Myrmicaria baumi occidentalis

In Benin, Taylor et al. (2018) found this species on a range of Acacia species, including A. dudgeoni, A. gourmaensis, A. hockii and A. sieberiana.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Benin, Ivory Coast.

Nomenclature

 *  occidentalis. Myrmicaria eumenoides st. occidentalis Santschi, 1920i: 3 (w.) IVORY COAST. Raised to species: Santschi, 1925c: 156. Currently subspecies of baumi: Santschi, 1933b: 105.

Taxonomic Notes
Taylor et al. (2018) note that this taxon was originally described as a subspecies of Myrmicaria eumenoides, then raised to species by Santschi (1925) followed a few years later by being treated as a subspecies of Myrmicaria baumi by Santschi (1933), but without any explanation or justification for any of these actions. They also note that M. occidentalis has uniquely sculptured pedicel segments and, in Benin specimens, have dense spiculation on the gaster dorsum, giving a dull appearance. Because of these differences they propose that it be treated as a full species. However, this has not be followed by subsequent authors, who have continued to treat it as a subspecies of M. baumi.