Axinidris murielae

The types of A. murielae are from Cameroun; Shattuck (1991) also recorded specimens from Ghana. I have also seen a few specimens from the vicinity of Busumbuli in the Kakamega Forest of Kenya. Both samples were taken by tree fogging, one from Teclea nobilis and one from Heinsenia diervillioides. (Snelling 2007)

Identification
Snelling (2007) - Antennal scape with more than 5 and pronotum with 2 erect hairs; pronotum mostly smooth and shiny; medial carina present and obtuse in profile; distance between spines less than PPW; head and body reddish brown.

The two species Axinidris gabonica and A. murielae are similar and may ultimately prove to belong to a single somewhat variable species. For the present the two are separable as noted in the key: A. murielae has 4-6 erect hairs on the pronotum (only 2 in A. gabonica) and numerous erect hairs on the front of the head (only 4 in A. gabonica) and also with erect hairs on gastral terga 2-4 (one in A. gabonica).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Cameroun, Central African Republic, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya.

Biology
Dassou et al. (2017) - found this species to be a subdominant at ground baits in Cameroon plantain agrosystems but only came to these baits in the dry season.

Castes
Males have yet to be collected.

Nomenclature

 *  murielae. Axinidris murielae Shattuck, 1991: 116, figs. 23-25, 35 (w.q.) CAMEROUN. See also: Snelling, R.R. 2007: 567.

Worker
(n=3). OOD 0.24-0.31, EL 0.20-0.26, HL 0.76-0.91, EW 0.10-0.13, HW 0.66-0.81, CNW 0.05-0.08, CND 0.06-0.08, SL 0.56-0.66, AL 0.89-1.30, PpW 0.31-0.46, SW 0.22-0.30, CI 0.87 -0.89, CNI 0.90-1.29, REL 0.26-0.34, ScI 0.80-0.85, SpI 1.33-1.44.

Erect or suberect hairs present on antennal scapes; body colour reddish brown; HW <0.85.

Head very finely colliculate to imbricate, superimposed with large, widely spaced punctures and very weak scabriculous sculpturing; area near the mandibular insertion with a narrow area of strigulate sculpturing. Numerous erect hairs from the occipital border to the anterior clypeal margin. Erect or suberect hairs present on the antennal scapes. Entire pronotum and antero-dorsal region of mesonotum smooth to weakly coriarious; remainder of mesonotum and entire propodeum finely punctate; lateral areas of mesonotum more finely sculptured than propodeum. Pronotum with between 4 and 6 erect hairs. Propodeal spiracles as in A tridens. Medial propodeal carina slightly expanded dorsally, and located posterior of a line drawn between the propodeal spiracles to just anterior of the petiolar insertion. Propodeal spines directed postero-Iaterally, with the outer surfaces weakly concave, the distal ends narrower than the maximum width of the propodeum, and the area between them more or less flat. Erect hairs present on gastric tergites 2, 3 and 4. Body colour reddish brown with the propodeum darker, mandibles and antennae yellowish red, petiole reddish yellow anteriorly and translucent posteriorly, and tarsi yellow.

Queen
(n=1). OOD 0.28, EL 0.26, HL 0.91, EW 0.13, HW 0.78, CNW 0.08, CND 0.08, SL 0.63, AL 1.30, PpW 0.46, SW 0.30, CI 1.16, CNI 1.05, REL 0.34, ScI 0.80, SpI1.33.

Differing from the worker in its larger size, presence of ocelli, enlarged thorax, and slightly reduced propodeal spine size. Other characters as in the worker. Although the single available specimen is dealate, it was apparently fully winged.

Type Material
Holotype worker, and one worker and one queen paratype from CAMEROUN: Nkoemvon (D.Jackson).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Hita Garcia F., E. Wiesel, G. Fischer. 2013. The ants of Kenya (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)faunal overview, first species checklist, bibliography, accounts for all genera, and discussion on taxonomy and zoogeography. Journal of East African Natural History 101: 127-222.
 * Shattuck S. O. 1991. Revision of the dolichoderine ant genus Axinidris (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Systematic Entomology 16: 105-120.