Nesomyrmex spinosus Csosz & Fisher

Csosz, Sandor & Fisher, Brian L., 2015, Diagnostic survey of Malagasy Nesomyrmex species-groups and revision of hafahafa group species via morphology based cluster delimitation protocol, ZooKeys 526, pp. 19-59 : 35-38

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Formicidae

Nesomyrmex spinosus Csosz & Fisher sp. n. Figs 28-30, Table 4

Etymology.

Name “spinosus” refers to the short, strong antero-dorsal spines on the petiolar node.

Type material investigated.

Holotype worker.CASENT0443515, BLF05489; MADGAGASCAR: Prov. Toliara, Réserve Privé Berenty, Forêt d’Anjapolo, 21.4 km 325° NW Amboasary, 24°56'S, 46°13'E [- 24.92972 N, 46.20967 E], 65 m, 7.iii.2002 Fisher et al. (CASCASENT0443515);

Paratypes. 24 workers and three males with the same label data with the holotype under CASENT codes: CASENT0443515, BLF05489, (2w, CAS); CASENT 0443516, BLF05489, (3w, CAS); CASENT0443517, BLF05489, (3w, CAS); CASENT0443518, BLF05489, (1w, CAS); CASENT0443519, BLF05489, (1w, CAS); CASENT0443520, BLF05489, (1w, CAS); CASENT0443521, BLF05489, (1w, CAS); CASENT0443522, BLF05489, (1w, CAS); CASENT0443523, BLF05489, (1w, CAS); CASENT0443524, BLF05489, (1w, CAS); CASENT0443525, BLF05489, (1w, CAS); CASENT0443526, BLF05489, (1w, CAS); CASENT0443527, BLF05489, (1w, CAS); CASENT0443530, BLF05489, (1w, CAS); CASENT0443531, BLF05489, (1w, CAS); CASENT0443532, BLF05489, (1w, CASCASENT0443532); CASENT0443533, BLF05489, (1w, CAS); CASENT0443534, BLF05489, (1w, CAS); CASENT0443535, BLF05489, (1w, CAS); CASENT0443536, BLF05489, (1m, CAS); CASENT0443537, BLF05489, (2m, CAS);

The list of 44 non-type individuals belonging to 26 nest samples of other material investigated is given in Table 1.

Diagnosis.

In key.

Description of workers.

Body color: brown. Body color pattern: body concolorous, only clava darker. Absolute cephalic size: 1021 [935, 1121] µm (n=46). Cephalic length vs. maximum width of head capsule (CL/CWb): 1.056 [0.980, 1.113]. Postocular distance vs. cephalic length (PoOc/CL): 0.374 [0.342, 0.393]. Postocular sides of cranium contour frontal view orientation: converging posteriorly. Postocular sides of cranium contour frontal view shape: broadly convex. Vertex contour line in frontal view shape: slightly concave. Vertex sculpture: main sculpture rugose, ground sculpture areolate. Gena contour line in frontal view shape: feebly convex. Genae contour from anterior view orientation: converging. Gena sculpture: rugo-reticulate with areolate ground sculpture. Concentric carinae laterally surrounding antennal foramen count: present. Eye length vs. absolute cephalic size (EL/CS): 0.239 [0.220, 0.265]. Frontal carina distance vs. absolute cephalic size (FRS/CS): 0.315 [0.291, 0.335]. Longitudinal carinae on median region of frons count: present. Longitudinal carinae on medial region of frons shape: forked. Smooth median region on frons count: absent. Antennomere count: 12. Scape length vs. absolute cephalic size (SL/CS): 0.880 [0.844, 0.919]. Facial area of the scape absolute setal angle: setae absent, pubescence only. Median clypeal notch count: present. Median clypeal notch depth vs. absolute cephalic size (Cdep/CS): 0.021 [0.015, 0.027]. Ground sculpture of submedian area of clypeus: smooth. Median carina of clypeus count: present. Lateral carinae of clypeus count: present. Median anatomical line of propodeal spine angle value to Weber length in lateral view: 65°. Spine length vs. absolute cephalic size (SPST/CS): 0.300 [0.258, 0.330]. Minimum spine distance vs. absolute cephalic size (SPBA/CS): 0.212 [0.184, 0.235]. Apical spine distance vs. absolute cephalic size (SPTI/CS): 0.307 [0.221, 0.361]. Propodeal spine shape: straight; slightly bent. Apical distance of pronotal spines vs. absolute cephalic size (PSTI/CS): 0.677 [0.624, 0.723]. Metanotal depression count: absent. Dorsal region of mesosoma sculpture: rugose with areolate ground sculpture. Lateral region of pronotum sculpture: areolate ground sculpture, superimposed by dispersed rugae. Mesopleuron sculpture: areolate ground sculpture, superimposed by dispersed rugae. Metapleuron sculpture: areolate ground sculpture, superimposed by dispersed rugae. Petiole width vs. absolute cephalic size (PEW/CS): 0.237 [0.206, 0.259]. Anterodorsal spines on petiolar node angle of deviation from each other: 60°. Apical distance of anterodorsal spines on petiolar node vs. absolute cephalic size (NSTI/CS): 0.216 [0.194, 0.276]. Frontal profile of petiolar node contour line in lateral view shape: straight. Dorso-caudal petiolar profile contour line in lateral view shape: convex. Dorsal region of petiole sculpture: ground sculpture areolate, main sculpture absent; ground sculpture areolate, main sculpture dispersed rugose. Postpetiole width vs. absolute cephalic size (PPW/CS): 0.491 [0.435, 0.529]. Dorsal region of postpetiole sculpture: ground sculpture areolate, main sculpture absent; ground sculpture areolate, main sculpture dispersed rugose.

Distribution.

This species is known to occur in small, highly isolated forests ( Réserve Privé Berenty, Forêt d’Anjapolo and Parc National d’Andohahela, Forêt d’Ambohibory) in the southern part of Madagascar (Fig. 13).