Plagiolepis (Plagiolepis) sordida (Santschi) new status

Type location Tunisia (Plagiolepis maura Sants., var. sordida n. var., Santschi, 1920g: 170, illustrated, worker & queen.

Santschi's (1920g) description is at .

The specimens shown below, and in the comparison with Santschi's drawing of the head and antenna (of P. barbara), show the characteristics briefly described by Santschi in comparision with the type maura, i.e. being of a dull yellow-brown, with relatively slender antennae and larger eyes.

Egypt Records - previously unrecorded.

The photomontage of the type worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0912426.

Oxford University Museum specimens

Plagiolepis (Plagiolepis) sordida B Taylor det.

Tanzania G McGavin tree 2-15

7.iv.1995 Mkomazi 4°02.37' S 37°49.34' E

pkd collection from Grewia sp

1

The photomontage is of specimens collected in the Sinai Desert, Egypt, St Katherine protectorate around the town of St Katherine, in mountains above 1500m, in early 2002, by Mike James, a research student of Francis Gilbert.