Myrmacrhaphe

Santschi's Sutured False-Cork Ants

Santschi (1926) described the subgenus Myrmacrhaphe after Emery's (1925) final contribution to Genera Insectorum, thus this taxon does not appear in any keys, modern or classical. Effectively, Santschi distinguishes this group from his other subgenus Paramyrmamblys, apparently, by the form of the mesosomal sutures, in addition to other characteristics indicated below; he separated both subgenera from the Emery's delimitation of Myrmamblys

Diagnosis. Santschi (1926). - "The type of this new subgenus is Camponotus conradti Forel, classed by Emery (1925) in the sixth species group of Myrmamblys. This species, as well as those which follow the descriptions, exhibit particular characteristics which make it a well-defined division, though similar to the subgenera Myrmotrema Forel and Paramyrmamblys.

Major and minor workers major and minor well-defined, without intermediaries.

Minors generally black, cuticle largely reticulate, with variable pilosity. Head longer than wide, more-or-less narrowed anteriorly, with straight lateral margins, and medium-sized eyes situated in posterior third of head. Clypeus convex and very weakly ridged medially, anterior angles of clypeus tend to affect those of head, posterior margins very close. Scapes far exceeding posterior head margin. The maxillary palpi very long, apical palpomere longer than apical antennomere. Pronotum strongly depressed and more-or-less bordered. Contrarily, propodeum very compressed. Promesonotal suture very well-marked [note: pronotum and mesonotum not fused in Camponotus, therefore this character dubious]; mesonotal-propodeal suture obliterated dorsally and laterally, sometimes somewhat clear around metanotal spiracle, but not reaching dorsal mesosomal surface.

Major worker with head rather less narrow anteriorly. Clypeus as in Myrmotrema, but without punctate foveae. Mesosomal profile forming more-or-less regular curve, but in no way interrupted at mesonotal-propopodeal suture, remainder of suture effaced as in minors. Scapes are shorter than in minor and do not extend beyond posterior head margin. Other characters as in minors, but more robust.

Queen with head and especially clypeus of the "soldier type" (C. furrus Santschi), sometimes with the type of the worker minor (C. gabonensis Santschi).

At the time of writing, only the worker-minor is known in all species of this subgenus, because it is a arboreal group, and minors have been isolated on vegetation, while the great workers remain in the nest for defense. It is, moreover, in the latter that the only known soldiers of the subgenus were found (C. furrus Santschi and conradti Forel) except for C. berthoudi Forel for which only the soldier is described. The latter, as well as C. bayeri For., which are not known to me, seem to me to belong to this subgenus."

(Translated and edited by B. E. Boudinot, 17 February 2017.)

Myrmacrhaphe is currently a subgenus of Camponotus.

Nomenclature

 *  MYRMACRHAPHE [subgenus of Camponotus]
 * Myrmacrhaphe Santschi, 1926c: 607 [as subgenus of Camponotus]. Type-species: Camponotus conradti, by original designation.