24 research outputs found
Bothriomyrmex Emery 1869
No full textGenus Bothriomyrmex Emery, 1869 Synopsis of Neotropical Bothriomyrmex species: Bothriomyrmex paradoxus (Dubovikoff & Longino, 2004) Bothriomyrmex enigmaticus sp. nov.Published as part of Matthew Prebus & David Lubertazzi, 2016, A new species of the ant genus Bothriomyrmex Emery, 1869 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Caribbean region, pp. 1-12 in European Journal of Taxonomy 211 on page 4, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2016.211, http://zenodo.org/record/26933
Chronoxenus wroughtoni Forel 1895
No full textChronoxenus wroughtoni (Forel, 1895) CHINA: Hong Kong, 1 worker, N.T., Kadoorie Institute Shek Kong Centre, 22.42833° N, 114.11455° E ± 7 m, 220 m, 3 Jul. 2011, secondary rainforest, under stone, P.S. Ward # PSW16602 [UCDC: CASENT0220768].Published as part of Matthew Prebus & David Lubertazzi, 2016, A new species of the ant genus Bothriomyrmex Emery, 1869 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Caribbean region, pp. 1-12 in European Journal of Taxonomy 211 on page 9, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2016.211, http://zenodo.org/record/26933
A taxonomic revision of the Strumigenys nitens and simulans groups (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), two Caribbean radiations of leaf litter ants
No full textBooher, Douglas B., Prebus, Matthew, Lubertazzi, David (2019): A taxonomic revision of the Strumigenys nitens and simulans groups (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), two Caribbean radiations of leaf litter ants. Zootaxa 4656 (2): 335-358, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4656.2.
Bothriomyrmex enigmaticus Prebus & Lubertazzi, 2016, sp. nov.
No full textBothriomyrmex enigmaticus sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A78CBE68-03A8-4A17-A0A7-44C76AC166F8 Figs 2 b–e, 3–4 Diagnosis The following character combination distinguishes Bothriomyrmex enigmaticus sp. nov. from B. paradoxus: palp formula 2,3; medial lobe of clypeus not strongly projecting: flat, or with a broad, shallow concavity anteriorly. Long, paired setae on medial clypeal lobe separated by ⅔ their length or more. Eyes large: OI 23.1–24.7. Head box-like, with occipital corners narrowly rounded. Etymology The specific epithet is derived from the ancient Greek “αινιγματικός”, meaning “riddle”, and bears a double entendre: not only is this the second species in this genus with a paradoxical distribution, this species also presents a puzzling new perspective on the generic classification system of the tribe Bothriomyrmecini. Type material examined Holotype worker DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Provincia Maria Trinidad Sanchez, 7 km WSW El Factor, 19.29776° N, 69.94977° W ± 3 m, 195 m ± 5 m, 21 Jul. 2015, disturbed broadleaf moist forest, nest in dead top of live tree, M.M. Prebus # MMP01990 [MCZ-ENT00035850]. Paratypes DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Provincia Maria Trinidad Sanchez, 9 workers, same collection as holotype [CAS: CASENT0756066; INBio: CASENT0756067; LACM: CASENT0756068; MCZ: MCZ- ENT 00539146, MCZ-ENT00539147; MNHNSD: MNHNSD 18.106; UCDC: CASENT0756071; USNM: CASENT0756072; ZIN: CASENT0755363]. Worker description Measurements (n=11): CL 0.541–0.563 (0.554); ClyW 0.375–0.412 (0.395); CS 0.520–0.542 (0.531); CW 0.495–0.523 (0.508); dAN 0.181–0.215 (0.197); EL 0.124–0.137 (0.132); EW 0.096–0.109 (0.105); EYE 0.112–0.122 (0.118); F2W 0.062–0.070 (0.065); IF2 1.000–1.222 (1.117); MGr 0.019–0.030 (0.024); MW 0.318–0.357 (0.343); PoOC 0.251–0.274 (0.260); PH 0.214–0.250 (0.231); PrL 0.264– 0.296 (0.282); SL 0.407–0.434 (0.424); WL 0.572–0.617 (0.600). Palp formula 2,3; distal maxillary palp segment roughly twice as long as basal (Fig. 2 d). Medial hypostoma absent (Fig. 2 e). Masticatory margin of mandible with 6 teeth and 1–2 denticles. Mandibles with short, curved setae similar to those on the anterior clypeal margin. Clypeus narrow: 0.10–0.11 mm high medially. Anterior clypeal margin flat, or with a broad, shallow concavity; bearing many short, curved setae; one long seta on each side of concavity, their bases separated by the length of the setae or more. Medial lobe of clypeus not strongly projecting. Posterior margin of clypeus even with anterior surfaces of antennal socket cavities. Antennal scapes short, not reaching the posterior margin of the head in full face view. Head slightly oblong (CL/CW 1.069–1.108), with lateral margins evenly convex; widest part of head in full-face view posterior to the compound eyes. Posterior head margin flat, becoming slightly concave medially; corners of head narrowly rounded, giving the entire head a blocky appearance. Head with two long setae on frons (longer than the first funicular segment) and two shorter setae on posterior clypeal margin (shorter than the first funicular segment), otherwise covered uniformly with short, dense, decumbant pubescence. Eyes large (EYE/CS 0.214–0.229), 8 ommatidia in longest row. Posteroventral pronotum margin narrowly rounded. Metanotal groove deeply impressed. Propodeum high and rounded, with declivitous face roughly twice as long as dorsal face in profile; propodeal angle indistinct. Mesosoma covered uniformly with short, dense, decumbent pubescence. Petiolar node in profile scale-like and strongly inclined anteriorly, with the anterior face much shorter than the posterior face (Fig. 2 c). Ventral margin of petiole with a large lobe. Several setae present on the posteroventral margin of lobe. Second, third and fourth tergites of gaster with long, erect setae arising from the middle of the tergite: two on the second, six on the third and fourth. First four sternites of gaster also bearing two long setae similar to those found on the tergites. Pubescence similar to the rest of the body, but becoming longer on the posterior margins of the sclerites. Uniformly light brown; coxae and legs somewhat lighter. Larva description Shape dolichoderoid. Body with two ventrolateral protuberances on prothorax which are fused ventrally by a narrow ridge; setae very short and limited to the prothorax; 8 pairs of spiracles. (Fig. 4). Key to Neotropical Bothriomyrmex species based on workers 1. Palp formula 4,3 (see fig. 3d in Dubovikoff & Longino 2004); medial lobe of clypeus strongly projecting beyond the lateral lobes; anterior margin evenly rounded to flat, never concave medially; paired long setae on anterior margin of medial lobe separated by less than ⅔ of their length (Fig. 2 a) ……………………………………………………… B. paradoxus (Dubovikoff & Longino, 2004) – Palp formula 2,3 (Fig. 2 d); medial lobe of clypeus weakly projecting; anterior margin flat to broadly concave medially; paired long setae on anterior margin of medial lobe separated by ⅔ of their length or more (Fig. 2 b) ……………………………………………… B. enigmaticus sp. nov. Distribution and ecology Bothriomyrmex enigmaticus sp. nov. is known from one collection on the north side of the island of Hispañola (Fig. 5). The sampling took place in July 2015 during a Museum of Comparative Zoology expedition to the Dominican Republic. The new ant species was discovered while based at a guardhouse in the Toro Palomo sector on the SE side of the Loma Guaconejo Scientific Reserve, near the village of La Peonía, at 195 m in elevation. M. Prebus collected a partial nest containing workers and brood from decomposing wood at the top of a 1.5 m tall live sapling in the middle of a path leading west from the guardhouse. The habitat was scrubby secondary growth, roughly 100 meters from a more mature secondary lowland moist forest. Tapinoma litorale (Wheeler, 1905) was abundant in this habitat; due to the superficial similarity of these two species, Bothriomyrmex enigmaticus sp. nov. was mistaken for T. litorale in the field. The nest was not mixed; it consisted solely of B. enigmatus. Taxonomic notes Dubovikoff & Longino (2004) came to the conclusion that Bothriomyrmex paradoxus is a member of the Palearctic Bothriomyrmex s.s. based on palp formula and wing venation. They also noted that it doesn’t fit perfectly into species groups in this region: a deeply impressed metanotal groove is found in the B. gibbus (Soudek, 1925) group, but the gyne of B. paradoxus also has short, suberect setae on the mesosoma and gaster, which is typical of the B. syrius (Forel, 1910) group. With its large eyes, deep metanotal groove, and nesting preference, B. enigmaticus sp. nov. appears to be closely related to B. paradoxus. However, it diverges from the latter in several characters, most notably palp formula. Referring to Shattuck (1992), it appears that a palp formula of 6,4 is probably pleisiomorphic in the Dolichoderinae. Within the tribe Bothriomyrmecini there is a trend in palp reduction in Arnoldius, Bothriomyrmex and Chronoxenus (Table 1) that becomes apparent when they are compared with Loweriella (Shattuck, 1992) and Ravavy (Fisher, 2009), which have palp formula 6,4 and 6,3. It is possible that a palp formula of 4,3 is plesiomorphic in the clade of (Bothriomyrmex + Chronoxenus + Arnoldius), with the latter two genera having undergone subsequent reductions. Within other genera of the Dolichoderinae, e.g., Technomyrmex (Mayr, 1872) and Azteca (Forel, 1878), palp formula can be highly variable, making generic diagnoses based on this character alone problematic. While the reproductives (and therefore the wing venation) of B. enigmaticus sp. nov. remain unknown, if the worker were to be classified based on the current generic diagnoses, one might be inclined to place it in Chronoxenus based solely on palp formula. However, the similarities between B. enigmaticus sp. nov. and B. paradoxus mentioned above are striking, suggesting that these two species are sister taxa and palp formula is a labile character.Published as part of Matthew Prebus & David Lubertazzi, 2016, A new species of the ant genus Bothriomyrmex Emery, 1869 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Caribbean region, pp. 1-12 in European Journal of Taxonomy 211 on pages 4-9, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2016.211, http://zenodo.org/record/26933
Strumigenys hubbewatyorum Booher & Prebus & Lubertazzi 2019, sp. nov.
No full textStrumigenys hubbewatyorum sp. nov. (Fig. 4) urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 91723572-070D-4074-944A-AF8ADA8C5CD3 Holotype worker: CUBA: Guantanamo, El Yunque Peak, 20.31300 -74.57400 150m, 540m, 31-Jan-2012, collected by F. Cala #RSA2012-018. Winkler extraction of sifted litter, wet rainforest, 1 worker (CASENT0630256) [MCZC, secondary specimen code MCZ-ENT00036130]. Paratype worker: CUBA: Cienfuegos: Parco Nacionale Pico San Juan, near road, 21.98542 -80.14873 50m, 1026m 20m, 19-May-2013, collected by R. S. Anderson #RSA2013-023, Winkler extraction of sifted litter, hardwood forest, 1 worker (CASENT0636117) [CASC]. Diagnosis. The head pilosity (2 elongate apicoscrobal setae), larger size (WL> 0.56 mm), and longer femur (> 0.38mm) separates S. hubbewatyorum from all other species in the S. nitens group. Otherwise the morphology of S. hubbewatyorum is allometrically similar to S. nitens, the only other species in the nitens group with a dental count of five + two intercalary denticles. Pilosity and coloration also separate this species from closely related congeners S. nitens and S. caiman (see S. nitens for diagnostic characters separating them, and also from other members of the nitens group). Holotype worker measurements. HL = 0.52; HW = 0.41; HT = 0.33; ML = 0.18; PW = 0.27; SL = 0.27; FL = 0.39; EL = 0.07; TL = 2.36; WL = 0.62; CI = 79; MI = 35; SI = 66. Paratype worker measurements (n = 1). HL = 0.53; HW = 0.39; HT = 0.32; ML = 0.17; PW = 0.25; SL = 0.25; FL = 0.40; EL = 0.06; TL = 2.21; WL = 0.57; CI = 74; MI = 32; SI = 64. Worker description. Mandibles in full face view and at full closure elongate-triangular and strongly tapering apically; MI 32–35. Distalmost third tooth of the inner mandibular margin and extreme apices of mandibles engage, and a broad subovate gap is present between them through which the broad labral lobes are visible. Inner mandibular margin with two elongate conical teeth whose apices are widely separated in addition to a third elongate-triangular tooth whose apices touch at full closure; the first about one-quarter of the margin length from the base, the second about one-half way along the margin, and the third at three-quarters the way along the margin. Mandibular apex with two teeth arranged vertically: the upper long and spiniform, and the lower elongate-triangular; two large intercalary denticles arise between these apical teeth along the upper margin of the lowermost tooth, these teeth stout-triangular (see figure 4). Lateral corners of clypeus and cephalic dorsum between the frontal carinae may have fine faint longitudinal striolate-punctate sculpture, but dorsum of head and clypeus otherwise smooth and shining. Antennal scapes long: SI 64–66. Lateral margins of the head roughly parallel; posterior margin shallowly concave in full-face view. Dorsum of head with elongate, simple to narrowly expanded setae which curve toward the midline of the head. In profile view, faint punctate sculpture present between the compound eye and the postbuccal impression. Compound eye large: diameter greater than to the maximum width of the antennal scape having 12–15 ommatidia. Mesosoma elongate: WL 2.3 times PW. Uniformly smooth and shining, with faint traces of punctate sculpture at the dorsolateral margins and anterior dorsal surface of propodeum. Dorsal surface with elongate, simple to slightly expanded decumbent setae which curve toward the midline of the mesosoma. Petiolar node narrow, roughly 1/2 as broad as postpetiole in dorsal view. Petiolar peduncle covered in light punctate sculpture, but dorsal surface of petiole and postpetiole smooth and shining. Dorsal surfaces of petiole and postpetiole with elongate, spatulate setae. Basigastral costulae sparse (six counted in paratype and holotype workers) and present only on the limbus and the extreme base of the first gastral tergite, the remainder of which is smooth and shining. First gastral tergite with numerous long, fine, tapering setae. Head, mesosoma, gaster, and appendages uniformly dark reddish to piceous-brown. Distribution and ecology. Known from two localities in southeast and central Cuba, both of which were higher elevation (540 and 1026 m) mature wet forest. The holotype worker and paratype were collected from leaf litter extractions. Taxonomic notes. Etymology: This species name is a portmanteau of a couple’s names, tropical ecologist Stephen P. Hubbell and behavioral ecologist Patricia Adair Gowaty, who were PhD co-advisors to D. B. Booher. It is in honor of their love of natural history and for their support of taxonomic endeavors outside of Booher’s dissertation research.Published as part of Booher, Douglas B., Prebus, Matthew & Lubertazzi, David, 2019, A taxonomic revision of the Strumigenys nitens and simulans groups (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), two Caribbean radiations of leaf litter ants, pp. 335-358 in Zootaxa 4656 (2) on pages 343-345, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4656.2.7, http://zenodo.org/record/336871
Strumigenys economoi Booher & Prebus & Lubertazzi 2019, sp. nov.
No full text<i>Strumigenys economoi</i> sp. nov. <p>(Fig. 10)</p> <p>urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 24571A74-9B2E-47E5-B8A4-5F70C2974430</p> <p> <b> <i>Holotype worker:</i> DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Distrito Nacional.</b> Jardín Botánico Nacional, Santo Domingo. 18.49361 -69.95397 20m. 45 m elev. July 13, 2017. Navarro ant diversity study. Mature lowland forest. Winkler sample: T41 Q6 (DL-Form00001) [IIBZ].</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis.</b> The two <i>simulans</i> group species <i>S. economoi</i> and <i>S. simulans</i> are the only Antillean species sharing the combined traits of four antennal segments and triangular shaped mandibles having interlocking teeth. <i>Strumigenys economoi</i> can be separated from <i>S. simulans</i> by pilosity and anterior outline of the clypeus when the head is in full frontal view. <i>Strumigenys simulans</i> has short standing curved setae on the dorsum of head and mesosoma, and a pair of elongate differentiated erect setae on the mesonotum, whereas <i>S. economoi</i> has only extremely short adpressed pilosity on these regions. The anterior outline of <i>S. simulans</i> between mandible insertions is shallowly concave whereas in <i>S. economoi</i> the outline is sinuate with anterior and posterior borders similarly shaped.</p> <p> <b>Holotype worker measurements.</b> HL = 0.52; HW = 0.37; ML = 0.07; PW = 0.23; SL = 0.22; FL = 0.28; HT = 0.21; EL = 0.04; TL = 2.22; WL = 0.48; CI = 71.1; MI = 12.8; SI = 60.7.</p> <p> <b>Worker description.</b> Mandibles in full face view and at full closure triangular. Mandibles relatively short; MI 12.8. In profile, base mandibles flat and inclined above dorsal profile of clypeus then abruptly arching ventrally with the apex of mandibles directed ventrally. Basal process of mandibles divided by a deeply incised transverse carina that fits into the dorsal anterior edge of clypeus when shut; the basal half a translucent thin lamella that fits under the anterior clypeal edge and the apical half a heavily sclerotized opaque process; inner margin truncate and flattened across basal (ventral) and apical (dorsal) portions. Basal process followed by ten teeth, three to four teeth along the basal flattened portion that are slightly smaller (≤0.01) than the 6–7 following teeth along apical arched portion (0.01–0.02). Angle of mandibles opening when basal process of mandibles rests in complementary labral pocket 59.6. Labral lobes truncate with a medial concave impression separating them. Anterior border of lobes with translucent spoon-shaped setae. Head in full face with lateral margins evenly converging from posterior scrobal margin to anterolateral corners of clypeus. Head elongate CI 71.1. Anterior margin curving posteriorly from mandible insertions towards the midline with a small medial concave impression where mandibles meet; the outline of the anterior and posterior borders similarly contoured. Eye smaller than maximum width of antennal scape (EL 0.04, scape thickness 0.06), but obviously larger than greatest length across propodeal spiracle (0.03). In profile ventral margin of head with deeply and broadly incised postbuccal groove with outline of anterior and posterior ventral portions diverging. Scapes relatively short SI 60.7. Exposed disc of postpetiole 1.99 times as broad as long. Mesosoma elongate: WL 2.07 times PW. Mesosoma evenly convex in profile. Propodeal spines developed (0.07) as lamellate triangular appendages that up-curve at their apices in profile. Cuticular flange on declivitous face of propodeum narrows evenly below spine to bulla of metapleural gland. Petiolar node narrow, 0.56 times as broad as postpetiole in dorsal view. Head, mesosoma, and gaster uniformly dark reddish brown. Appendages lighter brown.</p> <p>Sculpture. Medial and postero-medial portion of dorsum of head without sculpture and shining. Anterior clypeus and lateral portions of frontal lobes with fine punctate to punctate-striolate sculpture. In profile view, punctate sculpture weak to absent between the compound eye and the postbuccal impression. Dorsum and side of mesosoma mostly without sculpture, when present sculpture is faint superficial punctations and sparse striations. Petiolar peduncle covered in dense punctate sculpture. Dorsal surfaces of petiolar nodes and first gastral tergite evenly covered with extremely faint superficial punctations. Basigastral costulae limited to extremely fine striations on the lateral portions of first gastral tergite.</p> <p>Pilosity. Dorsum of head with sparse minute simple to adpressed and shallowly expanded spatulate setae. No standing setae anywhere on head, mesosoma, legs, petiole, postpetiole, or gaster. Ground pilosity on these surfaces similar to those on head.</p> <p>Color dark piceous-brown.</p> <p> <b>Distribution and ecology.</b> This species is only known from the Jardín Botánico Nacional, Santo Domingo. The holotype worker, currently the only specimen of this species, was collected in a mini-Winkler sample of forest litter from the botanical garden’s mature lowland forest.</p> <p> <b>Taxonomic notes.</b> Etymology: Named after myrmecologist and biodiversity scientist Dr. Evan Economo in recognition of his work on evolutionary patterns of biomechanically complex trap-jaws in <i>Strumigenys</i>.</p>Published as part of <i>Booher, Douglas B., Prebus, Matthew & Lubertazzi, David, 2019, A taxonomic revision of the Strumigenys nitens and simulans groups (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), two Caribbean radiations of leaf litter ants, pp. 335-358 in Zootaxa 4656 (2)</i> on pages 353-355, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4656.2.7, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/3368716">http://zenodo.org/record/3368716</a>
Arnoldius Dubovikoff 2005
No full textArnoldius (Dubovikoff, 2005) AU01 AUSTRALIA: 1 worker, Queensland, Smithfield Conservation Park 16.8167° S, 145.6833° E, 70 m, 9 Mar. 2006, rainforest, sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood), A. Lucky #ALC339-1 [UCDC: CASENT0106155]; 1 worker, New South Wales, Kanangra, Boyd National Park, 33°59' S, 150°07' E, 1050 m, 19 Jul. 1975, dry sclerophyll forest, under stone, P.S. Ward #PSW1000 [UCDC]; 1 worker, Queensland, Smithfield Conservation Park, 16°49' S, 145°41' E, 70 m, 17 Aug. 2006, rainforest, ex. rotten log, P.S. Ward # PSW15681 [UCDC]. In Table 2 we compare B. enigmaticus sp. nov., B. paradoxus, Chronoxenus wroughtoni and an undescribed species of Arnoldius to data collected from a morphometric study of Palearctic Bothriomyrmex conducted by Seifert (2012). In this context, some very general observations can be made about the morphological affinities of B. enigmaticus sp. nov.: the eyes of B. enigmaticus sp. nov., relative to cephalic size are the largest in this dataset, similar to the large-eyed B. paradoxus, C. wroughtoni, and B. corsicus. The antennal scapes are short as well, a feature shared by B. paradoxus, C. wroughtoni and A. AU01. Finally, the propodeum is compact and delineated by a deep metanotal groove, much like B. paradoxus, C. wroughtoni, A. AU01, and to a lesser degree B. corsicsus.Published as part of Matthew Prebus & David Lubertazzi, 2016, A new species of the ant genus Bothriomyrmex Emery, 1869 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Caribbean region, pp. 1-12 in European Journal of Taxonomy 211 on page 11, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2016.211, http://zenodo.org/record/26933
Ant (Formicidae) Assemblage in South Africa's<i>Vachellia</i>(<i>Acacia</i>)<i>karroo</i>Thorns
No full text
