Aretidris clousei, David Emmanuel M. GENERAL, 2015

David Emmanuel M. GENERAL, 2015, Aretidris, a new genus of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) from the mountains of Luzon Island, Philippines, Myrmecological News 21, pp. 131-136 : 134

Aretidris clousei sp.n. ( Figs. 7 ­ 12)

Type material: Holotype worker, Philippines: Luzon Island, Sorsogon Province, Municipality of Bulusan, Bulusan Volcano Natural Park, Aguingay Lake, Southwest Ridge , 900 m a.s.l., 12 ° 46 ' 13 " N 124 ° 04' 16 " E, 9.VI. 2014, secondary forest, ex leaf litter, leg. R. Clouse ( PNM 9004 ) (deposited in PNM). Paratypes: 2 workers with same data as holotype; 2 workers with same data as holotype except 10.VI. 2014 ( PNM 9005 ­ 9008 ) (one pin each to: ANIC, BMNH, MCZC, UPLB) .

Description of holotype worker: CI 87, EI 23, EL 0.19, HFL 1.13, HL 0.95, HW 0.83, ML 1.38, MtL 1.23, PW 0.68, SI 103, SL 0.85, TL 4.65. With all the character states of the genus. Body mostly smooth. Scattered punctures over the head and mesosoma bear long erect to suberect hairs. First gastral tergite (= abdominal tergite IV) huge, accounting for most of the length of gaster.

Description of paratype workers: CI 84 ­ 89, EI 20 ­ 24, EL 0.16 ­ 0.20, HFL 1.10 ­ 1.15, HL 0.93 ­ 0.98, HW 0.80 ­ 0.84, ML 1.33 ­ 1.40, MtL 1.13 ­ 1.23, PW 0.68 ­ 0.73, SI 97 ­ 106, SL 0.80 ­ 0.88, TL 4.55 ­ 4.76 (4 measured).

Bionomics: This species was collected by leaf litter sifting. It forages diurnally as individuals in the leaf litter.

Etymology: This species is dedicated to my good friend Ronald M. Clouse who collected all the type specimens.

Discussion

This genus has been collected at high elevations only on Luzon Island ( Fig. 13) (elevations of surveys in parentheses): (a) Sorsogon Province, Municipality of Bulusan, Bulusan Volcano Natural Park (900 m a.s.l.); (b) Camarines Sur Province, Naga City, Panicuason Village, Mt. Isarog Natural Park (1550 m a.s.l.); and (c) Nueva Vizcaya Province, Municipality of Quezon, Madianggat Village, Mt. Palali (1436 m a.s.l.).

Historical collections from other high­elevation localities in the Philippines by C.F. Baker, C.S. Banks, W.L. Brown, Jr., J.W. Chapman, H.M. Curran, D. Empeso, R.C. MacGregor, H.M. Torrevillas, and F.X. Williams do not contain any specimens of Aretidris (GENERAL & ALPERT 2012; G.D. Alpert, pers. comm.; SHATTUCK & al. 2014; WHEELER & CHAPMAN 1925). Recent collections from low­elevation localities on Luzon Island and high­elevation localities on other islands by P.A.C. Buenavente, R.M. Clouse, P. Sharma, A.C. Diesmos, A. Reginaldo, and myself do not contain Aretidris ants either. Although only a few other localities have been sampled for the presence of these ants, it appears that Aretidris ants are restricted to high elevations. More localities need to be sampled to establish the range of these ants and the occurrence of other species.