Hylomyrma lispectorae Ulysséa, 2021

Ulysséa, Mônica Antunes, 2021, Taxonomic revision of the Neotropical ant genus Hylomyrma Forel, 1912 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae), with the description of fourteen new species, Zootaxa 5055 (1), pp. 1-137 : 55-58

Hylomyrma lispectorae Ulysséa new species

Figures 39 , 40 , 80D , 81E , 84 (map)

Holotype: ECUADOR: Pichincha: 4km E Santo Domingo de los Colorados , 8.vii.1976, J. & J. Peck [leg.] (1W) (MCZENT00524651) [ MCZC] . Paratypes: same locality, [no date and collector], (1Q) (MCZENT00524649) [ MCZC] ; same data as holotype (1W) (MCZENT00524652 MZSP67343 ) [ MZSP]; (1Q) (MCZENT00524647 MZSP67345 ) [ MZSP]; (3W 3Q) (MCZENT00524641, MCZENT00524642, MCZENT00524643, MCZENT00524646, MCZENT00524648, MCZENT00524650) [ MCZC]; same except 520m, 22 June 1975, S. & J. Peck [leg.], rainfor., B-304 (1W) (MCZENT00524670) [ CASC]; (1W) (MCZENT00524667) [ DZUP]; (1W) (MCZENT00524669) [ IHVL]; (7W 1Q) (MCZENT00524654, MCZENT00524655, MCZENT00524656, MCZENT00524658, MCZENT00524660, MCZENT00524661, MCZENT00524663, MCZENT00524668) [ MCZC]; (1W) (MCZENT00524653 MZSP67346 ) [ MZSP]; (1W, one covered with gold) (MCZENT00524659 MZSP67347 ) [ MZSP]; (1Q) (MCZENT00524662 MZSP67344 ) [ MZSP]; (1W) (MCZENT00524666) [ USNM]; 4km SE Santo Domingo , 1976, for., litter, berl.42, S. & J. Peck [leg.] (9W) (MCZENT00524649) [ MCZC] ; same data (1W) (MZCENT00525534 MZSP67349 ) [ MZSP] .

Diagnosis. Vermicular striae on head dorsum diverge towards posterior margin, interspaces between thicker striae filled with thinner striae; mesosoma covered with irregular to vermicular striae of variable thickness, interspaces indistinguishable; dorsal and ventral teeth of propodeal lobe blunt; mesosoma notably convex, metanotal groove discernible by a slight depression (LV) and altered sculpture (DV); dorsal margin of petiole continuous, convex, with irregular, longitudinal and anastomosed striae on dorsum; postpetiole smooth; subpostpetiolar process smooth, weak, convex; profemur posterior surface and protibia extensor surface smooth; striation on tergum of first gastral segment restricted to base; striae very short.

Description. WORKER (n=6) ( Fig. 39A–C ): HL (0.94–1.04); HW (0.88–0.96); ML (0.60–0.68); SL (0.66–0.72); MOD (0.20–0.23); PNW (0.61–0.68); WL (1.20–1.36); PSL (0.30–0.34); PL (0.62–0.73); PW (0.24–0.26); PPL (0.32–0.36); PPW (0.33–0.36); GL (1.04–1.08); TL (4.77–5.21); CI (88.46–93.61); SI (70.83–78.26); OI (22.72– 24.44). Midsized. Shiny integument. Brownish body, yellowish leg (except for coxa) and antenna. Thin and branched setae, midsized to short, suberect to subdecumbent, 2 short branches of equal size diverging from the main axis ( Fig. 80D ).

Head subquadrate; posterior margin slightly concave at middle. Mandible masticatory margin with 6 teeth. Anterior margin of clypeus straight medially, with a pair of small teeth laterally; median area of clypeus with 7–8 irregular, longitudinal and thick striae converging to a point on the anterior margin, interspaces between thicker striae filled with thinner striae. Frontal triangle with 1 sagittal stria. Short scape, not reaching head posterior margin; apical antennomere slightly shorter than previous 3 antennomeres together. Frontal carina slightly concave posterior to antennal socket. Eye drop-shaped, midsized, larger diameter with 11 ommatidia. Vermicular and longitudinal striae on head dorsum, divergent towards posterior margin, interspaces between thicker striae filled with thinner striae. Head lateral and laterodorsal regions with vermicular striae converging to eye margin; gena striate, 3 irregular and semicircular striae circumscribe the torulus, not reaching eye margin. Interspaces between striae on head ventral surface distinguishable.

Mesosoma covered with vermicular striae of variable thickness, interspaces indistinguishable; mostly transverse striae on pronotum anterior region (DV), striation continues on lateral surface; semicircular striae on mesonotum; striae on propodeum lateral directed mainly to propodeum dorsum. Dorsal margin of mesosoma slightly discontinuous, notably convex. Promesonotal junction indistinct. Transverse carina inconspicuous. Metanotal groove discernible by a slight depression (LV) and altered sculpture (DV). Propodeal lobe bidentate, dorsal tooth slightly longer than ventral, both blunt; dorsal tooth length 1 / 3 shorter than propodeal spine length. Propodeal spine long, straight (LV), divergent (DV), sculptured on base. Procoxa striae of variable thickness; irregular and transverse striae on C2 and C3. Profemur mostly smooth. Protibia smooth.

Dorsal margin of petiole continuous, convex; transverse striae on ventral surface from petiole spiracle until posterior end of petiole; first third of dorsal surface smooth; lateral and posterodorsal surfaces mostly with irregular longitudinal and anastomosed striae. Postpetiole smooth; subpostpetiolar process smooth, weak, convex.

Longitudinal striae on tergum first gastral segment, striation short, weakly marked, restricted to base, striae length equivalent to 1 / 4 of postpetiole length; sternite smooth.

QUEEN (n=3) ( Fig. 40A–C ): HL (1–1.06); HW (0.94–0.98); ML (0.63–0.70); SL (0.72–0.80); MOD (0.24– 0.26); PNW (0.84–0.88); WL (1.44–1.54); PSL (0.32–0.36); PL (0.70–0.76); PW (0.29–0.30); PPL (0.34–0.40); PPW (0.40–0.42); GL (1.20–1.32); TL (5.34–5.78); CI (92.45–94.11); SI (75–81.63); OI (25.53–26.53). Largesized. Color, pilosity, and some sculpture characters shared with conspecific workers, only slightly larger. Larger diameter of eye with 13–14 ommatidia. Longitudinal, regular to irregular striae on scutum going from an anterior central point towards transcutal suture, interspaces indistinguishable. Longitudinal, regular to irregular striae on anepisternum and katepisternum, some vermicular striae on katepisternum, thinner striae between thicker striae. Axilla and scutellum with same sculpture of scutum. Scutoscutellar sulcus inconspicuous. Transverse striae on propodeum (DV). Lateral surface of mesosoma with vermicular striae directed to propodeal spine. Wings as in Fig. 81E.

MALE Unknown.

Etymology. The epithet lispectorae is a Latin noun in the genitive case created by adding the singular Latin genitive case suffix -ae to the last name of a female person. The specific epithet is named after Clarice Lispector (1920–1977), born Chaya Pinkhasovna Lispector, a Ukrainian-Brazilian novelist, poetess, and short story writer— “ Liberdade é pouco. O que eu desejo ainda não tem nome ”.

Comments. This species is easily distinguished from most of its congeners, but it is very similar to H. montana regarding the shape of mesosoma, and the sculpture and shape of the procoxa, petiole, postpetiole, and gaster. Also, the two species are sympatric, co-occuring in two Ecuadorian localities: Centro Científico Río Palenque, and 4 km E of Santo Domingo de los Colorados ( Figs. 83 , 84 ). Hylomyrma lispectorae can be distinguished from H. montana (characteristic in parentheses) in the dorsum of head and mesosoma by the vermicular striae of variable thickness with indistinguishable interspaces (vs. irregular striae of uniform thickness with distinguishable interspaces), and the notably convex dorsal margin of mesosoma (vs. somewhat straight).

Distribution. Hylomyrma lispectorae is known from Colombia and Ecuador ( Fig. 84 ).

Natural history. This species occurs in tropical rainforest areas at altitudes below 600 m. Specimens were collected in leaf-litter with winkler extractors and Berlese-Tüllgren funnels, which suggests that nests are located in fallen logs, rotten wood, between leaves, or inside natural cavities of the superficial soil layers.

Additional material examined (15 workers, 4 queens): COLOMBIA: Valle del Cauca [Cauca]: PNN Gorgona , Playa Palmera, W78°12′21.4″, N2°56′7.9″, 28msnm, 24-26.ii.2011, Stephany Valdes col., winkler (2W) ( MZSP67437 , MZHY217) [ MZSP] . ECUADOR: Los Rios: C.C.R. Palenque, 79°45′10″W, 01°25′56″S, 10JUN1980, S. Sandoval, QCAZ I 57121 (1W) [ MZSP] ; same except 01JUN1980, QCAZ I 114014 (1Q) [ UTPL] ; 29MAY1980, T. DeVries, QCAZ I 114005 (1Q) [ QCAZ] ; 29m, 05MAR1979, T. DeVries, QCAZ I 57123 (1W) [ QCAZ] ; QCAZ I 114006 (1W) [ QCAZ] ; QCAZ I 114007 (1W) [ MZSP] ; QCAZ I 114002 (1W) [ QCAZ] ; QCAZ I 114004 (1W) [ QCAZ] ; 02MAR1979, QCAZ I 114009 (1W) [ MZSP] ; QCAZ I 114013 (1Q) [ MZSP] ; 29MAY1980, QCAZ I 114003 (1W) [ QCAZ] ; 220m, 79°00′W, 00°54′S, 24FEB1977, QCAZ I 57124 (1W) [ MZSP] ; 79°45′10″W, 01°25′56″S, 29m, 24FEB1977, QCAZ I 114010 (1W) [ MZSP] ; 01MAR1979, QCAZ I 57122 (1W) [ MZSP] ; 2FEB1977, QCAZ I 114011 (1W) [ QCAZ] ; 47km S Sto. Domingo, Rio Palenque Sta. (1Q) (MCZENT00525485) [ MCZC] ; Namabí : 78km NE Chone, 450m, 9.vi.1976, S. & J. Peck, B-345 (1W) (MCZENT00525491) [ MCZC] .

Figures

FIGURE 39. Paratype worker of Hylomyrma lispectorae (MZSP67343). A) frontal view; B) dorsal view; C) lateral view. Photos by Ricardo Kawada.

FIGURE 40. Paratype queen of Hylomyrma lispectorae (MZSP67344).A) frontal view; B) dorsal view; C) lateral view. Photos by M.A. Ulysséa.

FIGURE 80. Types of setae found in the species of Hylomyrma. Unbranched setae: A) Hylomyrma adelae, H. blandiens, H. macielae; B) H. immanis; C) H. marielleae. Branched setae: D) H. dentiloba, H. lispectorae, H. mitiae, H. peetersi, H. virginiae; E) H. balzani, H. lopesi; F) H. blandiens, H. jeronimae, H. versuta; G) H. dolichops; H) H. transversa; I) H. longiscapa; J) H. balzani, H. lopesi, H. primavesi, H. reitteri, H. versuta; K) H. plumosa.

FIGURE 81. Queen’s wings. A) Hylomyrma balzani (MZSP67324); B) H. reitteri (MZSP67431); C) H. versuta (MEXICO: VeraCr.: Pueblo Nuevo, nr. Tetzonapa, Aug.14 -53, E.O. Wilson, #221, rain forest [MCZC]); D) H. longiscapa (MZSP67352); E) H. lispectorae (MZSP67348); F) H. adelae paratype (MZSP67316); G) H. dentiloba (MZSP67319); H) H. mitiae paratype (MZSP67402). Venation: costa (C), radial (R), radial sector (Rs), media (M), cubitus (Cu), anal (A), radial-subcosta (R+Sc), media-cubitus (M+Cu), cubitus-anal crossvein (cu-a), first media-cubitus crossvein (1m-cu), radial sector-media 1 (Rs+M1), radial sector-media 2 (Rs+M2), second radial-radial sector crossvein (2r-rs), radial-subcosta (R+Sc), media-first radial sectormedia (M+1rs-m), submarginal 1+2 (2rs-m). Cells: basal (B), sub-basal (BS), discal (D), sub-marginal 1 (SM1), marginal (M), sub-marginal 2 (SM2).

FIGURE 83. Distribution records of Hylomyrma adelae, H. dandarae, H. longiscapa, H. montana, and H. sagax.

FIGURE 84. Distribution records of Hylomyrma balzani, H. blandiens, H. jeronimae, and H. lispectorae.