Nesomyrmex stramineus ( Arnold, 1948 )

Garcia, Francisco Hita, Mbanyana, Nokuthula, Audisio, Tracy Lynn & Alpert, Gary D., 2017, Taxonomy of the ant genus Nesomyrmex Wheeler (Formicidae, Myrmicinae) in the Afrotropical region, with a review of current species groups and description of a new species of the N. angulatus group from Mozambique, European Journal of Taxonomy 258, pp. 1-31 : 27

Nesomyrmex stramineus ( Arnold, 1948)

Figs 2D , 8B , 13B , 20

Limnomyrmex stramineus Arnold, 1948: 223 (w.), South Africa.

Leptothorax stramineus – Brown 1971: 4.

Nesomyrmex stramineus – Bolton 2003: 272 (see also Bolton 1982: 332; Mbanyana & Robertson 2008: 38 ).

Diagnosis

The following character combination distinguishes N. stramineus from the other species of the group: eyes with 7–9 ommatidia in longest row; in profile mesosomal dorsum with conspicuously impressed metanotal groove; propodeal spines relatively long and thin, several times longer than their basal width; in profile petiolar node high, rectangular nodiform, appearing around twice as high as long; in dorsal view petiolar node laterally denticulate; subpetiolar process without a long cuticular flange running back to the postpetiolar junction; dorsum of propodeum with standing hairs; first gastral tergite with standing hairs evenly distributed throughout.

Diagnostic comments

As pointed out above, N. stramineus is very close to N. denticulatus and N. innocens . For more details on its differentiation from them we refer to the species account of N. innocens .

Biology

Nesomyrmex stramineus was sampled in savannah woodlands and Afromontane forests, where it lives in dead wood on trees ( Mbanyana & Robertson 2008).

Distribution

This species occurs only in South Africa and Swaziland. It seems to be rather rare since it is only known from a few collection events.

Figures

Fig. 2. Part of head in full-face view showing the antennae (antennal segments are counted in Roman numerals) and dorsum of mesosoma. A–B. Nesomyrmex cataulacoides (Snelling, 1992) (CASENT0172593, CASENT0178301). C. N. humerosus (Emery, 1896) (CASENT0906196). D. N. evelynae (Forel, 1916) (CASENT0178298). E. N. stramineus (Arnold, 1948) (CASENT0922011). F. N. braunsi (Forel, 1912) (CASENT0909209).

Fig. 8. Body in profile. A. Nesomyrmex angulatus (Mayr, 1862) (CASENT0922010). B. N. stramineus (Arnold, 1948) (CASENT0922011).

Fig. 13. Mesosoma and waist segments in profile. A. Nesomyrmex innocens (Forel, 1913) (CASENT0908995). B. N. stramineus (Arnold, 1948) (CASENT0922011).

Fig. 20. Nesomyrmex stramineus (Arnold, 1948) (CASENT0922011). A. Body in profile view. B. Body in dorsal view. C. Head in full-face view. D. Map of Africa and Madagascar showing currently known distribution.