Messor piceus

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
M. piceus is a very closely related to Messor capensis and Messor decipiens; these three names may ultimately prove to represent only a single species. (Bolton 1982)

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

Nomenclature

 *  piceus. Messor piceus Stitz, 1923: 150 (w.q.) SOUTH AFRICA. See also: Bolton, 1982: 352.

Worker
Bolton (1982) - Medium to Large, HW 3.28- > 4.20.

Answering to the description of Messor capensis, but differing mainly in the colour of the body pilosity which is white to yellowish in capensis but very deep red-brown to blackish in piceus. Apart from this the anterior clypeal margin is indented medially in piceus; the propodeum varies from narrowly rounded through right-angled to broadly and bluntly dentate, and the largest known workers are larger than those of capensis. In the HW range 3.28-4.20 the maximum diameter of the eye is 0.54-0.64, about 0.15-0.17 x HW, and the CI range is 106--119. The maximum known for capensis is HW 3.44 but this may not be the largest worker of the species, merely the largest available for study at present. Relative size of eye and CI fall within the range of capensis.

Type Material
Unfortunately the type-series of piceus appears to be lost, but three short series from Transvaal match the original description tolerably well and show the dark pilosity noted by Stitz. I am therefore applying the name piceus to these specimens and to two other short series, from Natal and Botswana. (Bolton 1982)