Ecphorella wellmani

Nothing is known about the biology of . This is the only species in the genus and is known only from workers.

Identification
Shattuck (1992) - Worker: Vertex concave; anterolateral clypeal margin with the corners expanded slightly anterior of the mediolateral region; palp formula reduced; metanotal groove a narrow, distinct notch in the relatively flat dorsal mesosomal surface; propodeal spiracle dorsal and posterior, near the propodeal angle; petiolar scale strongly inclined anteriorly and with the anterior face much shorter than the posterior face.

Distribution
Known only from the type locality, Benguela, Angola.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Angola.

Castes
Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

 *  wellmani. Tapinoma (Ecphorella) wellmani Forel, 1909b: 66 (w.) ANGOLA. Combination in Ecphorella: Shattuck, 1992c: 85.

Shattuck (1992) - Ecphorella was established as a subgenus of Tapinoma by Forel (1909) for a single worker specimen. Forel considered this subgeneric placement tentative pending the availability of additional material and the examination of the proventriculus. It is now some eighty years later and no further material has been collected.

Worker
Long 1,8 mill. Mandibules courtes, robustes, lisses, ponctuees, armees d'environ 7 dents. Epistome assez deprime, largement biechancre on bisinue, faiblement convexe au milieu de son bord anterieur, sans carene. Son tiers anterieur est triangulairement aplati. Toute la tete est deprimee, trapeziforme, elargie et echancree derriere, retrecie devant, a cotes mediocrement convexes. Yeux moyens, situes au milieu des cotes. Le scape atteint le septieme posterieur de la tete environ. Antennesde douze articles, epaisses; dernier article du funicule fort epais, a peine plus long qu'epais; tous les autres, sauf le premier, plus epaisque longs, les moyens deux fois plus epais que longs. Thorax court et epais. Sutures du thorax distinctes. Promesonotum mediocrement convexe, aussi large que long. Pronotum deux fois et demie plus large que long. Echancrure mesoepinotale distincte, mais peu profonde, avec deux stigmates saillants sur le profit. Face basale de l'epinotum peu convexe; subhorizontale, elargie derriere, un peu plus large que longue, formant de chaque cote, derriere, un angle arrondi ou tubercule tres obtus. Face declive subverticale, a peine plus courte que la face basale et passant a elle par une courbe. Ecaille basse, fortement inclinee en avant, epaisse, obtuse et arrondie au sommet qui est aussi epais que la base. Pattes coudes; cuisses et tibias epais.

Lisse, luisante, avec des points piligeres epars et fins et quelques vestiges de reticulations ca et la. Une tine pubescence jaunatre assez diluee sur le corps, un peu plus abondante sur les membres qui n'ont pas de poils dresses. Quelques petits poils dresses sur l'abdomen.

D'un brun fonce. Pattes, antennes, mandibules et ecaille d'un brun clair.

Shattuck (1992) - HEAD. Vertex concave. Compound eyes present, approximately round; relatively anterior on head. Ocelli absent. Antennae 12 segmented. Scape short, surpassing the vertex by less than one-third its length. Anterolateral clypeal margin with the corners expanded slightly anterior of the mediolateral region. Anteromedial clypeal margin entire, without a central notch or concavity of any type. Anterior clypeal setae about 10; very short, only slightly surpassing the anterior clypeal margin; straight. Posterior clypeal margin between the anterior and posterior surfaces of the antennal socket cavities. Anterior tentorial pit nearer the antennal socket than the mandibular insertion. Frontal carina present. Anterolateral hypostoma reduced to a thin sclerite. Medial hypostoma entire. Psammophore absent. MOUTHPARTS. Palp formula reduced, but exact count not possible with existing material. Third maxillary palp segment subequal in length to segment 4. Fifth maxillary palp segment at the apical extreme of segment 4. Mandible with about 7 teeth and no denticles (although basal regions of mandible obscured). Apical tooth slightly longer than the subapical tooth. Basal angle obscured in existing material. Basal margin obscured in existing material. MESOSOMA. Posteroventral pronotum lateral, rounded. Mesopleural process absent. Oeclivitous face of propodeum flat; dorsal face weakly convex, subequal in length tothe declivitous face. Propodeal angle distinct. Mesosomal spines and tooth absent. Erect pronotal hairs about 25; elongate, slightly longer than the maximum scape width. Dorsal pro-mesonotal junction with the pronotum and mesonotum even. Metanotal groove a narrow, distinct notch in the relatively flat dorsal mesosomal surface. Metanotal spiracle lateral and ventral of the dorsal surface when viewed in lateral profile. Propodeal spiracle dorsal and posterior, near the propodeal angle. Hind tibial spur with well developed barbules along entire inner surface (except extreme base). PETIOLE. Scale reduced; ridged and with a distinct angle dorsally; strongly inclined anteriorly and with the anterior face much shorter than the posterior face. Venter with a well developed lobe. GASTER. First tergite vertical and not concealing the petiole in dorsal view and with a groove or indentation for the reception of the basal portion of the petiole. Anterior tergosternal suture of the first segment apparently extending laterally from the helcium in a distinct arch which extends dorsal of the dorsal helcial surface (available material damaged). Fifth tergite ventral, gaster with 4 apparent tergites. Gastral compression absent (gaster circular in cross section). GENERAL CHARACTERS. Chromosome number unknown. Integument thin and flexible, weakly sculptured. PROVENTRICULUS. Not examined

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Emery C. 1913. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Dolichoderinae. Genera Insectorum 137: 1-50.
 * Forel A. 1909. Fourmis du Musée de Bruxelles. Fourmis de Benguela récoltées par M. Creighton Wellman, et fourmis du Congo récoltées par MM. Luja, Kohl et Laurent. Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique 53: 51-73.
 * Shattuck S. O. 1994. Taxonomic catalog of the ant subfamilies Aneuretinae and Dolichoderinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). University of California Publications in Entomology 112: i-xix, 1-241.