Pyramica victrix Bolton, 2000

Bolton, B., 2000, The ant tribe Dacetini. With a revision of the Strumigenys species of the Malgasy Region by Brian L. Fisher, and a revision of the Austral epopostrumiform genera by Steven O. Shattuck., Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65, pp. 341-369 : 356-357

Pyramica victrix Bolton sp. n.

(Figs 222, 242)

HOLOTYPE WORKER. TL 2.1, HL 0.53, HW 0.41, CI 77, ML 0.10, MI 19, SL 0.26, SI 63, PW 0.24, AL 0.56. Clypeus clothed with small, anteriorly directed appressed squamate hairs that are much smaller than the hairs that fringe the clypeal margins. Lateral margin of clypeus, dorsolateral margin of head behind level of frontal lobe, and leading edge of scape each with a continuous fringe of curved spoon-shaped hairs. Vertex everywhere with similar spoon-shaped hairs except close to the occipital margin where there is a transverse row of 4 simple hairs that may be erect or gently curved anteriorly. Eye small, of 4 - 5 ommatidia. Pronotal humeral hair simple, straight to feebly curved and acute apically. Promesonotal dorsum with sparse short curved spatulate ground-pilosity, the mesonotum also with 3 pairs of erect simple hairs. Petiole, postpetiole and first gastral tergite with erect simple hairs present. Dorsum of head coarsely reticulate-punctate. Promesonotal dorsum reticulate-punctate, but more finely so than the head, the pronotum also with a few very feeble oblique or longitudinal costulae. Dorsum and declivity of propodeum much more superficially sculptured than mesonotum; petiole superficially sculptured; postpetiole disc smooth. Disc of postpetiole in dorsal view not completely surrounded by spongiform tissue, the anterolateral angles and anterior sides free. Lateral margins of disc conspicuously convex. Pleurae and side of propodeum smooth. Lamella of propodeal declivity engages tooth for about half its length, the lamella relatively narrow and not projecting posteriorly beyond the level of the apex of the tooth. Ventral spongiform curtain of petiole absent beneath peduncle, present beneath node. Ventral spongiform lobe of postpetiole in profile about equal to the exposed area of the disc.

PARATYPE WORKERS. TL 2.1 - 2.3, HL 0.51 - 0.55, HW 0.40 - 0.44, CI 76 - 79, ML 0.10, MI 16 - 19, SL 0.25 - 0.29, SI 63 - 66, PW 0.23 - 0.27, AL 0.55 - 0.58 (7 measured). As holotype but ventral spongiform curtain of petiole represented by a vestige below the peduncle in some workers.

Holotype worker, Madagascar: 45 km. S Ambalavao, 22 ° 13 ' S, 47 ° 01 ' E, 785 m., 25. ix. 1993, sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood), rainforest, # 696 (37) - 8 (B. L. Fisher) (MCZ).

Paratypes. 10 workers with same data as holotype; 1 worker and 1 queen (dealate) with same data but # 696 (21) - 5; 2 workers with same data but # 696 (48) - 6 (UCD, MCZ, BMNH).

NON-PARATYPIC MATERIAL EXAMINED. Madagascar: Ranomafana Nat. Park (E. Rajeriarison); Ranomafana Nat. Park (WE. Seiner).

Characters differentiating victrix from ambatrix are listed under the latter name. P. victrix is very slightly larger than either fautrix or symmetrix (see measurements). It separates from both members of that species-pair as follows.

P. victrix : Lamella on propodeal declivity with a more or less straight free margin that does not project farther posteriorly than the apex of the propodeal tooth. Standing hairs on mesonotum narrow and acute apically. Pronotal dorsum with shallow but conspicuous reticulate-punctate ground-sculpture. Disc of postpetiole in dorsal view without spongiform tissue projecting beyond the outline of the anterolateral corners. In dorsal view the lateral margins of the postpetiole disc broadly evenly convex, not markedly convergent posteriorly.

P. fautrix and symmetrix: Lamella on propodeal declivity with a markedly convex free margin that projects farther posteriorly than the apex of the propdeal tooth. Standing hairs on mesonotum narrowly spatulate to weakly clavate apically. Pronotum with much fainter and more superficial shagreenate ground-sculpture. Disc of postpetiole in dorsal view with spongiform tissue projecting beyond the outline of the anterolateral corners. In dorsal view the lateral margins of the postpetiole disc approximately straight and markedly convergent posteriorly.