Ravavy Fisher, 2009

Yoshimura, Masashi & Fisher, Brian L., 2011, A revision of male ants of the Malagasy region (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Key to genera of the subfamily Dolichoderinae, Zootaxa 2794, pp. 1-34 : 12-13

Ravavy Fisher, 2009

( Figs 3 , 6 , 13 , 19 , 21, 26 , 32 , 36 , 41 , 52 , 58 , 64 , 69 , 74 , 79 )

With characters of Dolichoderinae . All known males alate. Median hypostoma absent ( Fig. 64 ). Mandible broadly spatulate ( Fig. 74 ). Basal angle of mandible distinct, basal margin lacking teeth and denticles. Distal apex of mandible with single, long, acute tooth. Palpal formula 6,3 (one specimen of R. miafina dissected: Fig. 79 ). Third maxillary palpal segment longer than fourth, but shorter than the combined length of fourth and fifth. Distal margin of labrum deeply concave and bilobed, longest setae located near apices of lobes ( Fig. 69 ). Scape excluding its basal condyle shorter than length of flagellar segments 1+2 ( Fig. 3 ). Pedicel conical. First and second flagellar segments slightly bent. Axillae weakly compressed medially, anterior and posterior margins not parallel. Petiolar node raised vertically, its anterior margin nearly as long as posterior margin in lateral view, not much expanded laterally. Petiole narrowly attached to abdominal segment III ( Fig. 19 ). Anterior surface of abdominal segment III with indentation that fits posterior surface of petiolar node ( Fig. 21 ). Pygostyles present.

Distal portion of abdominal sternum IX bilobed, its distal margin widely concave ( Fig. 26 ). Apicoventral portion of basimere without projection ( Fig. 32 ). Harpago moderate in size, visibly distinct but not separated from basimere by a membranous region. Harpago narrow in lateral view, without distinct ventral face (as in Fig. 23 ). Basoventral portion of aedeagus with long and narrow lobe ventrally ( Figs 36 , 41 ). Ventral margin of aedeagus with denticles.

Forewing elongated apical to wing stigma, its radial sector (Rs) reaches costal margin ( Fig. 52 ), media between Rs+M and 2rs-m unrecognizable, 2rs-m reduced in length, and 1m-cu present. On hindwing, M+Cu, 1rsm+M, and free section of radial sector present, free section of cubitus vestigial, cu-a present ( Fig. 58 ).

Remarks. Genus Ravavy is endemic to Madagascar and males of Ravavy are known only for R. miafina . These males are distinguished easily from those of the four other Malagasy dolichoderine genera by the absence of the median hypostoma ( Fig. 64 ), a broadly spatulate mandible with a long and acute tooth on its distal apex ( Fig. 74 ), lack of serrate and minute denticles on the masticatory margin of the mandible, the first flagellomere slightly bent, dorsal margin of the propodeum in lateral view much longer than its declivitous margin ( Fig. 6 ) (see also remarks of Ochetellus ), the presence of a long and narrow basoventral lobe on the aedeagus ( Figs 36 , 41 ), and the forewing elongate apical to the stigma ( Fig. 52 ).Ward et al. (2010) listed a lacking or reduced median hypostoma as a tribal diagnosis of Bothriomyrmecini , to which Ravavy belongs.

The genus Ravavy was described by Fisher (2009). Although the mandible character proposed by Fisher (2009) distinguishes this genus from all other dolichoderines, our current study allows a more comprehensive comparison of additional characters with genera that do not occur in Madagascar. We offer the following revised and expanded analysis of diagnostic characters. Fisher (2009) proposed the elongate basal margin and reduced masticatory margin of the mandible as unique to Ravavy ; however, outside of Madagascar, those two characters can also be seen in a figure of a male Forelius in Shattuck (1992a: fig. 78). The shape of the mandible in Ravavy is better described as broadly spatulate, with a single acute tooth on its apex. The acute tooth is not necessarily the apical tooth, because several vestigial denticles can be seen distal to it ( Fig. 74 ). The attachment between the petiole and abdominal segment III is best described as narrow, since the width is relatively small compared with that in Ochetellus ( Fig. 18 ); the broad attachment between the petiole and abdominal segment III is a unique character of Ochetellus . Though described as absent in the original description (Fisher, 2009), a reexamination of fresh material revealed that an indentation on the anterior face of abdominal segment III is present in Ravavy ( Fig. 21 ). The lack of this indentation in the males examined is limited to Ochetellus (see also Ochetellus ) ( Fig. 20 ).

A male of Leptomyrmex Mayr in Shattuck (1992a: figs 100, 101) may appear superficially similar to a Ravavy male due to its long head, long mesosoma, and non-triangular mandible. Based on descriptions of males of Leptomyrmex provided in previous studies ( Wheeler 1934; Shattuck 1992a, 1995; Brandão et al. 1999; and Lucky & Ward 2010), these two genera differ in the following characters: the medial hypostoma is lacking in Ravavy ( Fig. 64 ), while present in Leptomyrmex ; palpal formula is 6,3 in Ravavy ( Fig. 79 ), while 6,4 in Leptomyrmex ; the mandible has only one or two vestigial denticles in addition to a long tooth in Ravavy ( Fig. 74 ), while it has many serrate denticles in Leptomyrmex ; axillae are present in Ravavy , while absent in Leptomyrmex ; an indentation is present on the third abdominal segment in Ravavy ( Fig. 21 ), while no indentation or groove is found on the segment in Leptomyrmex ; posterior margin of abdominal sternum IX is concave in Ravavy ( Fig. 26 ), while convex to entire in Leptomyrmex ; the pterostigma is developed as usual without a “pterostigmal appendage” ( Wheeler 1934: fig. 2) in Ravavy , while the pterostigma is reduced in size and the “pterostigmal appendage” is developed in most macro- Leptomyrmex .

Additional discussion of characters is included in the remarks for Ochetellus .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Head of dolichoderine males in full-face view. 1, Ochetellus glaber (CASENT 0191065); 2, Aptinoma mangabe (CASENT 0173594); 3, Ravavy miafina (CASENT 0474633); 4, Tapinoma subtile (CASENT 0136850); 5, Technomyrmex difficilis (CASENT 0049968).

FIGURES 6 – 10. Head to abdomen of dolichoderine males in lateral view. 6, Ravavy miafina (CASENT 0474633); 7, Aptinoma mangabe (CASENT 0173594); 8, Ochetellus glaber (CASENT 0191065); 9, Tapinoma subtile (CASENT 0136850); 10, Technomyrmex difficilis (CASENT 0049968).

FIGURES 11 – 15. Head to abdomen of dolichoderine males in dorsal view. 11, Aptinoma mangabe (CASENT 0173594); 12, Ochetellus glaber (CASENT 0191065); 13, Ravavy miafina (CASENT 0474633); 14, Tapinoma subtile (CASENT 0136850); 15, Technomyrmex difficilis (CASENT 0049968).

FIGURES 16 – 23. Males of Dolichoderinae. 16, Aptinoma mangabe (CASENT 0173594); 17, Aptinoma mangabe (CASENT 0175002); 18, 20, Ochetellus glaber (CASENT 0179489); 19, 21, Ravavy miafina (CASENT 0080308); 22, Technomyrmex curiosus (paratype: CASENT 0070364); 23, Tapinoma mg 10 (CASENT 0115650). 16, distal portion of abdomen in oblique posterior view; 17, petiole in lateral view; 18, 19, petiole and abdominal segments in ventral view; 20, petiole and abdominal segments in dorsal view; 21, petiole and abdominal segments in oblique frontal view; 22, 23, genitalia in ventral view.

FIGURES 24 – 28. Abdominal sternum IX of dolichoderine males in ectal view. 24, Aptinoma mangabe (CASENT 0175002); 25, Ochetellus glaber (CASENT 0179489); 26, Ravavy miafina (CASENT 0179530); 27, Tapinoma melanocephalum (CASENT 0492372); 28, Technomyrmex madecassus (CASENT 0179526).

FIGURES 29 – 33. Genital capsules of dolichoderine males. 29, Tapinoma mg 11 (CASENT 0179494); 30, Aptinoma mangabe (CASENT 0175002); 31, Ochetellus glaber (CASENT 0179489); 32, Ravavy miafina (CASENT 0179533); 33, Technomyrmex madecassus (CASENT 0179526). Right side, ventral view; left side, dorsal view.

FIGURES 34 – 38. Genital capsules of dolichoderine males in lateral view. 34, Ochetellus glaber (CASENT 0179489); 35, Aptinoma mangabe (CASENT 0175002); 36, Ravavy miafina (CASENT 0179533); 37, Tapinoma mg 11 (CASENT 0179494); 38, Technomyrmex madecassus (CASENT 0179526).

FIGURES 41 – 45. Aedeagal plates of dolichoderine males in lateral view. 41, Ravavy miafina (CASENT 0179530); 42, Aptinoma mangabe (CASENT 0175002); 43, Ochetellus glaber (CASENT 0179489); 44, Tapinoma mg 11 (CASENT 0179494); 45, Technomyrmex madecassus (CASENT 0179526).

FIGURES 52 – 54. Forewings of male ants. 52, Ravavy miafina (CASENT 0179530); 53, Tapinoma mg 10 (CASENT 0179493); 54, Technomyrmex madecassus (CASENT 0179526).

FIGURES 58 – 61. Hindwings of dolichoderine males. 58, Ravavy miafina (CASENT 0179530); 59, Tapinoma mg 10 (CASENT 0179493); 60, Tapinoma subtile (CASENT 0179490); 61, Technomyrmex madecassus (CASENT 0179526).

FIGURES 62 – 66. Median hypostoma of dolichoderine males in ectal view. 62, Aptinoma mangabe (CASENT 0175002); 63, Ochetellus glaber (CASENT 0179489); 64, Ravavy miafina (CASENT 0179533); 65, Tapinoma mg 11 (CASENT 0179494); 66, Technomyrmex pallipes (CASENT 0179528).

FIGURES 67 – 71. Labrums of dolichoderine males. 67, Aptinoma mangabe (CASENT 0175002); 68, Ochetellus glaber (CASENT 0179489); 69, Ravavy miafina (CASENT 0179530); 70, Tapinoma mg 11 (CASENT 0179494); 71, Technomyrmex pallipes (CASENT 0179528). 67, 68, 70, in ectal view; 69, 71, in mesal view.

FIGURES 72 – 76. Mandibles of dolichoderine males. 72, Aptinoma mangabe (CASENT 0175002); 73, Ochetellus glaber (CASENT 0179489); 74, Ravavy miafina (CASENT 0179530); 75, Tapinoma mg 11 (CASENT 0179494); 76, Technomyrmex pallipes (CASENT 0179528).

FIGURES 77 – 81. Mouthparts of dolichoderine males. 77, Aptinoma mangabe (CASENT 0175002); 78, Ochetellus glaber (CASENT 0179489); 79, Ravavy miafina (CASENT 0179530); 80, Tapinoma subtile (CASENT 0179490); 81, Technomyrmex pallipes (CASENT 0179528). 77, 79 – 81, in mesal view; 78, in lateral view.