Tanipone cognata, Bolton & Fisher, 2012

Bolton, Barry & Fisher, Brian L., 2012, Taxonomy of the cerapachyine ant genera Simopone Forel, Vicinopone gen. n. and Tanipone gen. n. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) 3283, Zootaxa 3283 (1), pp. 1-101 : 86

Tanipone cognata Bolton & Fisher sp. n.

( Figs 92–94 )

HOLOTYPE PUTATIVE ERGATOID GYNE. HL 1.00, HW 0.81, SL 0.46, EL 0.36, PW 0.64, AIIW 0.62, AIIL 0.62, AIIIW 0.76, AIIIL 0.60, WL 1.30, MFL 0.74, CI 81, SI 57, EL/HW 0.44, AIIW/AIIL 1.00, AIIIW/AIIIL 1.27.

Cephalic pilosity and structure of AIII glandular patches as described in definition of maculata group, above. With head in full-face view the side in front of the eye without a laterally projecting seta behind the level of the posterior clypeal margin. Posterior margin of head with 2 setae. Dorsum of pronotum with a single pair of setae at the humeri and a pair on the mesonotum; propodeum without setae. Mesofemur and metafemur in dorsal view without projecting setae on the anterior or posterior surfaces. Ventral surfaces of mesofemur and metafemur each with a single projecting seta, located just distal of the trochanter. Dorsal surface of AII (petiole) with a single pair of setae. Tergite of AIII with two setae anteriorly, each of which is situated well in front of the anterior margin of the glandular patch; without setae on posterior margin. Tergite of AIV with 4 setae anteriorly. Sternites of AIII and AIV with setae present. Cephalic dorsum with scattered shallow punctures; anteriorly on the head their diameters at least equal to the distances between them, but behind the level of the eyes becoming more widely spaced. Spaces between punctures minutely but very conspicuously microreticulate everywhere. Katepisternum with some microsculpture but mostly appearing smooth. Dorsum of mesosoma with small punctures, the spaces between them minutely but distinctly microreticulate everywhere. AII (petiole) in dorsal view appears as broad as long; in profile its tergite appears longer than high. Tergite of AIII microreticulate everywhere except on the glandular patches, and with some small, inconspicuous punctures. The pale band across the apex of AIII tergite is slightly narrowed medially but is not broken by a longitudinal median strip of markedly darker cuticle. Tergite of AIV sparsely punctate, the entire surface blanketed with fine, dense microreticulate surface sculpture; tergites of AV–AVII also densely microreticulate. Head, mesosoma and AII orange, legs brown; AIII to apex dark brown to blackish brown (except for the pale band on AIII).

Holotype worker, Madagascar: Ifaty , 23°9’S, 43°37’E, 21.ix.1993, desert scrub forest, pyrethrin fogging of Euphorbia stenoclada ,.9356w, BIOTA/CASENT0195405 (W.E. Steiner) ( MCZC).

A single, most intriguing specimen is included under this name. It is large (HL 1.00, HW 0.81), relatively brightly coloured, has a continuous pale band across AIII, and features dense microreticulate ground sculpture on all of its dorsal surfaces. The development of dense, fine microreticulate sculpture has been treated elsewhere as an indication of an ergatoid gyne, though whether this is a true interpretation remains to be seen, as discussed under the diagnosis of putative ergatoids, above. The size of the specimen is certainly comparable to a supposed ergatoid of maculata (HL 0.98, HW 0.78), but the body colour and uninterrupted apical pale band on AIII appear to make association with that species improbable. The bright colour of the cognata holotype is most closely approached by the workers of aversa , but the characteristic arrangement of setae seen in aversa and its close relatives is absent in cognata . Taking all of this into consideration, the tentative conclusion is that cognata probably represents the ergatoid gyne of a species whose workers remain unknown. This hypothesis can only be tested when more cognata specimens are collected, and preferably after a good nest-series of maculata is available for comparison. As mentioned above, the sole specimen ascribed to this species was obtained by insecticide fogging of a Euphorbia tree.

Figures

FIGURES 92–94. Lateral, full face and dorsal view of body. Tanipone cognata holotype worker CASENT0195405.