Protanilla jongi, Hsu, Po-Wei, Hsu, Feng-Chuan, Hsiao, Yun & Lin, Chung-Chi, 2017

Hsu, Po-Wei, Hsu, Feng-Chuan, Hsiao, Yun & Lin, Chung-Chi, 2017, Taxonomic notes on the genus Protanilla (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Leptanillinae) from Taiwan, Zootaxa 4268 (1), pp. 117-130 : 119-123

Protanilla jongi sp. nov.

Figs. 1–4 .

Type material. Holotype ♀ (worker): TAIWAN, Nantou, Fenghuang Education Area , (23°43.763'N, 120°47.313'E), alt. 840 m, by hand-collecting, 0 5. III. 2016, Po-Cheng Hsu leg. ( NMNS) . Paratypes: 1 ♀ (worker): same location as the holotype, by Winkler extraction method, 28.XI.2015, Po-Wei Hsu leg. ; 8 ♀ (worker), 1 ♀ (queen): same data as the holotype (1 worker at NTU; 2 workers and queen at NCUE; 2 workers at KUM; 2 workers at BMNH; 2 workers at FMNH)

Etymology. The new species is named after Dr. Jaw-Jinn Jong, an entomologist from Taiwan.

Measurements. Holotype worker: HL 0.80, HW 0.69, CI 86, SL 0.74, SI 107, ML 0.47, PW 0.51, WL 1.24, PNL 0.37, PNH 0.45, PNW 0.35, PPNL 0.42, PPNH 0.38, PPNW 0.37; Paratype workers (n=9): HL 0.77–0.84, HW 0.66–0.75, CI 85–89, SL 0.67–0.75, SI 97–107, ML 0.43–0.50, PW 0.43–0.54, WL 1.17–1.33, PNL 0.31– 0.39, PNH 0.43–0.49, PNW 0.31–0.37, PPNL 0.37–0.44, PPNH 0.35–0.41, PPNW 0.36–0.39; Paratype queen: HL 0.73, HW 0.62, CI 85, SL 0.68, SI 110, ML 0.37, PW 0.58, WL 1.44, PNL 0.37, PNH 0.52, PNW 0.39, PPNL 0.46, PPNH 0.44, PPNW 0.44.

Description. Holotype worker: Body brownish-yellow. In full-face view, head longer than wide, slightly narrow anteriorly; posterior margin straight; lateral margins convex. Eyes absent. Clypeus in full-face view with a bell-shaped outline; anterior margin concave, without depressed middle strip. Mandibles long and triangular; masticatory margin slightly crenulate, with approximately 20 peg-like teeth; apical 1/3 denticulate and without peg-like teeth. A longitudinal groove running along the dorsolateral margin of mandible, traversing the width to inner margin at 1/3 the length to apex, just before the preapical series of denticles. A series of long stout hairs on masticatory margin of mandibular apical portion, with the foremost one stoutest. In lateral view, mandible strongly down-curved apically, with a small blunt denticle at inner ventral face, 1/3 the length to base. Antennae 12- segmented; scape long, slightly exceeding posterior margin of head; segments 2–3 somewhat conical and longer than wide; segments 4–11 nearly as long as wide; terminal segment twice as long as wide. Mesosoma slender. Pronotum in dorsal view round, twice as broad as mesonotum, in lateral view with a convex dorsal outline. Promesonotal groove distinct dorsally and laterally. Mesonotum thin, in dorsal view narrow posteriorly, in lateral view with a straight dorsal outline. Metanotal groove depressed with several short longitudinal notches. Propodeum in dorsal view oval, with posterior half round, in lateral view with a convex dorsal outline and propodeal spiracle in the middle lower part above bulla of metapleural gland.

Petiolar node in dorsal view round, in lateral view straight anteriorly and slightly convex dorsally, forming a round posterodorsal corner and a clearly differentiated posterior face sloping down to the articulation with postpetiole; anterolateral part just above the anterior short peduncle forming a small projection. Subpetiolar sternite in lateral view approximately 1/4 as high as petiole height, narrow posteriorly, with a lobe-like subpetiolar process anteroventrally. A circular transparent fenenstra in the center of that process. Presclerites of postpetiole constricted to helcium, attached to almost the center of the anterior face of postpetiole at approximately 45 degrees. Postpetiole broadly attached to abdominal segment IV, without any free posterior face above the articulation with abdominal segment IV. Postpetiole in dorsal view with bell-shaped to trapezoidal outline, broad posteriorly, in lateral view with a round anterior face and a slightly convex dorsal outline above the articulation with petiole; anteroventral corner of postpetiolar poststernite forming a right angle. Postsclerites of postpetiole and presclerites of abdominal segment IV, when the articulation is outstretched, forming a continuously outline. Presclerites of abdominal segment IV coarsely sculptured; pretergite narrow; presternite well-developed and bulging. An inconspicuous narrow girdling constriction between pre- and postsclerites of abdominal segment IV. In dorsal view, anterior margin of posttergite of abdominal segment IV slightly concave. In lateral view, dorsal and ventral margins of postsclerites of abdominal segment IV forming a continuous outline which is slightly convex, and narrow anteriorly, but never forming a deep and narrow notch between the posttergite and poststernite at the anterior margin. Sting long, exceeding half the length of gaster.

Paratye female (queen): Body brown, darker than that of worker. In full-face view, head slightly longer than wide; sides convex; posterior margin straight. Compound eyes large, located in the center of the side of head. Ocelli present. Clypeus same shape as in workers. Mandibles similar to worker, slightly more robust and less down-curved in lateral view. Antennae similar to worker. Mesosoma well developed. Pronotum in dorsal view approximately as long as scutum, in lateral view with a convex dorsal outline. Scutum in dorsal view shieldshaped, somewhat triangular, in lateral view with a flat dorsal outline. Scutellum in dorsal view small, half the length of scutum, in lateral view with a convex dorsal outline. Propodeum in dorsal view somewhat trapezoidal, with posterior face convex, in lateral view with a round dorsal outline. Propodeal spiracle large, at middle lower part above bulla of metapleural gland, which is considerably more developed than that of workers. Petiole and postpetiole in both dorsal and profile view same shape as in workers, but postpetiole in lateral view with a more convex dorsal outline and a more produced anteroventral corner. Presternite of abdominal segment IV less prominent than those of workers. Abdominal segment VI broadly attached to postpetiole, in dorsal view anterior margin concave.

Diagnosis. Protanilla jongi sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from other Protanilla species by the combination of the following characters: mandibles with a small blunt denticle at the ventral margin, postpetiolar sternite with a right-angled anteroventral corner in lateral view, postpetiole broadly attached to abdominal segment IV and with a bell-shaped outline in dorsal view.

Remarks. Some variation in the shape of the petiole and postpetiole were observed among the holotype and paratype workers: anterior face of the petiole (above the short peduncle) sometimes slightly concave; the angular anteroventral corner of postpetiolar sternite sometimes slightly produced.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Protanilla jongi sp. nov., paratype worker. A. Full-face view. B. Body in dorsal view. C. Body in profile view. Scale bars: A, 0.5 mm; B and C, 1 mm.

FIGURE 2. Protanilla jongi sp. nov., paratype queen. A. Full-face view. B. Body in dorsal view. C. Body in profile view. Scale bars: A, 0.5 mm; B and C, 1 mm.

FIGURE 3. Protanilla jongi sp. nov., paratype worker. A. Mandibles in full-face view. B. Mandibles in ventral view. Scale bars: 0.25 mm.

FIGURE 4. Protanilla jongi sp. nov., paratype worker. Postpetiole (Abdominal segment III) in lateral view. Scale bar: 0.25 mm.