Aenictus xegi, Gómez, 2022

Gómez, Kiko, 2022, A revision of the Afrotropical species of the Dorylinae ant genus Aenictus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) based on the worker caste, Belgian Journal of Entomology 124, pp. 1-86 : 40-42

Aenictus xegi sp. nov.

Zoobank: E6F9D7F1-5ABE-4800-AC47-6E167387BC6A

( Figs 2 B , 24 A–D , 25 )

Holotype worker, GHANA: • nr. Kibi ( Atewa Forest reservation ) 27/03/1992 (Belshaw, R.). Primary forest (1w), Leaf litter [ NHMUK012849243 ] BMNH .

Paratype worker, CAMEROON: • Nkoemvon 02/06/1905 (Jackson, B.) (1w) [ NHMUK012849246 ] BMNH.

DIAGNOSIS. Similar in size and overall habitus to A. susanae sp. nov., but with much scattered erect to semierect pilosity, instead of the dense reclinated setae present in that species. The series from Congo is almost bare and its colour light brown, but quite probably due to previous manipulation as other specimens of different species from the same sample present the same deterioration.

Due to the scarcity of material and the bad shape of the only series with three workers, I have decided to designate Holotype and Paratype from different localities as I have no reasonable doubt about their conspecificity.

DESCRIPTION ( Figs 2 B , 24 A–D ). WORKER HL: 0.80 [0.76-0.86]; HW: 0.71 [0.68-0.74]; SL: 0.57 [0.54-0.62]; WL: 1.27 [1.22-1.36]; PH: 0.24 [0.22-0.26]; PPRO: 0.12 [0.10-0.15]; CI: 88 [86-90]; SIL: 71 [68-73]; SIW: 80 [77-84]; WL/HW: 179 [176-183] (n=4).

With the characters defined for the koloi group and: funicular segments shorter than wide becoming subcuadrate, the apical twice longer than wide. Head convex laterally, widest at the middle; occipital line slightly concave. Ventrolateral margin reaching ventrally half the distance to mandible insertions. Mandibles with a sharp apical tooth followed by a series of 7–10 small denticles.

Petiole subsessile with anterolateral and anterodorsal carina present, dorsolateral carina present as two short parallel ridges from the anterodorsal ridge to the petiolar dome; in lateral view anterior face straight to concave, sloping 45 degrees to the rounded dorsal face, vertical posterior face; postpetiole rounded in lateral view. Subpetiolar process very developed, with the bulk digitiform, longer than wide, oriented anteriorly and followed by a big lamella, its length about one third of the subpetiolar process. The whole process clearly larger than prora.

Whole body including legs and antennae deeply reticulated; some (1–3) horizontal rugae present on the mesopleura which continue as horizontal striae on the lower fourth of the metapleura, the uppermost just below the metapleural gland, converging to the spiny metapleural lobe; gaster glassy smooth. Overall colour dark brown, gaster yellowish brown.

Scattered white, long, semierect to erect setae present on head, mesosoma, petiole, postpetiole and gaster; propodeum bare except adjacent to mesonotum and dorsally at its half, with a pair of setae each. Dorsum of petiole and postpetiole, with 1–4 pairs of setae at most. Setae length comparable to petiole height.

DERIVATIO NOMINIS. The species name xegi is Latinized noun in the genitive case, dedicated to my mentor and good friend Xavier Espadaler i Gelabert. Thank you for everything.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED. REPUBLIC OF CONGO: • Western Cuvette, Lossi Animal Sanctuary , 2003. Hand (Rodriguez-Teijeiro, J. D.) (2 pins, 1w each) [ KGCOL00572 , KGCOL00573 ] KGPC • same series, (1w) [ KG03210-3 ] CASC.

DISTRIBUTION. West and Central Africa, known from Ghana to Congo ( Fig. 25 ).

Figures

Fig. 2. Head sculpture and femora shapes. A, C, Aenictus guineensis (CASENT0876634). B, Aenictus xegi sp. nov. (NHMUK012849243). D, Aenictus susanae sp. nov. (CASENT0406729).

Fig. 24. Aenictus xegi sp. nov., holotype (NHMUK012849243). A, head, dorsal view. B, habitus, lateral view. C, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole, lateral view. D, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole, dorsal view. E, mandibles and clypeus, dorsal view.

Fig. 25. Distribution of A. xegi sp. nov.