Linepithema paulistana, Cantone & Di Giulio, 2023

Cantone, Stefano & Di Giulio, Andrea, 2023, A new Neotropical ant species of genus Linepithema Mayr (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Dolichoderinae) with partial revision of the L. fuscum group based on males, ZooKeys 1160, pp. 125-144 : 125

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1160.95694
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:783F4624-B87C-4872-B396-AE8F517FABC8
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/48DC08BF-0E4B-4946-9142-F26224830832
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:48DC08BF-0E4B-4946-9142-F26224830832
treatment provided by	ZooKeys by Pensoft
scientific name	Linepithema paulistana
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Linepithema paulistana sp. nov.

Figs 1 View Figure 1 , 2 View Figure 2 , 3 View Figure 3 , 4 View Figure 4 , 5 View Figure 5 , 6 View Figure 6

Type material.

Holotype male: Brazil, São Paulo city, 07-13 July 2013, light trap. Museum of Zoology of the Roma Tre University (Rome, Italy), MZUR3-HF0001.

Paratypes: Same data as holotype, 10 specimens deposited in the Museum of Zoology of the Roma Tre University (Rome, Italy), MZUR3-HF0002 to MZUR3-HF0008.

Holotype male description.

Measurements (in mm): HL: 0.70; HW: 0.65; MOD: 0.15; SL: 0.19; FL: 1.10; LHT: 1.11; LHF: 1.36; LHTa: 1.1; EL: 0.35; EW: 0.25; MML: 1.56; WL: 4.05; WHL: 3.28.

Indices: ES: 8.75; CI: 92.9; SI: 27.1; OI: 50.0; WI: 26.0; FI: 70.5.

Male diagnosis: notauli absent; forewing with two submarginal cells, marginal cell closed; petiole without ventral process; proctiger well developed; telomere narrow and elongated, digitiform distally; digitus dorsally long, spine-like distally; basivolsellar process reduced ventrally; volsellar tooth present distally between digitus and basivolsellar process; cuspis laterally very reduced.

Habitus (Fig. 1A View Figure 1 ): slender ant, with metasoma elongated, longer than mesosoma. Dense pubescence present throughout the body, with sparse elongate, erected setae on head and mesosoma. Color of head and body medium brown; antennae and legs yellowish.

Head (Figs 1B, C View Figure 1 , 2A-G View Figure 2 ): longer that broad in full face view; with pubescence; eyes relatively large, occupying much of the anterolateral side of the head, separated from the insertion of the mandibles by a distance less than 1/3 than the length of the antennal scape. Two very long erect setae posterior to the median ocellus. Antennae filiform with 13 articles, regularly tapering to the apex; scape short, ~ 1/2 the length of the second funicular article; first article of the funiculus very short and cylindric, barrel shaped, ~ 1/3 the length of the second; second funicular article longest; articles of funiculus 9-12 short; antennal condylar bulb with series of spiniform Böhm sensilla, scape and first article of funiculus with recumbent sensilla; articles of funiculus 2-12 with erected sensilla. Anterior clypeal margin convex medially, with erect setae; medial part of the clypeus with two long erect setae. Labrum small, bilobed, separated by a deep notch, each lobe laterally reduced and pointed and medially produced into a round plate dorsally with multiple setae. Epipharynx unsclerotized, exceeding the length of labrum and distinctly visible in dorsal view. Mandibles large, with masticatory margin long and broad; apical tooth long and pointed; preapical tooth short and subtriangular, followed by a series of teeth and denticles; basal margin short and strongly diverging; basal part of the mandible covered by dense pubescence on dorsal and lateral surface; masticatory margin without pubescence, with very long setae (6 or 7 dorsally and 9-11 ventrally). Maxillae with subrectangular stripes, pubescent dorsolaterally and not setose ventrally. Maxillary palps with six articles, together with a total length that exceeds half the length of head; article I very short, II subequal in length and diameter to III; IV subequal in length and minor in diameter to III; V and VI thin and short. Dorsal surface of galea not pubescent, with short, scattered setae basally, long setae laterally and distally; ental margin of galea with maxillary comb medially projected. Lacinia comb composed of teeth alternating with stout setae. Labium with prementum subrectangular and elongate, wider and with two very long setae ventrally; postmentum with spinulate microsculpture; glossa with comb-like, backward directed fringes; labial palps of four articles: article I subequal in length to II; III and IV shorter and thinner than II. Hypostoma with anteromedial stipital notch.

Mesosoma (Figs 1A, D-F View Figure 1 , 3A-D, F, G View Figure 3 ): shorter in length than metasoma. Pronotum short, with recumbent pubescence, laterally projecting over the anepisternum. Mesoscutum strongly convex in lateral view, not overhanging the pronotum, totally covered by recumbent pubescence; notauli absent; parapsidal lines evident. Mesoscutellum swelling, separated from mesoscutum by a deep scutoscutellar sulcus, smooth dorsally and with recumbent pubescence laterally. Metascutellum convex, lower than mesoscutellum and not overlapping with the propodeum, with recumbent pubescence and long setae dorsomedially. Metapleural gland orifice very large and posterolateral. Forewings (WL: 4,05; WI: 25,95) with two submarginal cells, discoidal cell, marginal cell closed and large, dark pterostigma, two radius-radial sector cross-vein almost in line with radial sector-media, two media vein present; tegula with row of small hairs. Hindwings (WHL: 3,27) without two medial vein; one radius vein nebulous and one radial sector present but short; 8-11 hamuli. Legs (FI: 70,5); profemur (FL: 1,10); metafemur (LHF: 1,36); metatibia (LHT: 1,11) with single apical very long spur pectinate on the inner margin and with small cuticular fringes on the external margin; metabasitarsus long (LHTa: 1,09); mesotibia with short apical spur pectinate; pretarsal claw simple with arolium and planta developed. Propodeum in lateral view slightly convex dorsally and straight posteriorly; propodeal spiracle orifice lateral and rounded. Sternal region as in Fig. 3B View Figure 3 .

Metasoma (Figs 1A, D View Figure 1 , 3D View Figure 3 ): Petiole erect, taller than wide in lateral view and rounded dorsally, anterior profile convex and posterior concave; setae and pubescence present in the anterior face, posterior face without setae or pubescence; petiolar tergosternal suture with small posterior lobe; ventral profile of petiole only slightly convex, without subpetiolar process, with long setae anteriorly and erect setae posteriorly; petiole articulated ventrally with abdominal segment III. Gaster elongate, with dense pubescence on tergites and sternites, hairs of pubescence longer on last sternites where long setae are also present laterally; pygostyles very long and apical erected setae; proctiger well developed, extending posteriorly beyond the IX abdominal tergite in the form of a large lamina, straight distally and light colored.

External genitalia (Figs 1G-J View Figure 1 , 4A-F View Figure 4 ): IX abdominal sternite bilobed distally, due to a deep medial notch. Paramere composed of a short basimere, dish-like, strongly thinned dorsally, and shortened distally, and telomere narrow and very long ribbon-like, digitiform distally, that extends postero-dorsally overcoming the proctiger. Volsella composed of i) parossiculus (basivolsella+cuspis) with small and pointed ventral basivolsellar process and with apical and ventral setae along the edge; lateral cuspis very reduced to a ridge, bearing long setae on apical part; ii) very long falcate dorsal digitus, downturned, distally spine-like; iii) triangular volsellar tooth posteromedially placed, between basivolsellar process and digitus, without setae. Penis valve very long with valviceps lamina ventrally straight and multidentate with 13 or 14 teeth, apically rounded.

Remarks.

Queen and worker unknown. Currently only known from São Paulo city, Brazil. Mating flight January to August.

Derivatio nominis.

The name paulistana refers to the Brazilian appellation of the citizens of São Paulo city, where several males of the new species were captured.