Nylanderia myops ( Mann, 1920 )

Kallal, Robert J., 2019, Nylanderia of the World Part III: Nylanderia in the West Indies, Zootaxa 4658 (3), pp. 401-451 : 426-427

Nylanderia myops ( Mann, 1920)

Figs. 55–57 (worker)

Prenolepis (Nylanderia) myops Mann, 1920: 432 (w.q.m). 6 syntype workers, CUBA: Mina Carlota, Trinidad Mts. (NMNH) (examined). Combination in Paratrechina (Nylanderia) : Emery, 1925 d: 222; in Nylanderia: Brown, 1955: 135 ; in Paratrechina: Brandão, 1991: 367 ; in Nylanderia: LaPolla, Brady & Shattuck, 2010: 127 .

= Paratrechina (Nylanderia) troglodytes Weber, 1934: 58 (w.) Cuba: Soledad, Cienfuegos, 30 August 1933 (depository unknown, possibly MCZC but not found despite extensive search through collection) (not examined). Junior synonym of Nylanderia myops: Brown, 1955: 135 .

Worker diagnosis: Uniformly pale yellow with very small eyes ( REL: 9–11; SI2: 7–9).

Compare with: N. myops , N. zaminyops

WORKER. Measurements (n=2): TL: 2.10–2.20; HW: 0.43–0.44; HL: 0.53–0.55; EL: 0.05–0.06; SL: 0.65– 0.67; WL: 0.67–0.69; GL: 0.85–0.98. SMC: 16–19 PMC: 3; MMC: 2. Indices: CI: 78–83; REL: 9–11; SI: 147–155; SI2: 7–9.

Head: sides of head in full face view nearly parallel; posterolateral corners rounded; posterior margin straight, slightly emarginate medially; anterior clypeal margin emarginate; ocelli absent; eye small. Mesosoma: in lateral view, pronotum convex; anterior margin of mesonotum raised slightly above posterior pronotal margin; metanotal area without a short flat area before spiracle; dorsal face of propodeum relatively flat; dorsal face of propodeum lower than mesonotum in lateral view. Color and pilosity: uniformly pale yellow; except on scapes with abundant pubescence, pubescence absent to sparse, most abundant on mesonotum and dorsum of gaster.

Other material examined: CUBA: Holguín, 6km S Yamanigüey , 20.55 °, -74.73333°, 2001.VIII.23, P.S. Ward ( PSW14431-20 ); Santiago du Cuba: Parque Nacional Gran Peidra , 20.01.100, -75.67300 +/- 150m, 55m, 26 Jan 2012, R.S. Anderson # RSA 2012-007; Santiago du Cuba: Parque Nacional Gran Peidra, Trail to Cerro Mogote , 19.99900, -75.58300 +/- 150m, 800m, 28 Jan 2012, F. Cala # RSA 2012-012; Granma, Parque Nacional Pico Tur- quino, Aguada de Joachin , 20.01500, -76.8400 +/- 150m, 1370m, 3 Feb 2012, R.S. Anderson # RSA 2012-023.

Notes: Nylanderia myops is quite distinct in its morphological appearance with very small eyes and a uniformly pale-yellow body color. The only other species it could be confused with is N. zaminyops which is known from Trinidad. The relative eye index is smaller in N. myops ( REL 9–11) compared with N. zaminyops ( REL 13–17). In N. myops the dorsal face of the propodeum is relatively flat and long (fig. 55), in contrast to the more rounded and short propodeal dorsal face of N. zaminyops (fig. 104).

While little is known about the biology of this species, its morphology (small eyes and very pale coloration) suggests it is either a hypogaeic or nocturnal forager. It has been collected from several localities across Cuba in sifted leaf litter and/or rotten wood. The type series was collected under a stone ( Mann, 1920). Male and queen specimens were described by Mann (1920), but unfortunately, we could not locate them for this study despite an extensive search of the MCZ and NMNH collections.

Figures

FIGURES 55–57. Nylanderia myops worker USNMENT00921173. Lateral, full-face, and dorsal view of the body.