Cataulacus bequaerti

Bequaert (1922) reported Cataulacus bequaerti as "nesting in empty lepidopterous galls on a tree."

Identification
A member of the intrudens group. Of the species closely related to Cataulacus intrudens, bequaerti may immediately be separated by its marked abundance of short, stout hairs, especially evident upon the head capsule, The sculpturation is reasonably distinctive, the fine and dense but very strong reticulate-puncturation being immediately noticeable. In intrudens and other related species this sculpturation is never so emphasized, except on the mesonotum of some forms. (Bolton 1974)

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

Nomenclature

 *  bequaerti. Cataulacus bequaerti Forel, 1913b: 316 (w.) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO. See also: Bolton, 1974a: 40.

Worker
Bolton (1974) - TL 4.5 – 5.1, HL 1.20 – 1.30, HW 1.22 – 1.30, CI 100- 102, EL 0.50 – 0.52, OI 40 - 41, IOD 1.00 – 1.04, SL 0.60 – 0.62, SI 47 - 49, PW 0.90 – 0.98, AL 1.26 – 1.40, MTL 0.66 – 0.70 (3 measured).

Occipital crest absent; occipital corners with a short, broadly rounded or a poorly developed, acute tooth and with a narrower but more acute tooth on the occipital margin close to the corners. Sides of head behind eyes crenulate or denticulate. Pronotum marginate laterally, the edges denticulate. Remainder of alitrunk denticulate laterally. Propodeum with a pair of broad, dorsoventrally flattened spines. Dorsal alitrunk without any trace of sutures. Subpetiolar process broad, the anteroventral corner extended into a broad, blunt spur, whilst the posteroventral corner forms an obtuse angle. Subpostpetiolar process simple, with a short, rounded, anteromedian prominence. First gastral tergite not marginate laterally.

Dorsal surfaces of head, alitrunk and gaster finely but very strongly and closely reticulate-punctate. The head and alitrunk also possess rugae, which on the head and pronotum form a reticulum, finer and closer upon the former than the latter. On the remainder of the alitrunk the cross-meshes tend to disappear and the rugae acquire a marked longitudinal trend. Apart from a few basigastric rugulae the first gastral tergite is entirely reticulate-punctate. Stout, blunt, erect hairs numerous on all dorsal surfaces, abundant upon the head.

Type Material
Syntype workers, ZAIRE: Katanga, Kabanza (Kikondja), Riv. Lovoi, 21.x.1911 (Bequaert) (MHN, Geneva; MRAC, Tervuren; MNHU, Berlin) [examined].

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Bolton B. 1974. A revision of the Palaeotropical arboreal ant genus Cataulacus F. Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology 30: 1-105.
 * Forel A. 1913. Formicides du Congo Belge récoltés par MM. Bequaert, Luja, etc. Revue Zoologique Africaine (Brussels). 2: 306-351.