Cerapachys alii, Bharti, Himender & Akbar, Shahid Ali, 2013

Bharti, Himender & Akbar, Shahid Ali, 2013, Taxonomic studies on the ant genus Cerapachys Smith (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from India, ZooKeys 336, pp. 79-103 : 86-87

Cerapachys alii sp. n. Figures 2B, 11, 12, 13, Table 1

Type material.

Holotype and 6 paratypes (worker): India, Kerala, Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, 10°45'N, 76°44'E, 118m a.s.l., 10.x.2011, Winkler method (coll. Shahid A. Akbar); Holotype in PUAC and paratype in BMNH.

Worker description.

Measurements (holotype in brackets): HL 0.46-0.51 (0.48); HW 0.37-0.39 (0.38); WL 0.47-0.49 (0.49); MH 0.28-0.31 (0.31); PrW 0.25-0.29 (0.25); PL1 0.16-0.20 (0.17); PW1 0.16-0.19 (0.18); IIIAL 0.20-0.22 (0.22); IIIAW 0.22-0.27 (0.23); SL 0.21-0.22 (0.22); IVAL 0.43-0.49 (0.49); IVAW 0.39-0.41 (0.41). Indices: CI 76-80 (79); SI 56-57 (57); PI 95-105 (105) (n=5).

Head. Rectangular, longer than broad, sides converge anteriorly; vertexal margin concave, posterior lateral corners rounded. Parafrontal ridges prominent, raised. Eyes absent. Mandibles dentate; narrow, with strongly incurved apical tooth; anterior clypeal margin entire and projects forward as a low rounded transparent lobe or apron. Lateroclypeal teeth reduced. Antennae 9 segmented; scapes short, clavate, each falling short of posterior margin of head by 1/3rd of its length.

Mesosoma. Stout, wider anteriorly; dorsal surface slightly convex, almost flat, the dorsal surface gently rounded along sides without any distinct margin. Declivous face of propodeum with cariniform margins across the top and along lateral margins.

Metasoma. Petiole as long as broad, without overhanging dorsolateral margins. Anterior face transverse and posterior face shallowly convex. Subpetiolar process prominent, acute, posteriorly directed; no fenestra present. Postpetiole slightly longer than broad, lateral angles uniformly rounded. Gaster elongate; base of cinctus of first gastral tergite with cross ribs; sting exerted.

Sculpture. Mandibles punctured. Head strongly foveate. Mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole with similar prominent foveate sculpture.

Vestiture. Body with reduced white pilosity; moderate, decumbent or subdecumbent hairs distributed evenly throughout. Apical funicular segments and legs with small standing hairs.

Colour. Dark red with mandibles, antennae and legs castaneous.

Etymology.

The species is named in honor of Dr. Salim Ali, renowned Indian Ornithologist.

Differential diagnosis.

With its 9 segmented antennae Cerapachys alii can be easily separated from other species known from India. Only eight other known species of Cerapachys are reported to have 9 segmented antennae. These eight species are placed in the typhlus group and include; Cerapachys biroi Forel, 1907; Cerapachys cryptus Mann, 1921; Cerapachys edentatus Forel, 1900; Cerapachys fuscior Mann, 1921; Cerapachys papuanus Emery, 1897; Cerapachys pawa Mann, 1919; Cerapachys pusillus Emery, 1897 and Cerapachys typhlus Roger, 1861. The new species can be easily separated from all of them. Cerapachys cryptus and Cerapachys fuscior are larger species (HW> 0.70 mm) while Cerapachys alii is a smaller species (HW<0.40 mm). Cerapachys typhlus has the postpetiole more than half as long as the succeeding gastric segment while in Cerapachys alii it is less than half as long as the succeeding gastric segment. Cerapachys papuanus , Cerapachys pawa and Cerapachys pusillus have the anterolateral shoulders of the first gastric segment abruptly rounded, accentuating the medium concavity that receives the postpetiole while in Cerapachys alii theanterolateral shoulders of the first gastric segments as seen from above broadly rounded and gradually widening caudad. Cerapachys biroi and Cerapachys edentatus predominantly have punctuate body sculpture while Cerapachys alii has predominantly foveate body sculpture. Cerapachys alii can also be confused with Cerapachys fragosus Roger, 1862 and Cerapachys coecus Mayr, 1897 which has similar prominent foveate body sculpture, however these two species are characterized by 11 segmented antennae while as Cerapachys alii has 9 segmented antennae.

Ecology. This subterranean species seems to be of rare occurrence as it was encountered only once during the extensive surveys in the region. The specimens were collected from a leaf litter sample taken from Salim Ali bird Sanctuary. A low-land evergreen forest area, located between the branches of Periyar river. The region is considered as the richest bird habitat on peninsular India.