Syscia peten, Longino & Branstetter, 2021

Longino, John T. & Branstetter, Michael G., 2021, Integrating UCE Phylogenomics With Traditional Taxonomy Reveals a Trove of New World Syscia Species (Formicidae: Dorylinae), Insect Systematics and Diversity 5 (2), No. 2, pp. 1-51 : 22-23

S. peten ( Fig. 9 ): broader AIII on average (AIII-I 119 vs. 103).

S. sumnichti ( Fig. 9 ): AIV in dorsal view slightly less rectangular, sides more convergent anteriorly, anterior margin less truncate; subpetiolar process with less developed posterior tooth. A specimen (not sequenced) from near La Ceiba, Honduras, is intermediate, with AIV like S. sumnichti but with a sharp posterior angle on the subpetiolar process.

S. truncata ( Fig. 10 ): AIV in dorsal view with anterior border more truncate; scapes shorter on average (mean SI 70 vs. 77); AIII wider on average (mean AIII-I 111 vs. 103).

Measurements, Worker. HW 0.52 (0.48–0.54), HL 0.67 (0.62–0.70), SL 0.40 (0.37–0.44), MSL 0.84 (0.74–0.89), AIIIW 0.42 (0.36–0.46), AIIIL 0.41 (0.36–0.45), AIVW 0.61 (0.54–0.65), AIVL 0.75 (0.67– 0.80), SI 77 (76–82), AIII-I 103 (100–107), AIV-I 82 (80–84) (n = 6).

Measurements, Queen. HW 0.56 (0.55–0.57), HL 0.70 (0.68–0.71), SL 0.41 (0.39–0.44), MSL 0.98 (0.91–1.02), AIIIW 0.51 (0.48– 0.54), AIIIL 0.47 (0.43–0.49), AIVW 0.73 (0.71–0.76), AIVL 0.93

(0.89–1.01), SI 74 (69–77), AIII-I 109 (105–113), AIV-I 78 (75–80) (n = 3).

Measurements, Intercaste Female. HW 0.54, HL 0.66, SL 0.39, MSL 0.89, AIIIW 0.49, AIIIL 0.48, AIVW 0.72, AIVL 0.90), SI 72, AIII-I 102, AIV-I 79 (n = 1).

Biology. This species occurs in moist forest and cloud forest habitats, from 600 to 1650 m elevation. MGB observed a small cluster of brachypterous queens in leaf litter near a bait card; it was not clear if they were foraging. Other specimens have been collected from Winkler samples of forest floor litter and rotten wood. No alate or dealate queens are known, but brachypterous queens have been collected on three occasions. A series from one Winkler sample (R.S.Anderson, RSA 2010-009) contained two workers and five brachypterous queens. Some of the queens had short, stubby wings (Supp Fig. S7 [online only]). One collection contained two intercaste females, intermediate in structure between workers and brachypterous queens (with compound eyes, ocelli, and queen-like mesosomal sclerites, but no wing scars) .

Figures

Fig. 9. Distribution map, face view, lateral view of petiole-AIV, and dorsal view of AIII-AIV of Syscia pervagata (holotype worker), S. peten (holotype worker), S. JTL074 (worker,MCZ-ENT00511564),S.brachyptera (holotype worker),S. valenzuelai (holotype worker),S. JTL071 (worker,FMNHINS0000095759),S. quisquillis (holotype worker), S. sumnichti (holotype worker), S. JTL060 (worker, CASENT0644220), and S. JTL085 (worker, CASENT0602939). Scale bars 0.2 mm. Species are in order of mean HW, which is shown in the lower left of the distribution map. On distribution maps, red dots are sites with UCE sequence data. Red boxes are type locality.

Fig. 10. Distribution map, face view, lateral view of petiole-AIV, and dorsal view of AIII-AIV of Syscia jennierussae (holotype worker), S. persimilis (holotype worker), S. JTL018 (worker, JTLC000013995), S. machaquila (holotype worker), S. murillocruzae (holotype worker), S. truncata (holotype worker), S. JTL084 (worker, FMNHINS0000095760), S. JTL050 (worker, CASENT0249320), S. JTL082 (worker, CASENT0617700), and S. honduriana (lectotype worker). Species are in order of mean HW, which is shown in the lower left of the distribution map. Scale bars 0.2 mm. On distribution maps, red dots are sites with UCE sequence data. Red boxes are type locality.

Fig. 7. Phylogenetic relationships among COI barcode sequences for Syscia. Red samples were sequenced for UCEs. Black samples were downloaded from the BOLD database.The tree was inferred using IQ-TREE with the data partitioned by codon position. Black circles on nodes indicate high support, which we define as ≥95% ultrafast bootstrap support and ≥95% SH-like branch support.Clades of named species are shaded as a visual aid, with gray outlines indicating non-monophyly of species.