Adelomyrmex dentivagans Longino

Longino, John T., 2012, A review of the ant genus Adelomyrmex Emery 1897 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in Central America, Zootaxa 3456, pp. 1-35 : 17-18

Adelomyrmex dentivagans Longino , sp. nov.

( Figs 1, 2 , 15 , 22 )

Type material. Holotype worker. Mexico, Chiapas: Lago Metzabok , 17.12630 −91.63052 ± 50 m, 570 m, 5 Jun 2008 ( LLAMA Wa-A- 06-1-18) [ CAS, unique specimen identifier JTLC 000014362]. Paratypes (workers): Mexico, Chiapas: 13.7km NW Metzabok , 17.19052 −91.73748 ± 50 m, 540 m, 14 Jul 2007 (J. L. Cozar) [ INBIO, CASENT 0600030]; same locality and date but (J. Longino JTL6046-s) [ MCZC, JTLC 000010023], [ MZSP, JTLC 000009719], [ USNM, JTLC 000010022]; same locality and date as holotype but ( LLAMA Wa-A- 06-1-11) [ BMNH, JTLC 000014356], ( LLAMA Wa-A- 06-1-17) [ EAPZ, JTLC 000014360], [ECOSCE, JTLC 000014361], ( LLAMA Wa-A- 06-1-18) [ UCD, JTLC 000014363], ( LLAMA Wa-A- 06-1-37) [ ICN, JTLC 000014380].

Geographic range. Mexico (Chiapas), Guatemala, Honduras.

Diagnosis. Mandible lacking differentiated basal and masticatory margins; counting from apex, fifth tooth equidistant between fourth tooth and sixth (basal) tooth; scape with one or two long erect setae projecting above underlying pubescence. Differing from the similar A. nortenyo in longer, sparser, more erect setae on dorsal surfaces; in profile, petiolar node more quadrate, with pronounced transverse carina sharply separating dorsal and posterior faces; rugae on dorsal and lateral faces of pronotum less reticulate, more wavy with some longitudinal orientation.

Description. Worker. HW 0.61–0.69 (n=6); mandible without differentiated masticatory and basal margins, with six distinct teeth distributed from apex to base, fifth tooth equidistant between fourth and sixth (basal) tooth, and with a deep notch between sixth tooth and basal condyle; dorsal surface of mandible with several coarse longitudinal striae and several large piligerous puncta; in full face view, lateral clypeal teeth project from beneath clypeal shelf; lateral clypeal teeth confluent with both anterior (ventral) margin of clypeus and transverse carina that forms clypeal shelf, forming vertices of concave triangular space on ventral face of clypeus; hypostomal tooth absent; compound eye composed of 7–8 ommatidia; face fully sculptured with reticulate rugae, with weak longitudinal orientation medially.

Short anterior face of pronotum well separated from dorsal face by a weakly elevated transverse ruga; dorsal profile of promesonotum and propodeum forming a single arched convexity, metanotal groove weakly impressed; propodeal spines pronounced, acute; space between propodeal spines a broad concavity without distinct dorsal and posterior faces, smooth and shiny with a few transverse rugae; rest of mesosoma strongly rugose, rugae wavy and generally longitudinally oriented; petiolar node subquadrate with strongly differentiated anterior, dorsal, and posterior faces; posterior face of petiolar node slightly concave and separated from dorsal face by distinct transverse ruga; petiole and postpetiole coarsely irregularly rugose; postpetiole in dorsal view about as long as wide, with straight anterior margin and evenly rounded posterior margin; gastral dorsum smooth and shining.

Scape with abundant long subdecumbent pubescence, and with one or two long suberect setae that are differentiated from the pubescence and project above it; clypeus and frontal carinae with long erect setae; posterior and posterolateral margins of head with long erect setae; mid and hind tibia with abundant long subdecumbent setae and about three differentiated erect setae that are longer than width of tibia; in profile, dorsal surfaces of head, mesosoma, and gaster with relatively sparse, long, erect setae; FSH about 0.11, FSI 0.16.

Color dark red brown.

Biology. This species occurs in second growth to mature evergreen wet forest, from 400–1200 m elevation. It does not occur in hot lowland rainforest, below 300 m elevation. In a ridge-top cloud forest in Parque Nacional Cerro Azul Meambar in Honduras, it occurred in 20% of miniWinkler samples. Most collections are from Winkler and Berlese samples of sifted litter. A few workers were taken at baits at Cerro Azul Meambar.

Etymology. Wandering tooth, referring to the characteristic mandibular dentition.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Profile of (A) Adelomyrmex dentivagans and (B) A. nortenyo.

FIGURE 15. Adelomyrmex dentivagans sp. nov., holotype (Mexico, JTLC 000014362). Scale bars are 0.5 mm for face and dorsal views, 1.0 mm for lateral view.

FIGURE 22. Distribution of material examined in this study: Adelomyrmex dentivagans sp. nov., A. foveolatus, A. longinoi, A. myops, A. robustus, A. silvestrii. Occurrences of A. myops in the Galapagos and A. silvestrii in northern Mexico (Tamaulipas) not shown.