Head near squre, shiny, densely and finely longitudinally striated. Thorax with characteristic rectlinear profile of meso- and epinotum, something rare in the subgenus, where most have the thorax more or less humped. Short, flat epinotum, shiny but with 5-7 strong striations. Propodeal spines strong, almost as long as the width of the epinotum at their base. Seen from above, as in the profile, spines rectilinear.
Petiole smooth almost flat but dilated with the maximum in the posterior two-thirds.
T 10, at 1180 m, chosen as probably matching the queen and 4 males from lower at B8-8, N'Zo. The queen morphology, in contrast, put it closer to nigrans , as striatula has a very elongated head and very distinct scutellum and petiole. Specimens of rufula were collected at station B6, N'Zo. Others probably of this species were 2 workers and 1 alated queen from Yalanzou. He also describes it as appearing to be more common than striatula in Nigeria .