 1914


 * Crematogaster  brunneipennis omniparens 	Forel, 1914


 * Crematogaster  capensis 	Mayr, 1862


 * Crematogaster  castanea arborea 	Smith, F., 1858


 * Crematogaster  censor junodi 	Forel, 1916


 * Crematogaster  cicatriculosa 	Roger, 1863


 * Crematogaster  constructor 	Emery, 1895


 * Crematogaster  delagoensis acutidens 	Arnold, 1944


 * Crematogaster  desperans 	Forel, 1914


 * Crematogaster  gerstaeckeri godefreyi 	Forel, 1914


 * Crematogaster  liengmei weitzeckeri 	Emery, 1895


 * Crematogaster  melanogaster homonyma 	Emery, 1922


 * Crematogaster  monticola 	Arnold, 1920


 * Crematogaster  neuvillei cooperi 	Forel, 1914


 * Crematogaster  opaciceps cacodaemon 	Forel, 1914


 * Crematogaster  orobia 	Santschi, 1919


 * Crematogaster  peringueyi angustior 	Arnold, 1920


 * Crematogaster  santschii clymene 	Forel, 1915


 * Crematogaster  schultzei 	Forel, 1910


 * Crematogaster liengmei caculata 	Forel, 1915


 * Crematogaster natalensis braunsi 	Emery, 1922


 * Crematogaster transvaalensis 	Forel, 1894


 * Crematogaster oscaris 	Forel, 1910


 * Crematogaster amita bushimana 	Santschi, 1926


 * Crematogaster gambiensis krantziana 	Forel, 1914


 * Crematogaster hottentota 	Emery, 1899


 * Cryptopone hartwigi 	Arnold, 1948

D

 * Diplomorium longipenne 	Mayr, 1901


 * Discothyrea hewitti 	Arnold, 1916


 * Discothyrea traegaordhi 	Santschi, 1914


 * Dorylus attenuatus acuminata 	Emery, 1899


 * Dorylus faurei 	Arnold, 1946


 * Dorylus furcatus 	Gerstäcker, 1872


 * Dorylus helvolus 	Linnaeus, 1764


 * Dorylus fimbriatus poweri 	Forel, 1914

H

 * Hypoponera dideroti 	Forel, 1913


 * Hypoponera dulcis uncta 	Santschi, 1914


 * Hypoponera natalensis 	Santschi, 1914


 * Hypoponera spei devota 	Santschi, 1914


 * Hypoponera sulcatinasis durbanensis 	Forel, 1914


 * Hypoponera traegaordhi 	Santschi, 1914


 * Hypoponera transvaalensis 	Arnold, 1947

L

 * Lepisiota capensis 	Mayr, 1862


 * Lepisiota crinita 	Mayr, 1895


 * Lepisiota spinosior natalensis 	Arnold, 1920


 * Leptanilla australis 	Baroni Urbani, 1977


 * Leptogenys attenuata 	Smith, F., 1858


 * Leptogenys castanea 	Mayr, 1862


 * Leptogenys crassinoda 	Arnold, 1926


 * Leptogenys havilandi 	Forel, 1901


 * Leptogenys intermedia 	Emery, 1902


 * Leptogenys mactans 	Bolton, 1975


 * Leptogenys maxillosa 	Smith, F., 1858


 * Leptogenys nitida (Smith, F., 1858)


 * Leptogenys peringueyi 	Forel, 1913


 * Leptogenys schwabi 	Forel, 1913

M

 * Melissotarsus beccarii Emery,, 1877


 * Melissotarsus emeryi Forel, 1907


 * Meranoplus inermis 	Emery, 1895


 * Meranoplus magrettii 	André, 1884


 * Meranoplus peringueyi Emery, 1886


 * Messor capensis Mayr, 1862


 * Messor decipiens 	Santschi, 1917


 * Messor denticornis Forel, 1910


 * Messor luebberti Forel, 1910


 * Messor piceus Stitz, 1923


 * Messor striatifrons Stitz, 1923


 * Microdaceton exornatum 	Santschi, 1913


 * Monomorium albopilosum Emery, 1895


 * Monomorium anceps 	Emery, 1895


 * Monomorium australe 	Emery, 1886


 * Monomorium boerorum 	Forel, 1910


 * Monomorium braunsi 	Mayr, 1901


 * Monomorium delagoense Forel, 1894


 * Monomorium destructor (Jerdon, 1851)


 * Monomorium excelsior 	Arnold, 1926


 * Monomorium excensurae Forel, 1915


 * Monomorium exchao 	Santschi, 1926


 * Monomorium fastidium 	Bolton, 1987


 * Monomorium fridae 	Forel, 1905


 * Monomorium havilandi 	Forel, 1910


 * Monomorium jonesi 	Arnold, 1952


 * Monomorium junodi 	Forel, 1910


 * Monomorium kelapre 	Bolton, 1987


 * Monomorium lubricum 	Arnold, 1948


 * Monomorium macrops 	Arnold, 1944


 * Monomorium mavide 	Bolton, 1987


 * Monomorium mediocre 	Santschi, 1920


 * Monomorium micropacum Bolton, 1987


 * Monomorium modestum 	Santschi, 1914


 * Monomorium musicum 	Forel, 1910


 * Monomorium notulum 	Forel, 1910


 * Monomorium ocellatum 	Arnold, 1920


 * Monomorium opacior Bolton, 1987


 * Monomorium orangiae 	Arnold, 1956


 * Monomorium oscaris 	Forel, 1894


 * Monomorium pacis 	Forel, 1915


 * Monomorium paternum 	Bolton, 1987


 * Monomorium rhopalocerum 	Emery, 1895


 * Monomorium rotundatum 	Santschi, 1920


 * Monomorium schultzei 	Forel, 1910


 * Monomorium tablense 	Santschi, 1932


 * Monomorium taedium 	Bolton, 1987


 * Monomorium tchelichofi 	Forel, 1914


 * Monomorium torvicte 	Bolton, 1987


 * Monomorium willowmorense 	Bolton, 1987


 * Monomorium xanthognathum 	Arnold, 1944


 * Monomorium zulu 	Santschi, 1914


 * Myrmicaria anomala 	Arnold, 1960


 * Myrmicaria faurei 	Arnold, 1947


 * Myrmicaria foreli 	Santschi, 1925


 * Myrmicaria laevior 	Forel, 1910


 * Myrmicaria natalensis 	Smith, F., 1858


 * Myrmicaria nigra 	Mayr, 1862

N

 * Nesomyrmex angulatus 	Mayr, 1862


 * Nesomyrmex braunsi 	Forel, 1912


 * Nesomyrmex denticulatus 	Mayr, 1901


 * Nesomyrmex simoni 	Emery, 1895


 * Nesomyrmex stramineus 	Arnold, 1948

O

 * Ocymyrmex alacer 	Bolton & Marsh, 1989


 * Ocymyrmex barbiger 	Emery, 1886


 * Ocymyrmex cavatodorsatus 	Prins, 1965


 * Ocymyrmex cilliei 	Prins & Roux, 1989


 * Ocymyrmex dekerus Bolton & Marsh, 1989


 * Ocymyrmex flaviventris Santschi, 1913


 * Ocymyrmex foreli Arnold, 1916


 * Ocymyrmex fortior 	Santschi, 1911


 * Ocymyrmex gariepensis 	Prins & Roux, 1989


 * Ocymyrmex gordoni 	Prins & Roux, 1989


 * Ocymyrmex hirsutus Forel, 1910


 * Ocymyrmex ignotus 	Bolton & Marsh, 1989


 * Ocymyrmex micans Forel, 1910


 * Ocymyrmex monardi Santschi, 1930


 * Ocymyrmex picardi 	Forel, 1901


 * Ocymyrmex resekhes 	Bolton & Marsh, 1989


 * Ocymyrmex shushan Bolton, 1981


 * Ocymyrmex sobek Bolton, 1981


 * Ocymyrmex sphinx Bolton, 1981


 * Ocymyrmex turneri Donisthorpe, 1931


 * Ocymyrmex velox Santschi, 1932


 * Ocymyrmex weitzeckeri Emery, 1892


 * Ocymyrmex zekhem Bolton, 1981


 * Odontomachus assiniensis 	Emery, 1892

P

 * Pachycondyla aenigmatica 	Arnold, 1949


 * Pachycondyla berthoudi berthoudi 	Forel, 1890


 * Pachycondyla caffraria caffraria 	Smith, F., 1858


 * Pachycondyla cavernosa cavernosa 	Roger, 1860


 * Pachycondyla elisae rotundata 	Emery, 1895


 * Pachycondyla fossigera 	Mayr, 1901


 * Pachycondyla granosa 	Roger, 1860


 * Pachycondyla havilandi fochi 	Forel, 1918


 * Pachycondyla havilandi  godfreyi 	Arnold, 1926


 * Pachycondyla hottentota 	Emery, 1886


 * Pachycondyla kruegeri 	Forel, 1910


 * Pachycondyla laevissima aspera 	Arnold, 1962


 * Pachycondyla peringueyi 	Emery, 1899


 * Pachycondyla pumicosa 	Roger, 1860


 * Pachycondyla strigulosa 	Emery, 1895


 * Pachycondyla tarsata 	Fabricius, 1798


 * Pachycondyla variolosa 	Arnold, 1947


 * Pachycondyla wroughtonii creudelis 	Forel, 1901


 * Paratrechina traegaordhi natalensis 	Forel, 1915


 * Pheidole akermani 	Arnold, 1920


 * Pheidole aspera 	Mayr, 1862


 * Pheidole caffra 	Emery, 1895


 * Pheidole capensis 	Mayr, 1862


 * Pheidole crassinoda 	Emery, 1895


 * Pheidole foreli 	Mayr, 1901


 * Pheidole hewitti 	Santschi, 1932


 * Pheidole irritans 	Smith, F., 1858


 * Pheidole kitschneri 	Forel, 1910


 * Pheidole megacephala impressifrons 	Wasmann, 1905


 * Pheidole sculpturata areolata 	Forel, 1911


 * Pheidole spinulosa conigera 	Forel, 1910


 * Pheidole tenuinodis bothae 	Forel, 1901


 * Pheidologeton hostilis 	Smith, F., 1858


 * Plagiolepis capensis 	Mayr, 1865


 * Plagiolepis decora 	Santschi, 1914


 * Plagiolepis deweti 	Forel, 1904


 * Plagiolepis funicularis 	Santschi, 1919


 * Plagiolepis fuscula 	Emery, 1895


 * Plagiolepis intermedia 	Emery, 1895


 * Plagiolepis jouberti 	Forel, 1910


 * Plagiolepis puncta 	Forel, 1910


 * Plagiolepis vanderkelleni polita 	Santschi, 1914


 * Platythyrea cooperi 	Arnold, 1915


 * Platythyrea lamellosa 	Roger, 1860


 * Plectroctena conjugata Santschi, 1914


 * Plectroctena mandibularis 	Smith, F., 1858


 * Plectroctena strigosa 	Emery, 1899


 * Polyrhachis arnoldi 	Forel, 1914


 * Polyrhachis cubaensis 	Mayr, 1862


 * Polyrhachis durbanensis 	Forel, 1914


 * Polyrhachis gagates 	Smith, F., 1858


 * Polyrhachis gamaii 	Santschi, 1917


 * Polyrhachis revoili 	André, 1887


 * Polyrhachis schistacea (Gerstäcker, 1859)


 * Polyrhachis schlueteri 	Forel, 1886


 * Polyrhachis spinicola Forel, 1894


 * Polyrhachis viscosa 	Smith, F., 1858


 * Prionopelta aethiopica 	Arnold, 1949


 * Pristomyrmex cribrarius 	Arnold, 1926


 * Pristomyrmex fossulatus 	Forel, 1910


 * Probolomyrmex filiformis 	Mayr, 1901


 * Pyramica agnosta 	Bolton, 2000


 * Pyramica anarta 	Bolton, 1983


 * Pyramica dictynna 	Bolton, 2000


 * Pyramica emarginata 	Mayr, 1901


 * Pyramica ludovici 	Forel, 1904


 * Pyramica lujae 	Forel, 1902


 * Pyramica mandibularis 	Szabó, 1909


 * Pyramica marginata 	Santschi, 1914


 * Pyramica maynei 	Forel, 1916


 * Pyramica membranifera 	Emery, 1869


 * Pyramica mira 	Bolton, 2000


 * Pyramica noara 	Bolton, 2000


 * Pyramica ogyga 	Bolton, 2000


 * Pyramica oxysma 	Bolton, 1983


 * Pyramica robertsoni 	Bolton, 2000


 * Pyramica rusta 	Bolton, 1983


 * Pyramica sardonica 	Bolton, 2000


 * Pyramica simoni 	Emery, 1895


 * Pyramica transversa 	Santschi, 1913

R

 * Rhoptromyrmex globulinodis 	Mayr, 1901


 * Rhoptromyrmex transversinodis 	Mayr, 1901

S

 * Simopone marleyi 	Arnold, 1915


 * Solenopsis capensis 	Mayr, 1866


 * Solenopsis punctaticeps caffra 	Forel, 1894


 * Streblognathus aethiopicus 	Smith, F., 1858


 * Streblognathus peetersi 	Robertson, 2002


 * Strumigenys faurei 	Arnold, 1948


 * Strumigenys havilandi 	Forel, 1905


 * Strumigenys irrorata 	Santschi, 1913


 * Strumigenys marleyi 	Arnold, 1914


 * Strumigenys pretoriae 	Arnold, 1949


 * Strumigenys rakkota 	Bolton, 2000


 * Strumigenys syntacta 	Bolton, 2000


 * Strumigenys traegaordhi 	Santschi, 1913

T

 * Tapinolepis candida 	Santschi, 1928


 * Tapinolepis decolor 	Emery, 1895


 * Tapinolepis trimenii karrooensis 	Arnold, 1922


 * Tapinoma arnoldi tectum 	Santschi, 1917


 * Tapinoma danitschi bevisi 	Forel, 1915


 * Tapinoma luteum emeryi 	Forel, 1910


 * Technomyrmex nigriventris albinasis 	Forel, 1910


 * Terataner transvaalensis 	Arnold, 1952


 * Tetramorium akermani 	Arnold, 1926


 * Tetramorium avium 	Bolton, 1980


 * Tetramorium bothae 	Forel, 1910


 * Tetramorium capense 	Mayr, 1865


 * Tetramorium clunum 	Forel, 1913


 * Tetramorium delagoense 	Forel, 1894


 * Tetramorium dichroum 	Santschi, 1932


 * Tetramorium dominum 	Bolton, 1980


 * Tetramorium emeryi 	Mayr, 1901


 * Tetramorium eminii 	Forel, 1894


 * Tetramorium erectum 	Emery, 1895


 * Tetramorium frenchi 	Forel, 1914


 * Tetramorium frigidum 	Arnold, 1926


 * Tetramorium glabratum 	Stitz, 1923


 * Tetramorium grandinode 	Santschi, 1913


 * Tetramorium grassii 	Emery, 1895


 * Tetramorium humbloti 	Forel, 1891


 * Tetramorium inezulae 	Forel, 1914


 * Tetramorium isipingense 	Forel, 1914


 * Tetramorium jauresi 	Forel, 1914


 * Tetramorium jordani 	Santschi, 1937


 * Tetramorium laevithorax 	Emery, 1895


 * Tetramorium longoi 	Forel, 1915


 * Tetramorium microgyna 	Santschi, 1918


 * Tetramorium microps 	Mayr, 1901


 * Tetramorium parasiticum 	Bolton, 1980


 * Tetramorium peringueyi 	Arnold, 1926


 * Tetramorium phasias 	Forel, 1914


 * Tetramorium platynode 	Bolton, 1980


 * Tetramorium poweri 	Forel, 1914


 * Tetramorium pusillum 	Emery, 1895


 * Tetramorium quadrispinosum 	Emery, 1886


 * Tetramorium regulare 	Bolton, 1980


 * Tetramorium sericeiventre 	Emery, 1877


 * Tetramorium setigerum 	Mayr, 1901


 * Tetramorium setuliferum 	Emery, 1895


 * Tetramorium signatum 	Emery, 1895


 * Tetramorium solidum 	Emery, 1886


 * Tetramorium thoth 	Bolton, 1976


 * Tetramorium titus 	Forel, 1910


 * Tetramorium traegaordhi 	Santschi, 1914


 * Tetramorium trimeni 	Emery, 1895


 * Tetramorium vexator 	Arnold, 1926


 * Tetramorium warreni 	Arnold, 1926


 * Tetramorium weitzeckeri Emery, 1895


 * Tetraponera aethiops 	Smith, F., 1877


 * Tetraponera ambigua 	Emery, 1895


 * Tetraponera braunsi 	Forel, 1913


 * Tetraponera capensis 	Smith, F., 1858


 * Tetraponera clypeata 	Emery, 1886


 * Tetraponera emeryi 	Forel, 1911


 * Tetraponera natalensis caffra Santschi, 1914