Melissotarsus weissi

Identification
Lighter coloured workers may sometimes be difficult to separate from Melissotarsus emeryi, but in general the sharper marginations of the sides of the alitrunk in weissi are fairly distinct. The sexual forms of weissi are both easily separated from those of emeryi as the male of the former is dark brown to black (pale yellow and feebly sclerotized in the latter), and the female of weissi has the postpetiole relatively narrow in dorsal view with an arched-convex anterior margin, as opposed to a very broad and distinctly transverse postpetiole in emeryi. (Bolton 1982)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya.

Nomenclature

 *  weissi. Melissotarsus weissi Santschi, 1910c: 356, fig. 3 (q.) CONGO. Bolton, 1982: 335 (m.). Senior synonym of major: Bolton, 1982: 337; of titubans: Bolton, 1995b: 250.
 * major. Melissotarsus major Santschi, 1919h: 85 (w.) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO. Santschi, 1923e: 277 (q.m.). Junior synonym of weissi: Bolton, 1982: 337.
 * titubans. Melissotarsus titubans Delage-Darchen, 1972a: 216, figs. 1-10 (w.q.m.) IVORY COAST. Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1980: 531 (l.). Junior synonym of beccarii: Bolton, 1982: 336; of weissi: Bolton, 1995b: 250 (syntypes examined).

Worker
Bolton (1982) - TL 2.3-3.0, HL 0.58-0.74, HW 0.60-0.78, CI 98-104, SL 0.27-0.34, SI 41-47, PW 0.36-0.50, AL 0.56-0.84 (14 measured).

Answering to the description of Melissotarsus beccarii but darker in colour, the alitrunk medium to dark reddish brown; with the anterior pronotal margin meeting the anterior declivity in a well-defined angle or edge, and with the sides of the alitrunk meeting the dorsum in a fairly well-marked angle.