4. Metapone africana sp.n.

(Figs12–15)

Type locality. GABON: Woleu-niem Province: 31.3km, 108°ESE of Minvoul, 2°04.8'N, 12°24.4’E, 600m.

Type deposition. holotype CASC, paratype BMNH.

Distribution, material examined. Known only from the holotype and paratype, both workers, originally separately point-mounted on the same pin (B. Fisher, 8.ii.1998, Acc 1656-1, ex rotten log, rainforest).

Worker diagnosis. General and diagnostic features as in the key above and accompanying figures (note entire anterior clypeal border lacking median denticles, subparallel lateral clypeal margins, petiolar node in dorsal view approximately as wide as long, and slightly extended postpetiolar sternite, acute in lateral view. Eyes vestigial, represented by tiny darkly pigmented spots beneath the surface cuticle; no trace of surface structure is observable even under strongly reflective illumination. Subpetiolar process (Fig 13) more-or-less basic in structure: posterior face approximately equilaterally triangular, subpetiolar angle obtuse. Subpetiolar extension a shallow isoscelestriangular lamella, almost right angled apically, the base fully as long as the subpetiolar edge.

Dimensions: (holotype, paratype): TL ca: 4.3, 3.9; HL: 0.93, 0.96; HW: 0.75, 0.76; CI: 81, 79; CpL: 0.37, 0.38; CpI: 40, 39; MSL: 1.20, 1.16; PML: 0.61, 0.61; PMW: 0.56, 0.55; PMI: 51, 53; PDW: 0.48, 0.49; PetL: 0.31, 0.30; PetW: 0.44, 0.44; PetH: 0.53, 0.54; PpetL: 0.32, 0.31; PpetW: 0.46, 0.47; PpetH: 0.49, 0.49; GW: 0.77, 0.78.

Illustrated specimen. holotype, details above.

Report on further material. Barry Bolton reports (pers. com) that there is a further nest series of M. africana in the BMNH collection. The details are: GABON: La Makandé, Forêt des Abeilles, i–ii.1999, ex rotten wood (S. Lewis). The series includes worker, queen and male specimens, some of which are illustrated on the ANTWEB website (CASENT0900364 (alate queen) CASENT0900365 (male) CASENT0900366 (worker)).