Nylanderia sierra, Kallal, 2019

Kallal, Robert J., 2019, Nylanderia of the World Part III: Nylanderia in the West Indies, Zootaxa 4658 (3), pp. 401-451 : 436

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4658.3.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:140EC233-D961-4705-AAF6-A6874C2B52E9
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03E88797-FFD9-FFA6-FF50-FD571FFFB606
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Nylanderia sierra
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Nylanderia sierra , sp. nov.

Figs. 86–88 View FIGURES 86–88 (worker)

Holotype worker, CUBA: Santiago de Cuba: Parque Nacional Gran Piedra, trail to Cerro Mogote , 19.99900, - 75.58300 +/- 150 m, 800 m, 28 Jan 2012, F. Cala #RSA2012-012 ( CASENT0630139 ) ( NMNH) GoogleMaps ; 4 paratype workers, CUBA: Santiago de Cuba: Parque Nacional Gran Piedra, Estacion Ecologica Gran Piedra, 20.01000, -75.63700 +/- 150 m, 1080 m, 26 Jan 2012, R.S. Anderson #RSA2012-005 ( NMNH & MCZC). GoogleMaps

Worker diagnosis: Smaller brown species; SL typically <0.73mm; WL <0.8mm; REL <25.

Compare with: N. wardi , N. xestonota

WORKER. Measurements (n=5): TL: 1.94–2.53; HW: 0.45–0.56; HL: 0.55–0.63; EL: 0.14–0.15; SL: 0.63– 0.74; WL: 0.61–0.75; GL: 0.78–1.20. SMC: 19–27; PMC: 3–4; MMC: 2. Indices: CI: 83–88; REL: 22–26; SI: 112–148; SI2: 19–24.

Head: sides of head in full face view slightly rounded; posterolateral corners rounded or angled; posterior margin slightly rounded; anterior clypeal margin convex; three ocelli present; eye well-developed. Mesosoma: in lateral view, pronotum convex; anterior margin of mesonotum more or less even with posterior pronotal margin; metanotal area without short flat area before spiracle; dorsal face of propodeum slightly convex to nearly flat; dorsal face of propodeum lower than mesonotum in lateral view. Color and pilosity: dark brown, with antennae and legs, especially (except procoxae which are dark brown) lighter yellowish-brown; funiculi and legs become more yellowish distally (typically mesocoxa, metacoxa and trochanters are lighter than femora and tibiae); pubescence sparse to absent except for abundant pubescence on mesonotum and gaster; dorsal face of propodeum with fringe of pubescence.

Other material examined: CUBA: Santiago de Cuba: Parque Nacional Gran Piedra, Estacion Ecologica Gran Piedra , 20.01100, -75.63700 +/- 150 m, 1085 m, 26 Jan 2012, R.S. Anderson GoogleMaps # RSA 2012-006; Santiago de Cuba: Parque Nacional Gran Piedra, near La Isabellica , 20.00400, -75.61900 +/- 150 m, 1130 m, 26 Jan 2012, R.S. An- derson GoogleMaps # RSA 2012-004; Guantánamo, 1km NE Alto de Cotilla, 20° 11’N, 74° 29’ W, 500 m, 24.viii.2001, P.S. Ward #14453-17 GoogleMaps ; Pinar del Rio, 14 km WSW Viñales, 22 34’N, 83 50’W, 150 m, 30.viii.2001, P.S. Ward #14473-18 GoogleMaps ; Holguín, 2 km N La Melba , 20° 28’N, 74° 49’ W, 400 m, 22.viii.2001, P.S. Ward #14424-17 GoogleMaps ; CUBA: Holguín, 6 km S Yamanigüey , 20° 33’ N, 74° 44’W, 25 m, 23.viii.2001, P.S. Ward #14436 and P.S. Ward #14437-21 GoogleMaps .

Etymology: Species epithet, sierra , is Spanish for mountains or mountain range, in reference to the habitats in which this species holotype specimen was collected.

Notes: Workers of this species are some of the smallest found in Cuba. The abundant pubescence on the mesonotum and gastral tergites make it fairly easy to separate workers of this species from those of N. xestonota , which is a Cuban species similar in size but it completely lacks pubescence on the mesonotum and gastral tergites. For details of separating N. sierra from N. wardi , see notes under N. wardi .