Cataulacus striativentris

Besides a few specimens have been collected from canopy fogging samples, establishing this species as an arboreal foraging and/or nesting species, little is known about the biology of Cataulacus striativentris.

Identification
A member of the tenuis group. This small, large-eyed species is separable from similarly sculptured forms by the presence of hairs upon the dorsal surfaces of the head and body which although numerous cannot be termed abundant and are not very elongate nor sinuate. The disorganized sculpturation of the posterior half of the head capsule contrasts strongly with the regular sulcate-rugulation of the alitrunk. The form described as Cataulacus donisthorpei is, on the whole rather less coarsely sculptured than is the type of Cataulacus striativentris, and the pronotum less regularly sculptured, but otherwise the two are alike. (Bolton 1974)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Uganda.

Nomenclature

 *  striativentris. Cataulacus wissmanni var. striativentris Santschi, 1924b: 219 (w.) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO. Raised to species and senior synonym of donisthorpei: Bolton, 1974a: 36.
 * donisthorpei. Cataulacus donisthorpei Santschi, 1937a: 61 (w.) KENYA. Junior synonym of striativentris: Bolton, 1974a: 36.

Worker
Bolton (1974) - TL 3.6 – 3.7, HL 0.90 – 0.94, HW 0.86 – 0.88, CI 93 - 95, EL 0.44 – 0.45, OI 50 - 51, IOD 0.62 – 0.64, SL 0.48, SI 54 - 56, PW 0.70, AL 0.94 – 0.96, MTL 0.50 (2 measured).

Occipital crest absent, the two surfaces meeting in a continuous curve. Occipital corners with a single tooth and with a second, smaller tooth beside them on the occipital border. Sides of head behind eyes finely denticulate. Sides of pronotum denticulate, the posteriormost denticle being the largest in the series. Sides of mesonotum and propodeum each with one or two denticulae; the dorsal alitrunk without trace of sutures. Propodeum bispinose, the spines rather short, broad and divergent. The pronotum is quite strongly expanded laterally and is noticeably broader than the remainder of the alitrunk. Node of petiole virtually pointed above when viewed in profile, the anterior and posterior faces sloping steeply away. Subpetiolar process with a developed posteroventral tooth, heel or spur. Subpostpetiolar process simple, long. First gastral tergite not marginate laterally.

Dorsal surface of head coarsely reticulate-rugose in the space between the eyes, and behind the eyes. In front of the anterior margin of the eyes the cross-meshes of the rugoreticulum tend to be lost, leaving this area and the clypeus longitudinally rugose. The interspaces of the occipital sculpturation are very finely and densely reticulate-punctate, and dully shining. Dorsum of alitrunk longitudinally sulcate-rugose, the sculpturation tending to be less well organized and regular on the anterior pronotum than elsewhere. Petiole and postpetiole longitudinally rugose dorsally; the first gastral tergite very closely and densely longitudinally rugose or sulcate-rugose throughout its length.

Simple, erect, blunt hairs numerous on all dorsal surfaces of the head, body and appendages. Margins of head and alitrunk with hairs projecting laterally from the marginal denticles.

Type Material
Bolton (1974):

Syntype workers, ZAIRE: Ubanghi, Banzyville (R. P. Augustin), and Haut Uele, Moto, 1920 (L. Burgeon) (NM, Basle; MRAC, Tervuren) [examined].

Cataulacus donisthorpei Syntype workers, KENYA: nos. 17 and 42 (H. Donisthorpe coIl.) (BMNH) [examined].

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Bolton B. 1982. Afrotropical species of the myrmicine ant genera Cardiocondyla, Leptothorax, Melissotarsus, Messor and Cataulacus (Formicidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology 45: 307-370.