Rhopalothrix atitlanica Longino & Boudinot

Longino, John T. & Boudinot, Brendon E., 2013, New species of Central American Rhopalothrix Mayr, 1870 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), Zootaxa 3616 (4), pp. 301-324 : 310

Rhopalothrix atitlanica Longino & Boudinot , sp. nov.

( Figs 1 B, 2B, 3E, 7, 16)

Type material. Holotype, worker: GUATEMALA, Suchitepéquez: 5 km S Volcán Atitlán, 14.54074 -91.18815 ± 35 m, 1400 m, 18 Jun 2009, cloud forest, ex sifted leaf litter (LLAMA#Wm-B- 09-2-07) [CAS, unique specimen identifier CASENT0611854]. Paratypes (workers): same data as holotype but 5.5 km S Volcán Atitlán, 14.52857 - 91.19569 ± 200 m, 1070 m, 18 Jun 2009, riparian forest, ex sifted leaf litter (LLAMA#Wm-B- 09-2-08) [USNM, CASENT0629577; MCZC, CASENT0629578].

Geographic range. Guatemala.

Diagnosis. Anterior labral lobe bilobed or bidentate on each side of medial notch, with lateral lobule longer than medial lobule; masticatory margin of mandible with two teeth; squamiform setae of first gastral tergite abundant, short, 2 × longer than wide; HW 0.49–0.51.

Description. Worker. HW 0.49–0.51 (n=3); mandible with two teeth on masticatory margin, second tooth from base largest; subapical tooth with minute reclinate denticle at base; subapical tooth about twice as long as apical tooth; intercalary teeth distinct, one closest to apical tooth about half as long as apical tooth; labrum trapezoidal, anterior margin bilobed or bidentate on each side of medial notch, lateral lobule triangular, longer than medial lobule, medial lobules rounded, flanking semicircular median notch; arcuate promesonotal groove and metanotal groove moderately impressed; propodeal tooth right angled, infradental lamella evenly and shallowly concave; squamiform setae abundant on first gastral tergite, uniformly covering entire tergite; gastral setae relatively short, 2 × longer than wide, tapering evenly from apex to base.

The queen and male are unknown.

Biology. This species occurs in cloud forest, from 1050–1400 m elevation. It is known only from the slopes of Volcán Atitlán, where it is sympatric with R. isthmica . At the type locality it seemed to occur just below the zone of high abundance of R. isthmica , at the lower edge of the cloud forest and at the transition to extensive coffee plantations at lower elevations. The six known specimens are from Winkler samples of sifted leaf litter.

Etymology. Referring to the type locality.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Diagrammatic representation of Rhopalothrix mandibles. A. R. andersoni, R. isthmica, R. megisthmica (part), R. therion. B. R. atitlanica, R. megisthmica (part), R. triumphalis. C. R. stannardi. D. R. nubilosa, R. subspatulata. E. R. weberi. F. R. apertor.