Aenictus popeyei, 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 : 43-44

Aenictus popeyei sp. nov.

Zoobank: 79E1D857-37BC-4202-8E57-57B94561C7E5

( Figs 1 E , 26 A–E , 27 )

Holotype worker, CAMEROON: • Subdiv. de Betare-Oya, Garoua-Boulayi VII.19-22.49 (Borys Malkin) (1w) [ CASENT0810234 ] CASC.

Paratype workers: • same series (5 pins, 1w each) [ CASENT0810235 , CASENT0840000 to CASENT0840003 ] .

DIAGNOSIS. A. popeyei sp. nov. is unmistakable with its globose, expanded mandibles and wide heads (CI~110, the widest in the Afrotropical region).

DESCRIPTION ( Figs 1 E , 26 A–E ). WORKER HL: HL: 0.75 [0.72-0.79]; HW: 0.84 [0.78-0.89]; SL: 0.57 [0.53-0.59]; WL: 1.26 [1.2-1.35]; PL: 0.29 [0.25-0.31]; PH: 0.23 [0.20-0.25]; PPL: 0.22 [0.20-0.25]; PPH: 0.20 [0.18-0.22]; CS: 0.8 [0.75-0.84]; CI: 111 [108-115]; SIL: 75 [72- 78]; SIW: 67 [64-72]; WL/HW: 150 [144-156]; PI: 123 [113-133]; PPI: 108 [100-119]; CSR: 112; (n=15).

With the characters defined for the popeyei group and: scape moderately long, reaching the three quarters of the head when laid back (SIL~75). All funicular segments longer than wide, the apical more than twice longer than wide; the last four widening to the apical. Head wider than long (CI~110), widest at mandibular insertions or slightly above and narrowing to the occipital line, this apical vertex a straight line, clearly shorter than the line at mandible insertions. Ventrolateral margin developed, extending ventrally to its medial line.

Mandibles very characteristic, massive, almost as big as the rest of the head; armed with one long sharp apical tooth followed by a subapical tooth; the medial section clearly concave, followed by a thickened basal half, circular in shape surrounded by a thin, sharp cutting edge that continues basally. In lateral view, this basal half clearly protrudes the apical half.

Petiole subsessile with anterolateral and anterodorsal carina present, dorsolateral carina absent; propodeal dome elliptical in lateral view, the anterior face straight sloping 45 degrees aprox. Posterior face vertical. Postpetiole subrectangular with near vertical anterior and posterior face, forming both a square rounded angle with the dorsal surface. Subpetiolar process developed, elliptical to triangular, rounded and oriented downwards or slightly backwards; lamella present, variable but usually developed.

Mandibles rugulose with smooth patches in some individuals, especially in the distal rounded half; scapes, head, pronotum mesonotum, gaster, dorsal surfaces of petiole and postpetiole and legs glassy smooth. Mesopleurae and pronotum strongly reticulated; metapleurae irregularly and horizontally rugulose; remainder of petiole and posteptiole reticulated to alutaceus. Head and mesosoma dark reddish brown. Antennae, gaster, coxae and legs yellow to yellowish brown. Whole body covered with white setae unequal in length, from short to very long, these clearly longer than petiole height; erect to semierect in scape, funiculus, mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole; decumbent to semierect on abdomen. No pubescence noted.

DERIVATIO NOMINIS. The species name popeyei is Latinized noun in the genitive case, named after the cartoon character Popeye. It can’t be denied that mandibles do look alike.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED. NIGERIA: • Ibadan 12/02/1953 (Brown, R. E.) (1w) [ NHMUK012849207 ] BMNH • Ibadan 26/02/1958 (Sudd, J. M.) (1w each) [ NHMUK012849208 , NHMUK012849209 ] BMNH • Ibadan (IITA) 05/06/1981 (Russell-Smith, A.) (6 pins, 3w each) [ NHMUK012849212 , NHMUK012849214 to NHMUK012849217 ] BMNH • same data (2w) [ NHMUK012849213 ] • Gambari, Black Pod Project 04/12/1975 (Taylor, B.). Bare gd. (1w) [ NHMUK012849210 ] BMNH • Gambari 04/06/1969 (Bolton, B.) (1w), leaf litter [ NHMUK012849211 ] BMNH.

DISTRIBUTION. Central African species, known from Nigeria and Cameroon ( Fig. 27 ).

Figures

Fig. 1. Mandibular and clypeal shapes for the different species groups. A, gr. rotundatus (Aenictus guineensis, CASENT0876634). B, gr. koloi (Aenictus koloi, sp. nov., KGCOL00552). C, gr. eugenii (Aenictus eugenii, CASENT0235822). D, gr. eugenii (Aenictus mvuvii, sp. nov., CASENT0350555). E, gr. popeyei (Aenictus popeyei, sp. nov., CASENT0810234). F, gr. decolor (Aenictus decolor, CASENT0317077). G, gr. asantei (Aenictus asantei, NHMUK012849241). H, gr. rixator (Aenictus rixator, CASENT0907030).

Fig. 26. Aenictus popeyei sp.nov., holotype (CASENT0810234). 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. 27. Distribution of A. popeyei sp. nov.