Nylanderia mendica

Identification
LaPolla et al. (2011) - Overall color dark brown; mesosoma laterally striated; mesonotum rugulose; gaster dorsally and ventrally striated.

Compare with: Nylanderia brevisetula

The striated pronotum and gaster make this species fairly easy to identify. The only species with which it could be confused is N. brevisetula, but the short notal setae of that species make it fairly easy to distinguish between N. mendica and N. brevisetula. As both N. mendica and N. brevisetula have striations on the gaster (although they are faint and found only on the dorsum in N. brevisetula) and similar looking heads, they may be sister species. Unfortunately, males are currently unknown for both species.

Distribution
This taxon was described from Equatorial Guinea (Bioko Is). It is widespread throughout West Africa.

Castes
The queen and male castes are currently unknown for this species.

Nomenclature

 *  mendica. Paratrechina (Nylanderia) mendica Menozzi, 1942: 179, fig. 3 (w.q.) EQUATORIAL GUINEA (Bioko I.). [Also given as new in Eidmann, 1944: 461.] Combination in Nylanderia: LaPolla, Brady & Shattuck, 2010a: 127. See also: LaPolla, Hawkes & Fisher, 2011: 21.

Worker
LaPolla et al. (2011) - Measurements (n = 4): TL: 2.42–2.86; HW: 0.56–0.66; HL: 0.65–0.72; EL: 0.15–0.18; SL: 0.78–0.86; PW: 0.41–0.43; WL: 0.85–1.0; GL: 0.92–1.16

Indices: CI: 81–95; REL: 20–26; SI: 130–144

Overall dark brown, with lighter mandibles, antennae, trochanters, joints of legs and tarsi; yellowish around acidopore. Head and mesosoma rugulose; gaster with distinct striations along dorsal and ventral surfaces. Head with erect and appressed macrosetae; posterior margin broadly rounded, with distinctly rounded posterolateral corners; medially posterior margin slightly emarginate; scapes surpass posterior margin by about the length of the first 3–4 funicular segments; scapes with erect macrosetae and a layer of pubescence (SMC = 30–50). Mesosoma laterally faintly striated; mesonotum rugulose; pronotum and mesonotum with scattered erect macrosetae (PMC = 2; MMC = 2–3); pronotum gently rounded toward mesonotum; metanotal area elongate and rugulose; dorsal face of propodeum dome-like, but lower than mesonotum, dorsal face and declivitous face about the same length. Gaster with suberect to erect and appressed macrosetae.

Type Material
Syntype worker and queen, EQUATORIAL GUINEA: Fernando Po Island [not examined, depository unknown].

Additional References

 * LaPolla, J.S., Hawkes, P.G. & Fisher, B.L. (2011) Monograph of Nylanderia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the World, Part I: Nylanderia in the Afrotropics. Zootaxa 3110: 10–36.