E T H I O P I . \ X N A S t T I T E R M I T I N A E 



163 



Head capsule in plan view top-shaped, sides parallel at back then sharply converging con- 

 tinuously with nose to about half nose length, rest of nose tapering less sharply. In profile 

 strongly humped above antennal socket, which is distinctly behind middle of head, nose slightly 

 upturned ; vestigial mandibles with points ; antennae, proportions of basal segments some- 

 what variable, usually II, IV and V subequal, longer up to twice III. Conspicuous head setae 

 few, one bilaterally placed pair near back of head, and one pair near base of nose. Cuticle of 

 vertex distinctly rastrate, at high magnifications ( x 500) small papillae visible. 



Measurements (14 specimens from 4 localities) in millimetres. 



Range Mean 



Head length to tip of nose . 1 -25-1 48 ... 1 -39 



Head width . 

 Depth of head capsule 

 Width of pronotum 

 Length of pronotum 

 Length of hind tibia 



0-72-0-87 

 0-61-0-71 



43-0 4° 



018-0-26 

 0-54-0-64 



0-83 

 066 

 044 

 023 

 o-59 



M. giffardii is easily distinguished from the other two species by the points on 

 the soldier mandibles. Other features are the distinctly rastrate vertex and the 

 differing profile in the soldier. In the imago, the coarser irregular vertex pilosity is 

 distinctive ; in addition the larger eyes and shorter hind tibia separate it from 

 M . sorex and the generally smaller size from M . edentatus. M. giffardii is probably 

 the most primitive of the three species in possessing these characteristics. 



Material. Guinea : Camayenne, 9 25' N., 13 40' W., 1912-13 (F. Silvestri), 

 holotype $ imago, paratype soldiers and workers, M. giffardii Silvestri, Silvestri 

 Coll., Lab. Zool. Sc. Agr., Portici. 



Ghana : Aburi, 1912-13 (F. Silvestri), further paratype imago, soldiers, and 

 workers, Silvestri Coll., as above ; Kumasi, Kwadaso, 19. ii. 1959, and 5|m. from 

 Dunkwa on Obuasi Road, 4.^.1959 (W. A. Sands), B.M.(N.H.). 



This species appears to be one of the very few which are confined to the rain 

 forest areas to the west of the Dahomey-Togoland gap, presumably having evolved 

 in isolation from the main Congo forest block. It has been recorded from the 

 mounds of other genera of termites. 



Mimeutermes sorex Silvestri 

 (Text-figs. 457, 458, 463, 473-475. 495 ', Map 32) 

 Mimeutermes sorex Silvestri, 1914 : 50. Type locality : Guinea, Mamou. 



Imago. Previously undescribed. Head capsule dark sepia brown, antennae and postclypeus 

 brown, labrum yellow. Pronotum, meso- and metanota brown, other thoracic sclerites and 

 legs yellow-brown. Anterior abdominal tergites yellow-brown, posterior brown ; sternites 

 yellow-brown, brown around stigmata. Wings absent. 



Posterior margin of head capsule behind eyes widely rounded, sharply curved outwards at 

 eye rim ; fontanelle a minute, pale, tapering slit with oval pale spot in front ; eyes slightly 

 set out from sides of head, angularly short oval, prominent in proportion to own diameter and 

 medium-sized relative to head width, W/E index 3-4 ; ocelli small, separated from eyes by 

 approximately three-quarters own least diameter ; anterior margin of postclypeus sinuate, 

 convex in middle, posterior convex, rounded, width 20 times length ; antennae 15 segmented, 



