Myrmoteras tomimasai, Bui, Viet Tuan, Eguchi, Katsuyuki & Yamane, Seiki, 2013

Bui, Viet Tuan, Eguchi, Katsuyuki & Yamane, Seiki, 2013, Revision of the ant genus Myrmoteras of the Indo-Chiese Peninsula (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae), Zootaxa 3666 (4), pp. 544-558 : 556-558

Myrmoteras tomimasai sp. nov.

( Fig. 8 )

Type material. Holotype worker from Northern Middle Vietnam, Nghe An Province: Pu Mat NP.: Sang Le forest, ca. 220 m alt. 19 0 10–11’ N, 104 0 37–38 E, 2 iv 2006, leg. K. Eguchi (Eg 02iv06-12) [VNMN]. Paratypes: 1 worker, same locality as holotype, 1 iv 2006, leg. K. Eguchi (Eg 01iv06-11); 6 workers, same colony as holotype, leg. K. Eguchi and V. T. Bui (Eg 02iv06-12); 3 workers, same locality, 3 iv 2006, leg. K. Eguchi (Eg 03iv06-03); 3 workers, same locality, 3 iv 2006, leg. K. Eguchi (Eg 03iv06-07) [ACEG, MHNG, THNHM, SKYC, VNMN].

Non-type material. Vietnam: 1 worker, Northern Vietnam, Ninh Binh Prov., Cuc Phuong NP., 10–11 viii 1998, leg. Sk. Yamane; 2 workers, same locality, 11 viii 1998, leg. V. T. Bui; 3 workers, same locality, 9 xi 2001, leg. K. Eguchi (Eg01-VN-165); 2 workers, Northern Middle Vietnam, Thua Thien Hue Prov., Bach Ma NP., ca. 415–635 m alt., 16 0 13’N –107 0 51’E, 12 xi 2009, leg. K. Eguchi (Eg 12xi09-10). Thailand: 2 workers, North-East Thailand, Loei Prov., Phu Ruea Distr., MDF, termite mound, 12 iv 2008, leg. Sk Yamane (TH08-SKY-118); 1 worker, Western Thailand, Tak Prov., Tung Yai [Thung Yai] WS, 22 xi 2000, leg. A. Suwannasri.

Worker measurements and indices. TL 3.5– 4.0, HL 1.06–1.12 [1.08] (1.08), HW 1.06–1.15 [1.00] (1.08), EL 0.67–0.73 [0.69] (0.69), ML 1.25–1.37 [1.31] (1.31), SL 1.21–1.31 [1.27] (1.24), PrW 0.65–0.75 [0.67] (0.68), HfL 1.33–1.46 [1.37] (1.36), CI 98–103 [102] (100), SI 113– 116 (117). (Holotype and 5 paratype and non-type workers were measured.)

Worker description. Body dark reddish brown; legs with similar coloration as body, but often slightly paler; mandible light brown. Body with erect hairs; pubescence dense on frons, pronotum and gastral tergites. Clypeus faintly punctate; frons extensively rugoso-punctate, but area around antennal insertion finely rugose; vertex of head (including occipital lobe) smooth. Anteriormost part of pronotum transversely rugose, and remainder smooth to weakly punctate; dorsal face of mesonotum weakly rugose; lateral face of mesosoma rugose more or less longitudinally; mesopleuron, metapleuron and lateral face of propodeum smooth or weakly punctate; dorsum of propodeum weakly rugoso-punctate transversely. Frontal sulcus faint, reaching median ocellus; anterior clypeal margin concave; mandible with 8 teeth that reduce in size from apical to basal teeth; two denticles present between first and second teeth; palp formula 6,4; orbital groove absent; scape slightly shorter than funicular segments combined; funicular segments each longer than broad. Pronotum in lateral view flattened dorsally; propodeum in lateral view roundly convex posterodorsally. Petiolar node in lateral view with vertical anterior face and steep posterior slope; ventral outline of petiole beneath the node slightly sinuate or almost straight.

Etymology. The specific name is after the son of Eguchi’s best friend.

Remarks. This species is separated from other Indo-Chinese congeners by the extensively sculptured dorsum of head, dark-colored legs, and abundant appressed pubescence on gastral tergites. The worker from Thung Yai, western Thailand is exceptional in having yellow coxae.

Distribution. Vietnam, northern Thailand.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Myrmoteras tomimasai sp. nov. Holotype worker, A. Head, full-face view; B. Head and mesosoma, dorsal view; habitus, profile. Sang Le Forest, Tuong Duong Distr., Nghe An, Vietnam, 2 / iv / 2006, K. Eguchi leg. (Eg 02 iv 06 - 12).