Rhopalothrix mariaemirae Tocora, Fiorentino & Fernandez, 2024

Guerrero, Roberto J., Grajales-Andica, Andres F., Fernandez, Fernando, Tocora, Maria C., Fiorentino, Gianpiero & Garcia, Delly R., 2024, The ants of the genus Rhopalothrix Mayr, 1870 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae) in Colombia, ZooKeys 1191, pp. 129-150 : 129

Rhopalothrix mariaemirae Tocora, Fiorentino & Fernandez sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 8 , 9

Type material.

Holotype. Colombia • 1 worker; Guaviare, Solano, PNN Serranía de Chiribiquete; 0.18189°N 72.61589°W; 250 m a.s.l.; 30 Nov. 2000; F. Acevedo leg.; ICNC: 099809. Paratypes (N = 7). • 1 worker; same data as holotype; CBUMAG:ENT:35950. BRAZIL • 1 worker; Amazonas, Manaus, 2.40262°S, 59.86655°W; 12 Aug. 2016; B. Boudinot, I. Fernandes I & J. Chaul; winkler; ANTWEB1038216; INPA. • 1 worker; same data as for preceding; UFV-LABECOL-001942; MZSP. • 1 worker; same data as for preceding; UFV-LABECOL-001945; MPEG. • 1 worker; same data as for preceding; UFV-LABECOL-001953; CELC. • 1 worker; same data as for preceding; UFV-LABECOL-007266; JTLC. • 1 worker; Amazonas, Manaus, 2.40372°S, 59.86573°W; 12 Aug. 2016; B. Boudinot, I. Fernandes I & J. Chaul; winkler; UFV-LABECOL-001944; DZUP.

Other examined material.

Colombia • 1 worker; Amazonas, Parque Nacional Natural Amacayacu; 3.81028°S, 70.2662°W; 88 m a.s.l.; 07 Oct. 2007; J. Sosa-Calvo & J. Rodriguez legs.; winkler, leaf litter, forest; USNMENT01127995; USNMENT01127995; USNM. Brazil • 1 worker; Amazonas, Manaus; 2.93333°S, 59.95°W; 6 Oct. 2006; J.L.P. Souza & J.S. Araújo legs.; ANTWEB1038211; INPA. • 1 worker; same data as for preceding; J.L.P. Souza & P.Y. Oliveira legs.; ANTWEB1038212; INPA. • 1 worker; Amazonas; 2.56669°S, 60.09999°W; 9 Sep. 1990; M.O. de A Ribeiro leg.; ANTWEB1038213; INPA. • 1 worker; Rondônia: Jaci Novo; 22 Oct. 2013; ANTWEB1038214; INPA. • 1 worker; Pará, Melgaço, Estacao Cientifica Ferreira Penna ; 1.71668°S, 51.41668°W; J.L.P. Souza & C. Moura; 26 Oct. 2003; ANTWEB1038215; INPA. • 1 worker; Rondônia, Porto Velho, área Mutum (M5P2); 9.591389°S, 65.04917°W; 17-27 Jul. 2013; G.R. Mazão & R.S. Probst legs.; CPDC. • 1 worker; Pará, Marituba; 1.36667°S, 48.33333°W; 20 m a.s.l.; 22 Oct. 2004; J.R.M. Santos leg.; winkler, mata; CPDC. GUYANA • 1 worker; Rupununi, nr. Kamoa River, nr Kamoa R. Camp; 1.55077°N, 58.83832°W; 535 m a.s.l.; 24 Oct. 2006; R. Williams & P. Suse legs.; winkler, leaf litter; USNMENT01127994; USNM .

Geographic range.

Colombia, Guyana, Brazil.

Holotype worker measurements.

MdL 0.3, MdbW 0.06, ClyL 0.16, ClyW 0.43, HL 0.48, HW 0.55, WL 0.52, PrnW 0.35, PetL 0.3, PpetL 0.12, PetW 0.19, PpetW 0.28, T4L 0.42, GL 0.56.

Paratype workers measurements

(N = 7). MdL 0.25-0.33, MdbW 0.06-0.08, ClyL 0.12-0.17, ClyW 0.38-0.44, HL0.39-0.49, HW 0.48-0.55, WL 0.43-0.52, PrnW 0.29-0.35, PetL 0.21-0.30, PpetL 0.09-0.13, PetW 0.16-0.19, PpetW 0.24-0.29, T4L 0.35-0.42, GL 0.42-0.56.

Diagnosis.

Masticatory margin of mandible with two small teeth near the base of the subapical tooth; labrum rounded, about as long as broad, with two poorly produced, bluntly, rounded anterior lobes; promesonotal and metanotal groove continuously concave; larger specialized hairs on face are shaped like inverted bowls of broad flat spoons lying close to and paralleling the integumental surface, in perpendicular view they look like eight large, rounded white scales on head.

Description.

Worker. Head in full-face view wider than long, with cephalic lateral margins subparallel to each other, profile interrupted by a deeply impressed notch at the level of the antennal insertions and a triangular notch shallower than the previous one below the level of the diadem of circular/squamiform hairs, at the level of the latter, widened profile projecting rounded angulations continuing on slightly convergent lateral margins towards the angled posterolateral cephalic corners; wide and strongly concave posterior cephalic margin. In lateral view, mandible in the same plane of the head; subapical tooth with prominent recurved acute tooth, directed posteriorly, subapical tooth shorter than width of mandible at base, about twice as long as apical tooth. In full-face view, anterior margin of labrum with shallow median notch, posteromedial portion of labrum translucid. Clypeus about 2.5 times wider than long, with rounded anteroclypeal lobes projecting anterad. Scape just beyond the most posterior notch of the lateral cephalic margin; Pedicel subsquare, second to fourth flagellomere conical towards the base, fifth flagellomere rectangular longer than wide, last flagellomere finger-shaped tapering towards the apex, almost as long as almost as long as the five flagellomeres combined.

In lateral view, promesonotum convex continuing with the profile of the dorsum of the propodeum, promesonotal depression and metanotal groove slightly impressed; propodeal dorsum falling on a slight slope in lateral view; propodeal tooth developed, distinctly in top half of declivitous face of propodeum in lateral view; infradental lamella very narrow. In dorsal view, pronotum with straight lateral and convex anterior margin, pronotum with angled corners at their maximum width that continue towards slightly convex lateral margins; mesonotum trapezoid-shaped, wider than long, narrowing posteriorly. Petiole with poor-developed peduncle; in lateral view, with the dorsal face short, strongly inclined to connect with the anterior face of the rounded petiole scale, ventral surface straight with a small elongated subpetiolar process projecting anterad; in dorsal view, postpetiole 1.5 times wider than width of petiole (Fig. 8C ).

Head with short decumbent squamiform hairs, notably dispersed and arranged transversely; anterodorsal portion of clypeus with small squamiform hairs broadened apicad. External margin of the scape with about 6-7 squamiform hairs similar in size; apex of scape with few shorter and thicker erect hairs, widely scattered; flagellomeres with simple subdecumbent hairs. Coxa and femur with few very short hairs; tibiae with long, thick semi-erect squamiform hairs on the inner surface, external face of the tibiae devoid of erect hairs, with only a few long, flattened hairs located apically. First gastral tergite largely devoid of setae, with 2-3 squamiform setae at posterolateral margins.

Head, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole shagreened, with the surface strongly areolate (Fig. 9 ); surface of first gastral tergite areolate. Color ocher to orange, concolorous.

Queen and male. Unknown.

Etymology.

This species is named after María Emir Sánchez (1953-2023), as a tribute to María C. Tocora’s beloved and inspiring abuela, who recently passed away.

Comments.

This species is easily recognized by the anterior labral convexity condition, the two small blunt lobes of the labrum, and the large squamate hairs, 8 in total, on the frons like those of R. diadema ( Longino and Boudinot 2013).

The workers of Rhopalothrix jtl021 (ANTWEB1038216, UFV-LABECOL-001953, and USNMENT01127994) match to R. mariaemirae . Those specimens coincide in the strongly convex labrum, distal margin of labrum slightly notched, and the two poorly-developed lobes. In Rhopalothrix jtl021 the posteromedial portion of labrum is translucid. Also, all specimens share eight strongly convex rounded scales located below the maximum width of the head.

Figures

Figure 1. Measurements recorded in the habitus of Rhopalothrix worker. Definitions of the acronyms are described in Material and methods.

Figure 8. Rhopalothrix mariaemirae sp. nov. paratype worker (CBUMAG: ENT: 35950) A full-face view B lateral view C mandible distinguishing the teeth of the apical fork; drawing inserted showing the arrangement of the teeth of the apical fork of the mandible D dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.3 mm.

Figure 9. Volume render of Rhopalothrix mariaemirae sp. nov. worker.