Vollenhovia mwereka, Clouse, R. M., 2007

Clouse, R. M., 2007, New ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Micronesia., Zootaxa 1475, pp. 1-19 : 15-16

Vollenhovia mwereka n. sp.

Plate 6A -C

HOLOTYPE WORKER: TL 2.60, HL 0.76, HW 0.68, CI 89, SL 0.53, SI 78, PW 0.51, ML 0.38. Outer edge of mandibles mostly straight, becoming angled then strongly curved at apex. Penultimate apical tooth slightly smaller than apical and nearer it than third tooth. Six full teeth visible along apical margin with mandibles closed, the basal four decreasing only slightly in size. Anterior clypeus convex and angled. Medial clypeus elevated to level of upper torulus, surface distinctly raised. Head heart-shaped, with vertex distinctly concave. Eyes lateral and slightly below the midpoint of the head. Antennae 12-segmented, segments of funiculus increasing in size dramatically but evenly. Scapes not reaching vertex, even at midpoint. Frontal lobes not completely hiding torulus nor extending beyond insertions, scrobes absent. Dorsal mesosoma in profile nearly flat, angled down slightly at metanotal groove. Anterior pronotum rising nearly vertically. Propodeum gently curved at 120-degree angle, with propodeal lobes in lower third. Propodeal spiracle below dorsal edge by 1/6 propodeal height, in just barely in anterior half. Petiole and postpetiole (best seen in paratype) both with nearly vertical anterior faces, similar in height, rounded dorsally. Ventral keel of petiole small, almost completely under peduncle. Ventral postpetiole swollen anteriorly, resembling ventral keel in profile. Postpetiole expanded anterior-laterally, wider than petiole, tapering posteriorly. Gaster oval in profile, 90% covered with first tergite. Color: Overall deep reddish brown, mandibles, antennae, and legs orange. Pilosity: Head, mandibles, antennae, legs, anterior pronotum, with dense covering of curved, standing, light-colored hairs. Hairs decreasing in number but longer on posterior dorsal mesosoma, and dorsal petiole and postpetiole. Lateral mesosoma mostly smooth, hairs only on lateral pronotum, around coxae and bulla. Hairs on gaster long and dense dorsally, first sternite with brush of short, straight, standing hairs centrally. Sculpturing: Head to postpetiole covered with deep, rounded rugae. Head sculptured on both front and back, finer than rest of body, mixed with punctures. Mandibles, clypeus, and lower central frons smooth. Mesosoma with fine linear rugae on anterior dorsal pronotum, becoming wider and softer laterally and posteriorly, posterior propodeum smooth. Petiole and postpetiole with wide, shallow rugae except on anterior and posterior faces, which are smooth. Gaster smooth except for punctures associated with brush on first tergite.

PARATYPE WORKER: TL 2.50, HL 0.76, HW 0.65, CI 85, SL 0.50, SI 77, PW 0.48, ML 0.36.

Etymology: Mwerek means “wrinkled” in Pohnpeian, an adjective that captures the visual effect created by this species’ covering of rugae.

This species appears to be endemic to Pohnpei Island, and its name contains a distinctly Pohnpeian consonant, “mw,” which is found in odd locations for English speakers and in such common words as mwahmw (fish) and mwahu (good).

Type locality: Pohnpei Island, Federated States of Micronesia

Type series: Holotype worker: FSM Pohnpei: Pohnpei I., Mt. Nahnalaud (Adams, June-Sept 1950). Paratype worker: FSM Pohnpei: Pohnpei I., Mt. Nahnalaud (Adams, June-Sept 1950)