Oxyepoecus punctifrons (Borgmeier)

Albuquerque, Nicolas Lavor De & Brandão, Carlos Roberto F., 2004, A Revision Of The Neotropical Solenopsidini Ant Genus Oxyepoecus Santschi, 1926 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). 1. The Vezenyii Species- Group, Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 44 (4), pp. 55-80 : 71-73

Oxyepoecus punctifrons (Borgmeier)

( Figs. 5 a-c)

Monomorium (Martia) punctifrons Borgmeier, 1928 a:39 (S Brasil). Borgmeier, 1928 b:63-65 (S Brasil).

Martia punctifrons: Kusnezov, 1952:722 .

Oxyepoecus punctifrons: Ettershank, 1966:146 . Kempf, 1972:173. Kempf, 1974:489 (synonymy, lectotype designation).

Worker (Lectotype): t.l.= 3.20 (2.70-3.40); h.l.= 0.73 (0.64-0.79); h.w.= 0.59 (0.49-0.67); s.l.= 0.53 (0.48-0.57); m.l.e.= 0.14 (0.11-0.15); m.w.pr.= 0.40 (0.36-0.47); a.l.= 0.89 (0.77-0.98); h.f.l.= 0.63 (0.55-0.68); m.w.p.= 0.20 (0.16-0.21); m.w.pp.= 0.27 (0.23-0.32); c.i. 80 (77-85). Color reddish to yellow. Integument smooth and shining, with the following exceptions: some fine costulae between frontal cari- nae; portions of mesopleuron and inferior half of metapleuron superficially and finely costulate, prolonging over the bulla of the gland of the metapleural region; piligerous punctuations on head dorsum very conspicuous; dorsal face of the propodeum with transverse and ver y superficial almost invisible costulae; postpetiole almost without costulae rows or striae, except for one or two just above the articulation with the gaster. Hairs relatively scarce, subdecumbent on the head dorsum, inclined mesad on the disc, forward on the sides of the head; suberect on mesosoma and on gaster; postpetiole with some subdecumbent well spaced hairs.

Head (f.f.v.) as shown in Fig. 5a , with elongated mandibles, and with a deep cleft between the basal and the strong subbasal tooth. Anterior teeth of clypeus with lateral, blunt and lobe-like denticles. Frontal carinae short, moderately expanded laterad, ending after the level of the inferior orbit of the compound eyes, the maximum width between their outer edges about one fourth of the head width. Compound eyes very large, relatively convex with some 11 facets r.g.d., total number of ommatidia circa 50. Antennal scape relatively long, reaching the occipital corner when laid back over the head. Funicular segment I longer than VIII and IX taken individually, as long as II-IV combined; segments VIII and IX a slightly longer than broad.

Mesosoma (p.v.) with the shoulders rounded, not marked or forming an angle, dorsum of the pronotum not marginate laterally ( Fig. 5b ). Metanotal groove gently impressed in profile, metanotal suture indistinct. Dorsal face of the propodeum immarginate on sides, posteriorly with two very small and pointed, but not prominent teeth. Declivous face laterally submarginate not carinate.

Petiole club shaped (d.v.) as shown in fig. 5c. Node not antero-posteriorly compressed nor laterally expanded in a scalelike fashion; subpetiolar process with an anterior small, blunt tooth. The postpetiole scarcely antero-posteriorly compressed, the lateral projections blunt and short.

Gyne (ergatomorphic): t.l.= 3.32; h.l.= 0.67; h.w.= 0.55; s.l.= 0.55; m.l.e.= 0.15; m.w.pr.= 0.50; a.l.= 0.95; h.f.l.= 0.46; m.w.p.= 0.18; m.w.pp.= 0.35; c.i. 82. Resembling worker, with the head similar except for the presence of minute occelli, their diameter less than the minimum thickness of the antennal scape. Compound eyes almost equal to the worker, somewhat convex, with some 13 facets r.g.d., total number of ommatidia circa 60. Antennal segments (scape and funiculus) equal to the workers. Mesosoma with blunt marked shoulders; pronotum smooth and shining. Mesonotum (scutum and scutellum) relatively large, 2/3 of the mesosoma; scutum smooth and shining with some piligerous punctulae; scutellum entirely smooth. Mesopleuron with the anepisternum and katepisternum separated by a shallow groove, both with some very fine, almost imperceptible and oblique costulae. Dorsal face of the propodeum trans- versely costate, with 13-15 fine costulae, which continue downwards and obliquely forwards on the sides. Propodeal teeth short and blunt. Petiole not much compressed, almost club shaped, the subpetiolar process straight, ending anteriorly as a blunt and small denticle. Postpetiole twice broader than the petiole node, subpostpetiolar process somewhat developed as two small and transverse crests.

Male unknown. Diagnosis, distribution and comments

Workers of O. punctifrons can be diagnosed by the combination of the almost smooth integument, the posterior corner of the propodeum with minute denticles and the large overall size. The distribution of O. punctifrons is represented by several localities within southeast and south Brazil, all in the “Mata Atlântica” Domain, as shown in fig. 9. The O. punctifrons specimens were collected mainly in the leaf litter, however two workers and one gyne were founded interestingly in the canopy of an “Angico” tree Anandenanthera (Leguminosae).

As far as we understand, Kempf (1974) designated O. punctifrons syntype specimens numbered 424 in Borgmeier’s collection as lectotype and paralectotypes .

Examined material: Brasil: Paraná: Bocaiúva do Sul, v. 1963, F. Plaumann [col.] # 4978, [25°12’S 49°07’W] (6 Ψ); same locality, xii.1963, same collector, # 8107, same (2 Ψ); Porto Vitória, x.1959, F. Plaumann [col.] # 3197, [26°09’S 51°14’W] (1 Ψ); Rio Azul , x.959, F. Plaumann [col.] # 3182, [25°44’S 50°47’W] (2 Ψ); Rio Negro , iv.1925, father Miguel White [col.], [26°05’S 49°47’W] (Type series from the same colony, Kempf [1974] 16 Ψ, lectotype and paratypes) ; Rio Grande do Sul: Bom Jesus , xii.1962, F. Plaumann [col.] # 3485 [28°41’S 50°23’W] (2 Ψ); Nova Petrópolis, ix.1959, F. Plaumann [col.] # 3228 [29°21’S 51°07’W] (5 Ψ); Tainhas, iv.1959, F. Plaumann [col.] # 3248 [29°16’S 50°18’W] (3 Ψ) ; Santa Catarina: Chapecó , xii.1957 and vi.1960, F. Plaumann [col.] [27°05’S 52°37’W] (1 Ψ and 3 Ψ respectively); same locality, vii. 1960, same collector # 8334 same coordinates (2 Ψ); same locality, viii.1960, same collector # 9880 same coordinates (1 Ψ, broken, only the head and mesosoma left); same locality, xi. 1962, same collector # 4672 same coordinates (1 S); Ibicaré, vii.1959, F. Plaumann [col.] # 3127 [27°06’S 51°23’W] (6 Ψ); Nova Teutônia, several collections between viii.1952 and vi.1963, in the months of May to November, F. Plaumann [col.] # 8089, 8164, 8211, 8226, 8325, and non-numbered specimens [27°02’S 52°24’W] ; Seara, v-xii.1998, Rogério R. Silva col. 24°07’S 52°18’W (3 Ψ) ; Same locality, 10.v.1999, same collector 24°07’S 52°18’W (2 Ψ and 1 ♀ on the canopy of the “ Angico ” tree Anandenanthera Leguminosae ) ; Serra Geral , xii.1958, F. Plaumann [col.] # 3024 [27°07’S 50°03’W] (1 Ψ, broken, the petiole, postpetiole and gaster left) ; São Paulo: Campos do Jordão, 5.iii.1957, W.W. Kempf [col.] # 1812 [22°44’S 45°35’W] (4 Ψ); Salesópolis , 2-6.v.1957 and 5-7.vii.1997, C.I. Yamamoto [col.] [23°39’S 45°53’W] (3 Ψ and 2 Ψ respectively) .

Figures

FIGURE 5. Scanning electron micrograph of the workers of O. punctifrons; a) head in full-face view; b) mesosoma in profile view; c) petiole in dorsal view.