Pseudomyrmex mixtecus Ward, 1993

Ward, Philip S., 1993, Systematic studies on Pseudomyrmex acacia-ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Pseudomyrmecinae), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 2, pp. 117-168 : 143

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.10150

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:80669360-1DB2-4B74-9F4B-99DD3E7EBBFA

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3513234

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/867E7294-1D42-A058-58AD-4AC4690DF5B3

treatment provided by

Donat

scientific name

Pseudomyrmex mixtecus Ward
status

sp. nov.

Pseudomyrmex mixtecus Ward View in CoL View at ENA , sp. nov.

(Figs. 15, 26, 55, 61, 69)

Holotype worker. - MEXICO, Guerrero: 25.4 mi. S. Chilpancingo , 10. viii. 1966, D. H. Janzen #M008810966 ( LACM). HW 0.97, HL 1.07, EL 0.48, PL 0.55, PH 0.35 .

Paratypes. - Same data as holotype, and three other accession numbers ( M 007810966 , M 009810966 , M 010810966 ) with same locality, date, and collector: series of 43 workers, 34 queens and 17 males ( AMNH, BMNH, CASC, EBCC, GBFM, INBC, LACM, MCZC, MZSP, PSWC, UCDC, USNM). Additional non-type material is listed below .

Worker measurements (n - 13). - HLO. 94 - 1.19, HW 0.89 - 1.03, MFC 0.054 - 0.073, Cl 0.86 - 0.95, REL 0.42 - 0.47, REL 2 0.46 - 0.52 OOI 1.22 - 2.28, VI 0.61 - 0.73, FCI 0.056 - 0.073, SI 0.43 - 0.45, SI 2 0.86 - 0.97, NI 0.60 - 0.65, PLI 0.60 - 0.68, PWI 0.60 - 0.68, PPWI 1.40 - 1.73.

Worker diagnosis. - Similar to P. ferrugineus (q. v.) except as follows. Size smaller (HW <1.04, LHT <0.90), head broad (Cl> 0.85); frontal carinae separated by about basal scape width or less (FCI 2 0.45 - 0.54). Basal and declivitous faces of propodeum forming a less obtuse angle in profile than typical for P. ferrugineus (compare Figs. 26 and 27). Head densely punctulate, opaque. Standing pilosity rather common, usually some setae exceeding 0.12 mm and 0.20 mm in length on mesosoma dorsum and petiole, respectively. Pubescence dense but appressed. Very dark brown to black, appendages lighter.

Comments. - P. mixtecus is distinguished from all other species, except P. veneficus and P. flavicomis , by its laterally rounded median clypeal lobe, broad head, and black (or very dark brown) body. It differs from P. veneficus by the fully opaque head, absence of conspicuous suberect pubescence on the petiole, and larger size. P. mixtecus is evidently closely related to P. flavicomis but averages smaller in size (compare worker HW and LHT values), a difference which is absolute in queens (queenHW 0.96 - 1.01 (n = 8), whereas queen HW> 1.11 in P. flavicomis ). In addition the petiole is relatively longer and higher, for a given head width, in both workers and queens of P. mixtecus (Figs. 44-47).

Distribution and biology. - P. mixtecus is known only from the Mexican states of Guerrero and Oaxaca (Fig. 69). Colonies have been collected from Acacia hindsii and A. collinsii , but little more has been recorded about their biology. Janzen’s field notes indicate that this species is monogynous.

Material examined. Type material listed above, plus the following ( CUIC, LACM, MCZC, MZSP, PSWC, SEMC, USNM, WPMC ). -

MEXICO Gro.: 10mi NE Acapulco (D.H.Janzen) ; 29.6mi N Acapulco , 1400ft. (D.H.Janzen) ; 30mi N Acapulco, Hwy.95 (Cornell Univ. Mex. Field Party) ; 57.8mi S Chilpancingo, Hwy.95 (D.H.Janzen) ; 74km N Acapulco (W.MacKay) ; Acapulco (Baker ; F.Knab ; N.L.H.Krauss ; L.J.Lipovsky) ; Puerto Marques (N.L.H.Krauss) ; San Geronimo de Juarez (W.von Hagen) ; Oax.: 11.4-17.0mi W Tehuantepec (D.H.Janzen) ; 13.8mi W Tehuantepec , 1500ft. (D.H.Janzen) ; 19km N San Pedro Pochutla , 200m (W.MacKay) ; 6.0mi E Niltepec, Hwy. 190, 100m (D.H.Janzen) .

LACM

USA, California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History

AMNH

USA, New York, New York, American Museum of Natural History

BMNH

United Kingdom, London, The Natural History Museum [formerly British Museum (Natural History)]

CASC

USA, California, San Francisco, California Academy of Sciences

EBCC

Mexico, Jalisco, San Patricio, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Estacion de Biologia "Chamela"

GBFM

Panama, Panama, Universidad de Panama

INBC

Costa Rica, Santo Domingo de Heredia, Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INBio)

MCZC

USA, Massachusetts, Cambridge, Harvard University, Museum of Comparative Zoology

MZSP

Brazil, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo

PSWC

PSWC

UCDC

USA, California, Davis, University of California, R.M. Bohart Museum of Entomology

USNM

USA, Washington D.C., National Museum of Natural History, [formerly, United States National Museum]

CUIC

USA, New York, Ithaca, Cornell University

SEMC

USA, Kansas, Lawrence, University of Kansas, Snow Entomological Museum

WPMC

WPMC

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Formicidae

Genus

Pseudomyrmex

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