Cataulacus tenuis

Nothing is known about the biology of Cataulacus tenuis.

Identification
A member of the tenuis group. Both descriptions (Emery 1899, Santschi 1913) stress the fact that the head is about one quarter longer than it is wide. This gives a CI in the region of 75, by far the lowest yet recorded in the genus. If this is so then the species can be easily recognized on that single character plus the fact that it is restricted to Madagascar, but the following features are also of note. Any specimen from Madagascar combining a relatively very long and narrow head with the above series of characters should be recognizable as Cataulacus tenuis. (Bolton 1974)

Regional Cataulacus Key

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Nomenclature

 *  tenuis. Cataulacus tenuis Emery, 1899f: 288 (q.) MADAGASCAR. Santschi, 1913c: 310 (w.). See also: Bolton, 1974a: 37.

Worker
Bolton (1974) - TL 3.5. Occipital corners projecting as broad teeth; the sides of the head behind the eyes without dentic1es. Sides of alitrunk marginate, denticulate; the propodeum with a pair of short spines. Head and alitrunk longitudinally rugose with an irregular reticulation upon the pronotum. First gastral tergite reticulate-punctate with longitudinal striae upon the basal third. Sparse pilosity is present upon the head and alitrunk.

Queen
Bolton (1974) - TL 5.0. As above but Emery (1899) states that the occipital corners of the head are acute and projecting. The c1ypeus is longitudinally striate but the remainder of the head is more or less reticulate-rugose, as is the pronotum. Mesoscutum and scutellum predominantly irregularly longitudinally rugose; propodeal spines short.

Type Material
Bolton (1974) - Holotype female, MADAGASCAR: Antongil Bay, 1897-98 (Mocquerys) (possibly in MCSN, Genoa). I have not been able to examine the type of this species, nor have I seen the worker which was described by Santschi (1913 : 310) and was based upon a single individual recovered by J. de Gaulle in Madagascar, at an unnamed location. However, the two descriptions are so similar in their salient features that Santschi appears to have correctly associated his single worker with the type female.