Cardiocondyla fajumensis

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
A member of the Cardiocondyla shuckardi group.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Sudan, Yemen, Zimbabwe. Palaearctic Region: Egypt, Iran.

Nomenclature

 *  fajumensis. Cardiocondyla nuda var. fajumensis Forel, 1913d: 429 (q.) EGYPT. Raised to species and senior synonym of nilotica, schatzmayri: Seifert, 2003a: 260.
 * schatzmayri. Cardiocondyla emeryi subsp. schatzmayri Finzi, 1936: 170, fig. 5 (w.q.) EGYPT. Junior synonym of fajumensis: Seifert, 2003a: 260.
 * nilotica. Cardiocondyla nilotica Weber, 1952: 8, fig. 13 (w.) SUDAN. Junior synonym of fajumensis: Seifert, 2003a: 260. See also: Bolton, 1982: 315.

Worker
Seifert (2003) - Large species, CS 594 ± 28. Head much elongated, CL/CW 1.205. Postocular distance large, PoOc/CL 0.445. Scape very long, SUCS 0.862. Eyes very small (EYE 0.211) and with fine setae of 7 - 13 mm length. Occipital margin straight. Paramedian area of vertex strongly reticulate, meshes with bicoronate foveolae of 19 - 21 mm diameter. Median area of vertex, frontal laminae, and clypeus longitudinally carinulate. Frontal carinae slightly converging immediately posterior of FRS level. Dorsal area of promesonotum moderately shining and weakly carinulate-reticulate. Propodeum and lateral area of mesosoma finely reticulate. Metanotal impression very deep. Spines reduced to blunt rectangular corners. Petiole with long peduncle and a massive node, dorsal profile evenly rounded in lateral view, as long as wide and circular in dorsal view. Postpetiole narrow and ventrally with 2 suggested paramedian, longitudinal carinae, PPW/CS 0.430. Head yellowish to dirty yellowish brown, mesosoma and waist yellowish, gaster dark to blackish brown. 1 worker from Yemen: Al Mahrah 1997.02.13-3376 with much darker colour, petiole node more produced caudad, much longer tergite pubescence, and stronger mesosomal sculpture than in Palaearctic conspecifics.

Queen
Seifert (2003) - Large species, CS 63 1 ± 1 7. Head much elongated, CL/CW 1.185. Postocular index large, PoOc/CL 0.432. Occipital margin straight. Scape long, SUCS 0.815. Frontal carinae immediately caudal of FRS level parallel or slightly converging. Eyes with conspicuous hairs, longest hairs measuring 12 - 18 mm. Head sculpture comparable to worker, but foveolae (or meshes) with larger mean diameter, dFov 21 - 26 mm. Mesonotum and scutellum strongly longitudinally rugulose, with weak anastomosae. Propodeum reticulate; mesopleurae finely and metapleurae strongly longitudinally rugulose; pronotum and anepisternit rugulose with scattered foveolae. Spines reduced to obtusely angled corners. Petiole node as long as wide and circular in dorsal view. Postpetiole narrow, PPW/CS 0 .496, ventrally with 2 suggested paramedian, longitudinal carinae. Dorsal area of head posterior of level of antennal insertions dark brown, anterior of this light-orange brown. Mesosoma laterally, propodeum and waist light-orange brown to medium brown; mesonotum and scutellum often slightly darker. Gaster dark brown. Gynes from Yemen: Al Mahrah 1997.02.12-3366 in morphometry and most structural characters equal to type gynes and other Palaearctic conspecifics, but differing by darker colour, petiole node produced more caudad in lateral view, and dorsal mesosoma sculpture with the transverse component not weaker than the longitudinal one (i.e., clearly reticulate-foveolate).

Type Material
Seifert (2003) - Fajum /Egypt [types investigated]. 4 syntype gynes labelled “Cardiocondyla nuda var. fajumensis For., 9 type, Fajum (U.Sahlberg)”,.