Rhopalothrix amati (Fiorentino, Tocora & Fernandez , 2022) Guerrero & Grajales-Andica & Fernández & Tocora & Fiorentino & García, 2024

Guerrero, Roberto J., Grajales-Andica, Andres F., Fernandez, Fernando, Tocora, Maria C., Fiorentino, Gianpiero & Garcia, Delly R., 2024, The ants of the genus Rhopalothrix Mayr, 1870 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae) in Colombia, ZooKeys 1191, pp. 129-150 : 129

Rhopalothrix amati (Fiorentino, Tocora & Fernandez, 2022) comb. nov.

Figs 2 , 3

Eurhopalothrix amati Fiorentino, Tocora & Fernández, 2022: 3, figs 2, 3, 4 A, C. Holotype worker. IAvH-E-55017. Examined.

Worker measurements

(N = 5). MdL 0.16-0.2, MdbW 0.06-0.07, ClyL 0.12-0.15, ClyW 0.26-0.29, HL 0.38-0.42, HW 0.39-0.43, WL 0.4-0.46, PrnW 0.24-0.3, PetL 0.18-0.23, PpetL 0.09-0.11, PetW 0.13-0.15, PpetW 0.2-0.24, T4L 0.33-0.39, GL 0.42-0.48.

Geographic range.

Colombia.

Examined type material.

Holotype. Colombia • 1 worker; Risaralda, Pereira, SFF El Otún Quimbaya, Vda. La Suiza, Plantación Urapán 7; 4.7321972°N, 75.578869°W; 1870 m a.s.l.; M.F. Reina & L.E. Franco legs.; sifted litter; IAvH-E-55017. Paratype. Colombia • 1 worker; Risaralda, Pereira, vda. La Suiza, Finca el Amparo de Niños; 4.7466278°N, 75.596939°W; 1810 m a.s.l.; 28-30 Nov. 2002; L.E. Franco leg.; secondary growth forest, ex sifted leaf litter; IAvH-55018.

Additional examined material.

Colombia • 1 worker; Antioquia, Támesis, vda. Alacena, Finca Villa Fatima ; 5.2829167°N, 75.474139°W; 1940 m a.s.l.; 2 Oct. 2003; R. García leg.; IAvH-25326 . • 3 workers; Caldas, Aranzazú, Vda. La Guaira, Finca Chambery ; 5.7130556°N, 75.721833°W; 1900 m a.s.l.; 1-3 Jul. 2003; L.E. Franco & J. Cruz legs; ex sifted leaf litter, secondary growth forest; IAvH-55012 .

Comments.

Holotype and paratype workers (IAvH-55017 and IAvH-55018) and three non-type specimens were analyzed and measured (HW 0.39-0.43) showing a mandibular dentition different from either of the two states described for Eurhopalothrix ( Longino 2013). Fiorentino et al. (2022) indicate that the workers of this species have "masticatory margin with a single row of ~13 long needle shaped teeth …”, but this dentition does not match the simple row of 11 similar, low, triangular teeth mentioned for Eurhopalothrix by Longino (2013). Reanalyzing the mandible dentition of the workers, they present a row of between seven (IAvH55005 in AntWeb 2023) to ten teeth (holotype). The shape of the mandible of the workers of this species also does not match those of Eurhopalothrix , being more like the mandible of some undescribed Rhopalothrix (e.g., CASENT0639185 Rhopalothrix jtl014 or CASENT0646264 Rhopalothrix jtl023). It is possible that the triangular shape of the mandible of Rhopalothrix amati has generated the misclassification of this species in the genus Eurhopalothrix . All the workers studied, however, have the subapical tooth larger than the apical one (Fig. 3C ), the latter being below the subapical tooth, a combination of traits present in Rhopalothrix . Based on all morphological evidence, we transfer this species to the genus Rhopalothrix generating the following new combination Rhopalothrix amati (Fiorentino, Tocora & Fernández, 2022).

Figures

Figure 2. Distribution map of Rhopalothrix species in Colombia.

Figure 3. Rhopalothrix amati paratype worker (IAvH- 55018) A full-face view B lateral view C dorsal view D portion of the head viewed obliquely showing the mandibles and the apical fork of the left mandible; the black arrow points to the subapical tooth while the white one points to the apical tooth of the apical fork of the mandible. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.