Cardiocondyla shuckardi

The most common and widespread endemic Cardiocondyla species in the Afrotropical region.

Identification
Key to Afrotropical Cardiocondyla workers

C. shuckardi is recognised by its dimensions and extremely reduced propodeal armament. Other species in the region with reduced propodeal armament include Cardiocondyla monardi, Cardiocondyla sekhemka and Cardiocondyla nilotica. In the first of these the metanotal groove is absent and the pedicel segments are very elongate. C. sekhemka is a much smaller species with shorter scapes and a broader head, and nilotica has longer scapes than shuckardi and a narrower postpetiole. (Bolton 1982)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Botswana, Cameroun, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Zimbabwe. Malagasy Region: Madagascar. Palaearctic Region: Kuwait.

Nomenclature

 *  shuckardi. Cardiocondyla shuckardi Forel, 1891b: 161 (w.) MADAGASCAR. Subspecies of nuda: Forel, 1895c: 251. Revived status as species: Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 1021. Senior synonym of brevispinosa, fusca, sculptior, wassmanni: Bolton, 1982: 316; of shuckardoides: Seifert, 2003a: 257.
 * shuckardoides. Cardiocondyla nuda var. shuckardoides Forel, 1895c: 250 (w.) MADAGASCAR. Junior synonym of shuckardi: Seifert, 2003a: 257.
 * sculptior. Cardiocondyla wasmanni var. sculptior Santschi, 1926b: 241 (w.) GABON. Junior synonym of shuckardi: Bolton, 1982: 316.
 * wassmanni. Cardiocondyla wassmanni Santschi, 1926b: 241 (w.) CAMEROUN. Junior synonym of shuckardi: Bolton, 1982: 316.
 * brevispinosa. Cardiocondyla brevispinosa Weber, 1952: 6 (w.) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO. [Unresolved junior secondary homonym of Pheidole brevispinosa Donisthorpe, above.] Junior synonym of shuckardi: Bolton, 1982: 316.
 * fusca. Cardiocondyla fusca Weber, 1952: 7 (w.) UGANDA. Junior synonym of shuckardi: Bolton, 1982: 316.

Worker
Bolton (1982) - TL 2.0-2.6, HL 0.50-0.60, HW 0.38-0.46, CI 75-79, SL 0.36-0.45, SI 93-100, PW 0.27-0.35, AL 0.54-0.69 (35 measured).

Antennal scapes when laid back on the head in full-face view either just failing to reach or just reaching the occipital corners, never distinctly surpassing them; the scapes moderately long, SI > 90. Maximum diameter of eye 0.11-0.14, about 0.26-0.30 x HW and with 9-12 ommatidia in the longest row. Head always obviously longer than broad, CI < 80 in material examined. Pronotal corners in dorsal view broadly and evenly rounded. With the alitrunk in profile the promesonotal dorsum forming an even shallow convexity from front to back, sloping evenly into the metanotal groove. Metanotal groove impressed but the depth of the impression varying between samples. To some extent the apparent variation in depth is caused by the convexity of the propodeum behind the groove as in some cases it rises more steeply and is more convex than in others. Propodeal dorsum behind the convex portion sloping downwards posteriorly to the junction with the declivity. Propodeal armament very reduced, at best represented only by a pair of minute triangular denticles which may be acute or blunted, or by a pair of tubercles, or merely bluntly angular; never with developed teeth or spines. In dorsal view the propodeal armament scarcely visible, the length of each component constituting only a fraction of the distance separating their bases. Petiole node in dorsal view subglobular, usually broader than long but in some only about as broad as long. Postpetiole distinctly broader than long. In profile the petiole and postpetiole as in Fig. 1, the petiolar dorsum convex and somewhat variable in length. Sculpture of dorsal head and alitrunk usually of fine, very dense blanketing shagreening or granulation, but this may be reduced on tile alitrunk or even on the head, though less frequently on the latter than on the former. In extreme cases the dorsal alitrunk may be almost smooth. Hairs absent except on mouthparts and gastral apex. Colour varying from medium brown to blackish brown, sometimes black.