Nesomyrmex antoinetteae, Mbanyana, N. & Robertson, H. G., 2008

Mbanyana, N. & Robertson, H. G., 2008, Review of the ant genus Nesomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) in southern Africa., African Natural History 4, pp. 35-55 : 35

Nesomyrmex antoinetteae sp. nov.

Description of worker

Holotype. HL 1.099, HW 0.851, HW1 0.942, CI 77, SL 0.886, SI 104, PW 0.677, ML 1.380, EL 0.305, EI 36.

Mandibles with fine longitudinal striations. Clypeus with reticulate ground sculpture overlaid by a few longitudinal striations. Median portion of the clypeus convex but almost flattened anteriorly. Eyes with 16 ommatidia in the longest row. Hind margin of head in full-face view with occipital margin straight medially. Promesonotum in profile evenly convex and the metanotal groove conspicuously impressed. Propodeal dorsum slightly convex and declivity almost straight. Propodeum armed with short, triangular teeth. Metapleural lobes low and rounded. Anterior peduncle short and broad with a keel-like subpetiolar process. Petiolar node with both anterior and posterior angles rounded. Postpetiole low and rounded. Dorsum of head with punctulate to finely reticulate ground-sculpture, which is overlaid by fine, longitudinal rugulae. Promesonotal dorsum with fine predominantly longitudinal rugulae, irregular in places. Propodeal dorsum with irregular rugulae and transverse rugulae on the declivity. Petiolar node and postpetiole with irregular rugulae. Baseoffirst gastral tergite with costulae and rest of tergite with fine, superficial reticulate pattern. Head with four longitudinal lines of erect hairs running between the eyes. The venter of head with sparse short curved hairs and five long straight hairs. Promesonotal dorsum with scattered short, erect hairs. Propodeal dorsum with a pair of hairs, petiolar node with at least three pairs of hairs and postpetiole with at least five pairs of hairs. Regularly spaced erect hairs on tergites and sternites of gaster. Colour uniformly light brown.

Paratypes. HL 0.954-1.092, HW 0.724-0.851, HW1 0.806-0.934, CI 74-79, SL 0.738-0.873, SI 101-107, PW 0.541-0.680,ML 1.219-1.369, EL 0.285-0.325, EI35-41 (12 of 17 measured).

Same as holotype with these differences: clypeus reticulate or smooth medially, bordered by a few longitudinal striations. The venter of head with 3-5 curved hairs. Eyes with 15-17 ommatidia in a longest row. Propodeum with short propodeal teeth, reduced to angulate corners in some.

Petiolar node with anterior face angled at about 125 degrees to the horizontal; dorsum rounding evenly into the posterior face. Propodeum with at least two pairs of hairs.

Diagnosis

Nesomyrmex antoinetteae is similar to N. mcgregori and is distinguished from the latter species by the dorsum of head which is entirely covered by longitudinal rugulae (smooth or reticulate in N. mcgregori ), the propodeum which is armed with broad triangular teeth (acute in N. mcgregori ), and the head which is narrower (CI 74-79 versus 83-84 in N. mcgregori ).

Biology

Collected from pitfall traps in Mountain Fynbos and from digging through soil in Succulent Karoo.

Etymology

Named after Antoinette Botes who collected the holotype.

Material examined

Holotype: South Africa: Western Cape: Mountain Fynbos , 32°20'59"S 19°10'2"E, 15 October 2002, A. Botes, CKOct02-SKop-12.1.6 , SAM-HYM-C019389 .

Paratypes: South Africa: Western Cape: Mountain Fynbos, 32°21'8"S 19°10'4"E, 15 October 2002, A. Botes, CKOct02-SKop-12.3.3 , SAM-HYM-C019390 ; Mountain Fynbos , 32°21'14"S 19°10'4"E, 15 October 2002, A. Botes, CKOct02-SKop-12.4.9 , SAM-HYM-C019391 ; Mountain Fynbos , 32°21'19"S 19°9'13"E, CKOct02-SKop-10.2.4,16 October2002, A. Botes, SAM-HYM-C019399 ; Mountain Fynbos , 32°20'59"S 19°10'2"E, 06 March 2003 A. Botes, CKMar03-SKop-12.1.5 , SAM-HYM-C019400 ; Rietfontein farm adjacent to Touwsberg Private Nature Reserve , 33°35'53"S 20°59'57"E, 14 April 2008, found while digging Ocymyrmex nest at about 30 cm down, nesting in medium deep hard clay soil. Nest entrance in open, N. Mbanyana & H.G.Robertson, SAM-HYM-C019804 ; Oudtshoorn, Fezekile High School , 33°36'16"S 22°14'8"E, 10March 2006, collected from flat heavily disturbed Succulent Karoo, FEZ100306 1.10 , B. Braschler, SAM-HYM-C019798 .