164 



W. A. SANDS 





u-y/ 

 0-29 





009 x 





006 





0-89 





o-66 





1 02 



IV slightly larger than V, II smaller than these, III much smaller. Pronotum narrower than 

 head width across eyes. 



Pilosity of vertex and pronotum brown, of medium length, very dense and even, forming a 

 " pelt " or " mat ", with a few longer emergent setae more or less symmetrically placed in pairs 

 or groups. Abdominal pilosity, first 3-4 tergites as pronotum, posterior tergites and sternites 

 with longer setae of uneven length. 



Measurements (Unique morphotype $) in millimetres. 



Head width across eyes 



Greatest diameter of eye 



Ocellus 



Ocellus to eye . 



Width of pronotum 



Length of pronotum 



Length of hind tibia 



Unique morphotype $ imago. Nigeria : Eastern Region : Port Harcourt, 

 i.iv.1957 (W. Wilkinson, Coll. No. WW.607). In British Museum (Natural History). 



Soldier. Head capsule yellow to ferruginous, nose orange to chestnut brown, rest of bodv 

 cuticle pale yellow to yellow. 



Head capsule in plan view top-shaped, posterior corners rounded, sides sharply converging 

 to near tip of nose in continuous line. In profile strongly humped above antennal socket, 

 which is behind middle of head, nose more or less parallel to long axis of head ; vestigial man- 

 dibles without points ; antennae, proportions of basal segments somewhat variable, usually II 

 and V subequal, IV subequal or slightly larger, III smaller and narrower than these. Con- 

 spicuous head setae few, usually one bilaterally placed pair towards back of head. Cuticle of 

 vertex not markedly rastrate. 



Measurements (25 specimens from 8 localities) in millimetres. 



Range Mean 



Head length to tip of nose 

 Head width . 

 Depth of head capsule 

 Width of pronotum 

 Length of pronotum 

 Length of hind tibia 



soldier head capsule, par- 



1 35-1 51 • • • • i-43 



0-75-0-89 .... 0-82 



0-61-0-69 .... 0-63 



0-41-0-46 .... 0-44 



0-18-0-22 .... 019 



0-64-0-71 . . . 066 



M. sorex differs from M. giffardii in the shape of the 

 ticularly in profile, and the lack of points on the mandibles. M. edentatus is also 

 different in shape. In the imago, the smaller eyes and very even dense head and 

 pronotum pilosity separate M. sorex from M. giffardii. M. edentatus is larger, with 

 a wider pronotum, and shorter but still dense and even pilosity. 



The description above differs from that given by Silvestri in several respects, of 

 which the most important is the lack of points on the soldier mandibles. The reason 

 for this is that the syntypes of M. sorex include specimens of M. giffardii, presumably 

 having been collected from a mound containing both species. This fact was not 

 recognized by Silvestri, who described the general shape of M. sorex, clearly dis- 

 tinguishing it from the paratype soldiers of M. giffardii. The soldier mandibles he 

 must have illustrated and described from a specimen of M. giffardii in which the 

 points were slightly smaller than usual. The true M. sorex syntypes are without 

 points, and no other specimen with points has been found. When the syntypes 

 were examined in Portici in 1958, a lectotype was not selected, and this designation 

 must await a further personal visit since the Silvestri collection is not accessible by 



