Nylanderia opisopthalmia ( Zhou & Zheng, 1998 ) Zhou & Zheng, 1998

Williams, Jason L., 2016, Taxonomic revision and phylogeny of the ant genus Prenolepis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Zootaxa 4200 (2), pp. 201-258 : 248-250

Nylanderia opisopthalmia ( Zhou & Zheng, 1998) , comb. nov.

( Figs 130–132 )

Paratrechina opisopthalmia Zhou & Zheng, 1998: 44 (w.). Holotype worker, CHINA: Guangxi Province, Huaping Nature Reserve , 25°10.10’N 109°48.54’E, 534m ( GNUC) [examined]. Combination in Nylanderia: LaPolla et al., 2010a: 127 . Prenolepis septemdenta Wang & Wu, 2007: 722 (worker described) . Holotype worker, CHINA: Hubei Province, Shipai, Yichang City , 30°47.33’N 111°8.40’E, 188.4m, 12.viii.2005 ( GNUC) [examined]. syn. nov.

Morphology. Worker. Measurements (n=3): CMC: 6–16; EL: 0.26–0.28; EW: 0.22; HL: 0.89–0.92; HLA: 0.47; HLP: 0.24–0.28; HW: 0.73–0.75; IOD: 0.47–0.48; LF1: 0.21–0.24; LF2: 0.09–0.13; LHT: 0.95–1.11; MMC: 1; MTW: 0.48–0.49; MW: 0.32; PDH: 0.37–0.39; PMC: 0–3; PrCL: 0.51–0.57; PrCW: 0.31–0.36; PrFL: 0.86–1.07; PrFW: 0.23–0.24; PTH: 0.39–0.40; PTL: 0.34–0.39; PTW: 0.27–0.29; PW: 0.55–0.58; SL: 1.03–1.17; TL: 3.21–3.74; WF1: 0.08–0.09; WF2: 0.07; WL: 1.20–1.35; BLI: 161–186; CI: 79–83; EPI: 167–193; FLI: 189–248; HTI: 131–150; PetHI: 104–106; PetWI: 76–81; PrCI: 61–63; PrFI: 22–27; REL: 29–32; REL2: 36–38; REL3: 56–59; SI: 138–162.

Medium to dark brown; entire cuticle reticulate to finely reticulate; short, black, and erect macrosetae with thick setal bases on head, pronotum, mesonotum, and gaster; no setae on scapes, metanotum, or propodeum; fine, dense pubescence covering most of the cuticle, including the scapes; head longer than broad and rectangular in shape with indistinct posterolateral corners and a short, straight posterior margin; compound eyes are large and convex, but not surpassing the lateral margins of the head in full-face view; mandibles with 7–8 teeth on the masticatory margin; ectal surface of the mandibles with deep longitudinal striations; in profile view, the dorsal surface of the mesonotum is flattened and elongate ( Fig 32 ); propodeum is highly domed with a rounded dorsal face; dorsal apex of petiole scale is sharply angled and forward-inclined.

Notes. While this species is currently placed in Nylanderia , the morphology appears to be most consistent to that of Zatania species: (1) abundant pubescence on the head; (2) scapes with no erect setae; (3) compound eyes placed far posterior to the midline of the head (EPI> 167); and (4) shallow and incomplete mesonotal and metanotal sutures ( Fig 32 ). Nylanderia opisopthalmia differs from both genera in that it has 7–8 teeth on the masticatory margin, while Nylanderia species almost exclusively have 6 and Zatania species have 5–6. Although the placement of this species in Zatania is weakly supported by our parsimony analysis (BS = 12) ( Fig 58 ), no Zatania species are known outside of Central America and the Greater Antilles. Since our focus was specifically on the revision of Prenolepis and the Asian Nylanderia are in need of taxonomic treatment, we adopt a conservative approach and leave this species in Nylanderia pending further investigation.

Other material examined. VIETNAM: Lao Kay, 22.ii.1925 (F. Silvestri). In: MCZC.

Figures

FIGURE 58. Maximum parsimony strict consensus tree. Bootstrap proportions from 1000 replicates are presented along the branches.

FIGURES 130 – 132. Nylanderia opisopthalmia worker MCZENT 00532865. Lateral, full-face, and dorsal view of the body.

FIGURES 28 – 37. Illustrations of mesosoma shapes (profile view) of select species from various other genera for comparison to Prenolepis. 28, Lasius niger; 29, Nylanderia acuminata; 30, Nylanderia emmae; 31, Nylanderia flavipes; 32, Nylanderia opisopthalmia; 33, Paratrechina longicornis; 34, Paratrechina umbra; 35, Paraparatrechina pallida; 36, Zatania gibberosa; 37, Zatania gloriosa.