Technomyrmex schoedli

The type collections were made of workers in litter and on vegetation in rainforest habitats.

Identification
Bolton (2007) - A member of the Technomyrmex camerunensis group. This large, slender and spectacularly elongated arboreal species is one of the most easily recognised in the region solely from its measurements and indices: its head is narrower (CI 70 - 74) and its scapes and mesosoma much longer than in any other species (SI 173 - 189; DTI 232 - 250).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Gabon.

Nomenclature

 *  schoedli. Technomyrmex schoedli Bolton, 2007a: 34, figs. 19, 28 (w.) GABON.

Worker
Holotype. TL 5.0, HL 1.14, HW 0.82, SL 1.42, PW 0.56, WL 1.85. Indices: CI 72, SI 173, OI 29, EPI 73, DTI 232.

Frontal carina with 2 setae: in profile the first at about the level of the anterior margin of the eye, the second at about the level of the midlength of the eye (see paratype notes); never a seta directly above the torulus. Head posterior to this, and entire mesosomal dorsum, without setae. Propodeal declivity with a single pair of setae, located at about the level of the spiracle. Head and mesosoma extremely elongated and narrow, scape very long (see indices); legs long and slender, maximum length of hind femur 1.66 (this length through entire type-series 1.64 - 1.90). Anterior clypeal margin with a conspicuous broad roughly semicircular median emargination that is sharply incised. With head in full-face view the outer margins of the eyes distinctly fail to break the outline of the sides. Sides of head behind eyes shallowly convex and conspicuously convergent posteriorly, so that head width across posterior margin is markedly less than the width immediately behind the eyes. In profile and in dorsal view the mesonotum is very slender, constricted in front of the metathoracic spiracles; the latter far anterior to the metanotal groove; in dorsal view the minimum width of the mesonotum is only about 0.45 x PW. Propodeum elongate, in profile the dorsum rounds broadly into the declivity and the straight-line dorsal length is distinctly greater than the depth of the declivity to the spiracle. First gastral tergite with a pair of stiff setae (see paratype notes); gastral tergites 2 - 4 each with 1 - 2 pairs of long setae. Head, mesosoma, petiole, gaster and legs all light brownish yellow to light brown.

Paratypes. TL 4.5 - 5.1, HL 1.02 - 1.20, HW 0.74 - 0.89, SL 1.36 - 1.60, PW 0.51 - 0.60, WL 1.70 - 1.94 (6 measured). Indices: CI 70 - 74, SI 173 - 189, OI 28 - 30, EPI 65 - 73, DTI 232 - 250. As holotype but the entire van Noory series of paratypes without setae on the first gastral tergite and without setal pits on that sclerite, as is also the case with Fisher paratvpe 2244(10)18, which makes “first gastral tergite lacks setae” the predominant condition in the species. In all paratypes the anterior seta on the frontal carina is absent, the only one present being that at about the level of the midlength of the eye.

Type Material
Holotype worker, Gabon: Provo Ogooue-Maritime, Res. Monts Doudou, 25.2 km. 304° NW Doussala, 2°13.6'S, 10°23.7'E, 640 m., 14-19.iii.2000, #2282, on low vegetation, rainforest (B.L. Fisher). Paratypes. 2 workers with same data as holotype but 14.iii.2000, #2244(10) 18 and #2246(5)3 (CASC). 6 worker, Gabon: Provo Ogoove-Maritime, Reserve des Monts Doudou, 25.2 km. 304°NW Doussala, 2°13.63'S, 10'23.67'E, 660 m., 16.iii,2000, sweep, coastal lowland rainforest, undergrowth, low canopy in forest, #GAOO-S93-2, #GAOO-SI05-2, #GAOO-SI12-5, #GAOO-SI24-2, #GAOO-SI26-4, #GAOO-SI34-4 (s. van Noort) (CASC, ).

Etymology
Named in honour of Dr Stefan Schodl, a friend and colleague, formerly of NHMW, who died in 2005.