Aenictus mariae

Identification
This species can be separated from the rest of the mariae complex species as the dorsopropeum is mainly smooth (reticulated in Aenictus hitai) and does not present the lateropropodeal pubescence characteristic to Aenictus steindachneri. Separation of minors from Aenictus boltoni can be difficult at first sight, but the petiole is clearly lower (PPI: 138 [130-150], PPI: 113 [107-127] in A. boltoni) and hemispherical while it’s subquadrate with straight parallel anterior and posterior sides in A. boltoni. The metapropodeal suture is almost non-existent in A. mariae minors but clearly visible in A. boltoni, both laterally and dorsally.

Separation from A. boltoni minors as in the following table.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: South Africa, Zimbabwe.

Castes
Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

 * . Aenictus mariae Emery, 1895h: 18, pl. 2, figs. 5-7 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.
 * Type-material: holotype worker.
 * Type-locality: South Africa: Makapan, i.-iv.1893 (E. Simon).
 * Type-depository: MSNG.
 * Status as species: Emery, 1895j: 747; Emery, 1910b: 31; Forel, 1913j: 212; Arnold, 1915: 140 (redescription); Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 753; Bolton, 1995b: 60.
 * Distribution: South Africa, Zimbabwe.
 * natalensis. Aenictus mariae var. natalensis Forel, in Emery, 1901d: 49 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA.
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: South Africa: Natal (Haviland).
 * Type-depositories: MHNG, NHMB.
 * Subspecies of mariae: Emery, 1910b: 31; Santschi, 1914e: 14; Arnold, 1915: 141; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 753; Bolton, 1995b: 60.
 * Junior synonym of mariae: Gomez, 2022: 54.
 * Distribution: South Africa.

Type Material

 * Aenictus mariae
 * Syntype worker, SOUTH AFRICA: Transvaal, Makapan (Limpopo) (E. Simon) (1w). [CASENT0903760, seen on web by Gomez, 2022] MSNG, Genoa, Italy.
 * Aenictus mariae natalensis
 * Syntype workers, SOUTH AFRICA: Natal (Haviland) 3 pins with 2w, 2w, and 1w MNHB [Examined by Gomez, 2022]; Syntypes, same data (3 pins, 2w each) MHNG [Examined by Gomez, 2022]; same data (17 pins, 3w each) MHNG [CASENT0907029, Examined by Gomez, 2022].

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Arnold G. 1915. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Part I. Ponerinae, Dorylinae. Annals of the South African Museum 14: 1-159.
 * Borowiec M. L. 2016. Generic revision of the ant subfamily Dorylinae (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys 608: 1–280.
 * Emery C. 1910. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Dorylinae. Genera Insectorum 102: 1-34.
 * IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection
 * Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VIII. A synonymic list of the ants of the Ethiopian region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 711-1004