Metapone africana

This species is known from two collections made in Gabon, both from rotten wood, one in a rainforest.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Gabon.

Nomenclature

 * . Metapone africana Taylor & Alpert, 2016: 511, figs. 12-15 (w.) GABON.
 * Type-material: holotype worker, 1 paratype worker.
 * Type-locality: holotype Gabon: Prov. Woleu-Ntem, 31.3 km. 108° ESE Minvoul, 2°04.8’N, 12°24.4’E, 600 m. (B.L. Fisher); paratype with same data.
 * Type-depositories: CASC (holotype); BMNH (paratype).
 * [Note: presence of w.q.m. series recorded as in BMNH, but not described: Taylor & Alpert, 2016: 511.]
 * Distribution: Gabon.

Worker
Holotype, paratype: TL ca: 4.3, 3.9; HL: 0.93, 0.96; HW: 0.75, 0.76; CI: 81, 79; CpL: 0.37, 0.38; CpI: 40, 39; MSL: 1.20, 1.16; PML: 0.61, 0.61; PMW: 0.56, 0.55; PMI: 51, 53; PDW: 0.48, 0.49; PetL: 0.31, 0.30; PetW: 0.44, 0.44; PetH: 0.53, 0.54; PpetL: 0.32, 0.31; PpetW: 0.46, 0.47; PpetH: 0.49, 0.49; GW: 0.77, 0.78.

General and diagnostic features as in the key and accompanying figures (note entire anterior clypeal border lacking median denticles, subparallel lateral clypeal margins, petiolar node in dorsal view approximately as wide as long, and slightly extended postpetiolar sternite, acute in lateral view. Eyes vestigial, represented by tiny darkly pigmented spots beneath the surface cuticle; no trace of surface structure is observable even under strongly reflective illumination. Subpetiolar process more-or-less basic in structure: posterior face approximately equilaterally triangular, subpetiolar angle obtuse. Subpetiolar extension a shallow isoscelestriangular lamella, almost right angled apically, the base fully as long as the subpetiolar edge.

Type Material
Gabon: Woleuniem Province: 31.3km, 108°ESE of Minvoul, 2°04.8'N, 12°24.4’E, 600m. Holotype, paratype.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Taylor R. W., and G. D. Alpert. 2016. The myrmicine ant genus Metapone Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): a global taxonomic review with descriptions of twelve new species. Zootaxa 4105(6): 501-545.