Nylanderia lucayana, Kallal, 2019

Kallal, Robert J., 2019, Nylanderia of the World Part III: Nylanderia in the West Indies, Zootaxa 4658 (3), pp. 401-451 : 420-421

Nylanderia lucayana , sp. nov.

Figs. 40–42 (worker)

Holotype worker, BAHAMAS: North Andros Island, access road to Stafford Creek south of bridge, 12 Nov 1996, under rock on bank, M. Deyrup & L. Davis ( NMNH); 11 paratype workers same locality as holotype (specimens are from the same nest as holotype) ( NMNH & MCZC).

Worker diagnosis: Pale-yellow with REL: 19–23 and SI2: 15–19.

Compare with: N. guatemalensis .

WORKER. Measurements (n=4): TL: 2.10–2.20; HW: 0.49–0.55; HL: 0.59–0.65; EL: 0.12–0.14; SL: 0.73– 0.77; WL: 0.67–0.74; GL: 0.76–0.85. SMC: 22–32; PMC: 4–3; MMC: 3–4. Indices: CI: 82–89; REL: 19–23; SI: 134–151; SI2: 15–19.

Head: sides of head in full face view nearly parallel; posterolateral corners rounded; posterior margin straight and slightly emarginate medially; anterior clypeal margin emarginate; ocelli absent; eye well-developed. Mesosoma: in lateral view, pronotum convex; anterior margin of mesonotum more or less even with posterior pronotal margin; metanotal area without a short flat area before spiracle; dorsal face of propodeum slightly convex; dorsal face of propodeum lower than dorsal face of mesonotum in lateral view. Color and pilosity: pale yellow, gaster sometimes slightly darker yellow; macrosetae across body yellow to white, some darker brownish-yellow towards bases; cephalic pubescence sparse; mesosoma with pubescence dorsally on pronotum and mesonotum; gastral tergites I & II with dense pubescence dorsally.

Other material examined: BAHAMAS: North Andros Island, access road to Stafford Creek south of bridge , 12 Nov 1996, under rock on bank, M. Deyrup & L. Davis; Rum Cay , 11 November 2002, John Mangold.

Etymology: Species epithet is a toponym relating to the Lucayan Archipelago where this species is found.

Notes: Workers of Nylanderia lucayana and N. guatemalensis are very similar but can be best separated another using eye size. The eye of N. lucayana is generally smaller and it has a relative eye index 19–23. In N. guatemalensis , the relative eye index is above 21, with most specimens in the mid-20s and some approaching 30. The SI2 index also effectively separates the two species (measured range in N. lucayana : 15–19; measured range in N. guatemalensis : 18–26). There is also a color difference between the two but it is difficult to appreciate it until one has looked at many specimens of N. guatemalensis . Nyladeria guatemalensis is never as pale yellow as seen in N. lucayana . Finally, N. lucayana is putatively an endemic to the Lucayan Archipelago so it is likely only in this area that separating N. guatemalensis and N. lucayana is necessary. Gotzek et al. (2012) clearly show this species (listed as Nylanderia n.sp. 83) to be quite distinct phylogenetically from N. guatemalensis ( Gotzek et al. 2012 and unpublished data).

Figures

FIGURES 40–42. Nylanderia lucayana worker USNMENT00754832. Lateral, full-face, and dorsal view of the body.