Nylanderia incallida Santschi 1915

Nylanderia incallida (Santschi, 1915)

(Figs. 13–15, 77 [worker])

Prenolepis (Nylanderia) incallida Santschi, 1915: 263 (worker described). Holotype worker, EQUATORIAL GUINEA: São Tome Island (NHMB) [examined]. Emery, 1925: 218, combination in Paratrechina (Nylanderia); LaPolla et al., 2010: 127, combination in Nylanderia.

Paratrechina arlesi Bernard, 1953: 257 (worker described). 3 syntype workers, GUINEA (MNHN) [examined]. LaPolla et al., 2010: 127, combination in Nylanderia. SYN. NOV.

Worker diagnosis: Overall brown, gaster with faint dorsal bands of lighter yellowish-brown along segmental lines.

Compare with: N. luteafra

WORKER. Measurements (n = 6): TL: 2.5–2.7; HW: 0.5–0.6; HL: 0.6–0.7; EL: 0.14–0.16; SL: 0.74–0.8; PW: 0.4–0.43; WL: 0.81–0.85; GL: 1.1–1.18

Indices: CI: 82–87; REL: 23–25; SI: 139–147.

Overall yellowish brown, with lighter brown to yellow antennae and legs; head with lighter brown to yellow patch medially around torulae distally including all of clypeus; gaster with faint dorsal bands of lighter color along segmental lines towards acidopore; head, metanotal area and mesopleuron faintly rugulose, otherwise cuticle smooth and shining; trochanters, mesocoxae, and metacoxae yellowish-brown to whitish. Head with a layer of pubescence; posterior margin with slightly angular posterolateral corners; scapes surpass posterior margin by about the length of the first 3–3.5 funicular segments; scapes with scattered erect macrosetae and a layer of pubescence (SMC = 20–24). Mesosoma with erect macrosetae of varying lengths (PMC = 3–6, MMC = 2–4); metanotal area elongate and rugulose; dorsal face of propodeum dome-like, at about the same height as mesonotum; dorsal and declivitous face about the same length; propodeum with scattered pubescence, especially on dorsal face. Gaster with abundant erect macrosetae and scattered pubescence.

The queen and male castes are currently unknown for this species.

Non-type material examined. GHANA: Mampong, 7°3.641' N, 1°24.266' W *, 7 April 1970 (P. Room); IVORY COAST: Tai Forest, 5°19.343' N, 6°33.314' W *, 15 Aug 1975 (T. Diomande)

Notes. Bernard’s N. arlesi type specimens match the type specimens of N. incallida very well, which is why we propose the synonymy of N. arlesi. The faint dorsal bands of lighter yellowish-brown along the segmental lines of the gaster observed in N. incallida make this a fairly easy species to indentify and separates it from N. luteafra, to which it is most likely to be confused.