Lenomyrmex foveolatus Fernandez & Palacio

Rabeling, Christian, Sosa-Calvo, Jeffrey, O'Connell, Lauren A., Coloma, Luis A. & Fernandez, Fernando, 2016, Lenomyrmexhoelldobleri: a new ant species discovered in the stomach of the dendrobatid poison frog, Oophagasylvatica (Funkhouser), ZooKeys 618, pp. 79-95 : 85-89

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Formicidae

Lenomyrmex foveolatus Fernandez & Palacio Figure 3

Gyne.

ECUADOR: Esmeraldas; Reserve Otokiki-Alto Tambo; elevation 723 meters above sea level; GPS coordinates: 0.918533, -78.566800; 08.vii.2013; from the stomach content of a female specimen (frog voucher number: CJ1658, SVL = 36.7 mm) of the Little Devil frog, Oophaga sylvatica ; leg. L. A. O'Connell, E. E. Tapia, L. A. Coloma; unique ant specimen identifier: USNMENT01127956; deposited in USNM.

Gyne measurements.

HL: 0.91; HW: 0.83; ML: 0.49; SL: 0.75; EL: 0.23; WL: 1.47; PL: 0.78; PW: 0.25; PPL: 0.35; PPW: 0.29; GL: 1.41; TL: 5.40; CI: 91; MI: 55; OI: 0.29; SI 90 (n=1).

Description, dealate gyne.

As in the worker description ( Fernández and Palacio 1999: 13-14) but mesosoma with caste-specific morphology related to wing-bearing and with the following differences: in full-face view, mid portion of anterior margin of clypeus weakly concave, forming a pair of lateral angles; compound eyes larger than in worker, with 12 ommatidia in maximum diameter; three small but conspicuous ocelli present. Dorsum of pronotum, mesoscutum, axillae, and scutellum lustrous and weakly coriaceous; dorsolateral portion of pronotum with small and sparse foveae; in dorsal view, posterior lateral portions of pronotum concave. In dorsal view, mesoscutum somewhat triangular anteriorly; parapsidal lines short, conspicuous; scuto-scutellar sulcus well-developed; posterior margin of scutellum subquadrate, lacking tubercles. Dorsum and declivity of propodeum lustrous; posterior margin of propodeum angulate, lacking tubercles or spines (as in worker). Mesopleuron clearly divided to anepisternum and katepisternum by oblique mesopleural sulcus. Pilosity of body consisting of small, simple, appressed hairs.

Additional material examined.

ECUADOR: Esmeraldas; Alto Tambo; elevation 788 meters above sea level; GPS coordinates: 0.907450, -78.540583; 05.vii.2013; from the stomach content of a male specimen (frog voucher number: CJ1770) of the Little Devil frog, Oophaga sylvatica ; leg. L. A. O'Connell, E. E. Tapia, L. A. Coloma; [1w, CRC, USNMENT01127960]. Same as previous entry but, 200-300 m SW El Placer; elevation 551 meters above sea level; GPS coordinates: 0.901050, -78.618233; 07.vii.2013; from the stomach content of a male specimen (frog voucher number: CJ1632; SVL = 35.6 mm) of the Little Devil frog, Oophaga sylvatica ; leg. L. A. O'Connell, E. E. Tapia, L. A. Coloma; [1w, QCAZ, USNMENT01127955]. Same as previous entry but, next to Reserva Otokiki (farm next to railway); elevation 676 meters above sea level; GPS coordinates: 0.912306, -78.583528; 09.vii.2013; from the stomach content of a male specimen (frog voucher number: CJ1690; SVL = 38.2 mm) of the Little Devil frog, Oophaga sylvatica ; leg. L. A. O'Connell, E. E. Tapia, L. A. Coloma; [3w, DZUP, ICN, USNM; USNMENT01127957, USNMENT01127935, USNMENT01127958]. Same as previous entry but, from the stomach content of a female specimen (frog voucher number: CJ1691; SVL = 34.7 mm) of the Little Devil frog, Oophaga sylvatica [1w, QCAZ; USNMENT01127954]. Same as previous entry but, Lita; around bamboo forest; elevation 326 meters above sea level; GPS coordinates: 0.911944, -78.680833; 10.vii.2013; from the stomach content of a female specimen (frog voucher number: CJ1695; SVL = 32 mm) of the Little Devil frog, Oophaga sylvatica ; leg. L. A. O'Connell, E. E. Tapia, L. A. Coloma; [1w, CRC, USNMENT01127936].

Worker measurements.

HL: 0.81-0.90; HW: 0.73-0.83; ML: 0.42-0.47; SL: 0.61-0.73; EL: 0.17-0.20; WL: 1.06-1.42; PL: 0.65-0.73; PW: 0.21-0.23; PPL: 0.29-0.35; PPW: 0.25-0.28; GL: 0.98-1.34; TL: 4.31-5.19; CI: 90-94; MI: 51-57; OI: 0.25-0.28; SI 82-95 (n=7).

Comments.

Specimens from the Colombian type series could not been examined, but based on the Fernández and Palacio's (1999) description, the worker specimens collected from Ecuador closely resemble the specimens from Colombia. The main differences between the specimens belonging to these two populations are: (i) the fovea on dorsum of head are scattered in the Colombian specimens and more densely clustered in the Ecuadorian individuals; (ii) the specimens from Ecuador have rounded propodeal lobes differing from the acute propodeal lobes observed in the type series from Colombia; (iii) in the specimens from Ecuador the metapleural gland bulla is striate, and striae seem absent from bulla of the Colombian specimens.

Distribution and ecology.

Previously only known from the type locality in western Colombia, Departamento del Valle, Darién, middle Río Calima basin. The current record near Alto Tambo extends the species geographic range 400 km south of the type locality (Fig. 4). General habitat data is the same as in the Lenomyrmex hoelldobleri account, except that the frog was collected in a banana plantation.