Syllophopsis subcoeca (Emery, 1894)

Wetterer, James K. & Sharaf, Mostafa R., 2021, Worldwide distribution of Syllophopsis subcoeca (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), an Old-World species long known only from the West Indies, Journal of Natural History 55 (23 - 24), pp. 1465-1476 : 1468-1470

Diagnosis for Syllophopsis subcoeca

All measurements and indices are given in mm and follow the standard measurements and morphological definitions (see Sharaf and Aldawood 2013).

EL Eye length: maximum diameter of eyes.

HL Head length: maximum length of head from anterior clypeal margin to posterior margin of head.

HW Head width: maximum width of head behind eyes in full face view.

ML Mesosoma length: maximum length of mesosoma from the point at which pronotum meets with cervical shield to posterior edge of propodeal lobes in lateral view.

PL Petiole length: maximum length of petiole from anterior margin to posterior margin in dorsal view.

PPL Postpetiole length: maximum length of postpetiole in dorsal view.

PPW Postpetiole width: maximum width of postpetiole in dorsal view.

PRW Pronotal width: maximum width of pronotum in dorsal view.

PW Petiole width: maximum width of petiole in dorsal view.

SL Scape length: maximum length of scape excluding basal neck.

CI Cephalic index: HW/HL × 100.

SI Scape index: SL/HW × 100.

Worker ( Figure 1 )

Compared to syntype workers: CASENT0904581 (Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova, Genoa, Italy), ENTO00081327 ( MHNG) and ENTO00081221 ( MHNG) .

Measurements. EL 0.01, HL 0.30–0.33, HW 0.25–0.33, ML 0.32–0.35, PL 0.05–0.06, PPL 0.05–0.07, PPW 0.08–0.10, PRW 0.15–0.20, PW 0.06–0.08, SL 0.20–0.22, CI 83–100, SI 67–80 (n = 13).

Head. Head in full-face view distinctly longer than broad, with convex sides and feebly concave posterior margin; masticatory margin of mandibles armed with four teeth decreasing in size from apex to base; frontal carinae short and rounded; anterior margin of median portion of clypeus short and shallowly convex; eyes minute with a single ommatidium situated at midlength of head sides; antennae with 12 segments terminating in a well-marked 3-segmented club which is more than twice longer than funicular segments 2–8; funicular segments 2–8 distinctly broader than long; scapes when laid back from their insertions fail to reach posterior margin of head. Mesosoma. Profile of promesonotum relatively flat (compared to other Syllophopsis species ); metanotal groove acutely impressed; propodeal dorsum meeting declivity in a well-marked obtuse angle; propodeal spiracles relatively large and circular. Petiole. Petiole in profile with long anterior peduncle; petiolar node in profile distinctly higher than postpetiolar node and nearly as broad as postpetiole in dorsal view. Postpetiole. Postpetiole in dorsal view about twice broader than long. Sculpture. Body surface entirely smooth and shining except impression between mesopleuron and metapleuron/propodeum finely crossribbed. Pilosity. Cephalic surface with abundant, minute scattered hair pits; sides of head, mandibles and anterior clypeal margin with abundant subdecumbent relatively long hairs; mesosoma, petiole, postpetiole and gaster with abundant suberect hairs; entire antennae with dense appressed pubescence; mesopleuron characteristically smooth with no hairs. Colour. Uniform yellow except first gastral tergite yellow with faint brown tint.

Queen ( Figure 2 )

Measurements. EL 0.09, HL 0.35, HW 0.30, ML 0.56, PL 0.07, PPL 0.08, PPW 0.14, PW 0.10, SL 0.09, CI 86, SI 87 (n = 1).

Head. Head in full-face view slightly longer than broad with feebly convex sides and shallowly concave posterior margin; scapes when laid back from their insertions fail to reach posterior margin of head; mandibles armed with four teeth decrease in size from apex to base; median anterior clypeal margin narrow and feebly concave or straight; eyes large, with about 10 ommatidia in longest row; in profile with dorsal margin rounded and ventral margin concave; ocelli prominent. Mesosoma. Mesoscutum, axilla and mesoscutellar disc forming a continuous curve in profile; propodeal dorsum nearly as long as declivity in profile and both making a broad obtuse angle. Petiole. Petiole in profile with a relatively long peduncle making a continuous curve with petiolar; petiolar node pointed in profile and slightly higher than postpetiolar node. Postpetiole. Postpetiole in dorsal view about twice broader than long and distinctly broader than petiole. Sculpture. Cephalic surface areolate-rugose; area between frontal carinae feebly longitudinally striated; mandibular surface unsculptured; mesosomal dorsum and sides smooth and shining; propodeal dorsum faintly transversally striated; petiole and postpetiole superficially punctate and dull; gaster superficially smooth and shining. Pilosity. Cephalic surface, antennae and mandibles with abundant subdecumbent hairs; mesosoma, petiole, postpetiole and gaster with abundant suberect hairs. Colour. Mesosoma, petiole, postpetiole, antennae, mandibles and legs yellow, head and gastral tergites yellowbrown, area between ocelli brown.

Figures

Figure 1. Syllophopsis subcoeca worker from Miami, Florida (collected by J.K. Wetterer; photo by M. Esposito; from www.antweb.org; CASENT0923383).

Figure 2. Syllophopsis subcoeca worker from Tortola, British Virgin Islands (collected by J.K. Wetterer; photo by M. Esposito; from www.antweb.org; CASENT0923381).