Parasyscia xui, Chen & Liang & Du, 2022

Chen, Zhilin, Liang, Cuijun & Du, Congcong, 2022, Revision of Chinese species of the ant genus Parasyscia Emery, 1882 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Dorylinae), Zootaxa 5196 (3), pp. 301-330 : 327

Parasyscia xui sp. nov.

( Fig. 32 )

Holotype worker: CHINA: Tibet: Motuo County, Motuo Village , 1230 m, 29.3000° N, 95.3400° E, 27.VIII.2016, Zhilin Chen leg., No. G 160366 [ GXNU] ; Paratypes: same data as holotype [1 worker, GXNU; 1 worker, SWFU, 1 worker, IZCAS] .

Diagnosis. Concolorous species, whole body reddish brown. lateral margins of head distinctly convergent anteriorly, with angular posterolateral corners; maximum diameter of eye equal to width of apical funiculus. Petiole appears square in lateral view, 1.5 times broader than long in dorsal view.

Holotype worker. HL 0.55, HW 0.42, CI 76.36, SL 0.50, SI 119.05, ED 0.15, MSL 1.01, PW 0.54, PL 0.40, PH 0.60, DPW 0.55, LPI 150, DPI 138, TL 3.87.

Paratype workers. HL 0.52–0.56, HW 0.41–0.45, CI 73–79, SL 0.50–0.53, SI 118–123, ED 0.15–0.16, MSL 1.00–1.11, PW 0.520.55, PL 0.40–0.43, PH 0.58–0.61, DPW 0.54–0.60, LPI 148–154, DPI 136–140, TL 3.70–3.91 (n=3) .

Head. In full-face view subrectangular, longer than broad, lateral margins distinctly convergent anteriorly, and posterior margin almost straight and slight concave medially, posterolateral corners angular. Anteromedial portion of clypeus concave, lateral portion of clypeus forming angular lobe. Frontal carina short, separate and nearly parallel; antennae with 11 segments. Eyes large, maximum diameter equal to width of apical funiculus, ommatidial edge clear. Mesosoma. In lateral view, dorsal outline of mesosoma convex, posterodorsal corner obtuse-angulate, posterior edge of propodeum carinate, declivity of propodeum concave. In dorsal view, propodeum lightly broader than pronotum and mesonotum. Metasoma. Petiole in lateral view, appears square, with steep anterior and posterior margin, dorsum slightly convex; subpetiolar process rectangular, posteroventral corner obtuse-angulate. In dorsal view, petiole lateral margins convex, anterior margin and posterior margin straight, and carinate; anterolateral corner angular and posterodorsal corner rounded. In lateral view, abdominal segment III rectangular, higher than long. In dorsal view, abdominal segment III subtrapezoidal, broader posteriorly, broader than long; lateral margins slightly convex. Sculpture. Median portion of head with abundant punctures, peripheral portion sparse punctures, diameter of puncture as broader as two time than ommatidia; mesosoma sparse piligerous punctures; petiole and abdominal segment III with deep and coarse puncta; the rest of abdominal segments smooth and shiny except sparsely shallow piligerous. Pilosity. Body entirely densely covered with suberect long hairs. Color. Body reddish brown.

Notes. The new species is similar to P. rifati , but is easily differentiated from the latter by a combination of the following characteristics: body reddish brown, punctures of head large, their maximum diameter almost 2 times more than the ommatidia of eyes; declivity of propodeum concave.

Distribution. China (Tibet).

Etymology. The new species is named in honor of Zhenghui Xu (Southwest Forestry University, China) for his outstanding contributions to the ant fauna of China.

Figures

FIGURE 32. Parasyscia xui sp. nov. Holotype worker. Head in full-face view (A), distribution map (B), body in dorsal view (C), body in lateral view (D).