The status of Cyphoidris Weber

Cyphoidris Weber, 1952: 26. Type species (by monotypy): Cyphoidris spinosa Weber, 1952: 26 (Ituri Forest, 15 miles N of Beni, ZAIRE).

C. exalta (Bolton), 1981: 258, fig. 17; Korup Reserve, CAMEROON.

C. parissa (Bolton), 1981: 258; Gibi, LIBERIA.

C. spinosa (Weber), 1952: 26, figs 7, 8; Ituri Forest, 15 miles N of Beni, ZAIRE.

C. werneri (Bolton), 1981: 259; Rangiro, RWANDA.

Bolton (1981) suggested affinity between Lordomyrma and the Afrotropical genus Cyphoidris (Figs. 23, 24) Three characters putatively distinguishing the latter: (1) antennae 11- versus 12-merous; (2) palpal formula unreduced, maxillary 4: labial 3; and (3) propodeal spiracles close to the posterolateral margins of the declivity. The first feature remains characteristic of Cyphoidris versus Lordomyrma. The second is now known in at least one Asian Lordomyrma species (L. azumai - see above), where others investigated here have reduced palpal formulae (3:3, 3:2 or 2:2). Bolton (2003) separately records palpal formulae 4:3, 3:3 and 3:2 for Lordomyrma. Character (3) is represented in some Indo-Australian species, while others have propodeal spiracles situated further forwards, towards the middle of the lateral wall of the sclerite. The character 'number of antennal segments', while still used with due discretion, is today accorded little of its former broad significance in myrmicine taxonomy and alone is insufficient to sustain Cyphoidris as a distinct genus. These African taxa are in fact quite close in habitus to the presumably conservative Lordomyrma species of Asia and Australia, and would perhaps have been assigned to Lordomyrma were they Indo-Australian.

Cyphoidris was comprehensively reviewed by Bolton (1981). C. parissa has been reported from West Africa, L. exalta and L. spinosa from Central Africa, and C. werneri from East Africa. C. spinosa was recorded by Bolton from Ituri Forest, Zaire (the type locality), Duque de Braganca Falls, Angola, and Agboville, Ivory Coast; the other species only from their type localities (see species list above). C. spinosa and C. exalta were well illustrated by Bolton (1981, figs 15-17) and the spinosa figures reproduced by Holldobler & Wilson (1990: 103).

The ANIC has specimens of C. exalta, C. spinosa and C. werneri, thanks to the generosity of Barry Bolton(BMNH) and Dr C. Besuchet (Museum d'Histoire Naturelle, Geneva, Switzerland).

Cyphoidris might constitute a biogeographically long-separated sister group to the Asian/Indo-Australian Lordomyrma species. Relevant phylogenetic investigations will need also to consider other, possibly related genera, including Bariamyrma Lattke, 1990, Dacetinops Brown & Wilson (see Taylor, 1985) Lachnomyrmex Wheeler (see Feitosa & Brandao, 2008) Lasiomyrma Terayama & Yamane, 2000, and Rogeria Emery (see Kugler, 1994; Lapolla & Sosa-Calvo, 2006).