Ophthalmopone berthoudi

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Kenya, Namibia, Zimbabwe.

Biology
This ant hunts termites exclusively, and there is no cooperation during foraging (Peeters & Crewe 1987). Colonies are polydomous, distributed over 2-7 nests separated by distances varying from 30cm to 75m





Castes
Male behaviour in this queenless ant was studied in the field (Peeters & Crewe 1986). Copulation with young workers occurs inside nests after foreign males succeed to enter.

Nomenclature

 *  berthoudi. Ophthalmopone berthoudi Forel, 1890b: cxiii (w.) SOUTH AFRICA. Forel, 1894b: 76 (m.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1971b: 1203 (l.). Combination in Pachycondyla: Brown, in Bolton, 1995b: 303; in Ophthalmopone: Schmidt & Shattuck, 2014: 124. Current subspecies: nominal plus pubescens. See also: Arnold, 1915: 50; Peeters & Crewe, 1985: 29; Peeters & Crewe, 1987: 201.