Nylanderia zaminyops, Kallal, 2019

Kallal, Robert J., 2019, Nylanderia of the World Part III: Nylanderia in the West Indies, Zootaxa 4658 (3), pp. 401-451 : 444-445

Nylanderia zaminyops , sp. nov.

Figs. 103–104 (worker)

Holotype worker, TRINIDAD: Mt. Harris , 18 km mark, 21 Nov 2003, J. Wetterer #244 ( NMNH). 1 paratype worker same locality as holotype (specimen is from the same nest as holotype); 1 paratype worker, TRINIDAD: Arena Forest, W. Wild Dog Ride, 31 Oct 2003, J. Wetterer #219 ( MCZC); 1 paratype worker, TRINIDAD: Aripo Village, 1 km SSW, 12 Sept 2003, J. Wetterer #33 ( MCZC), 1 paratype worker, TRINIDAD: Blanckisseuse Road, 1 km S Asa Wright, J. Wetterer #211( NMNH).

Worker diagnosis: Eyes distinctly small ( EL ≤ 0.1 mm; REL 13–17; SI2: 11–14); uniformly brownish-yellow. Compare with: N. microps , N. myops WORKER. Measurements (n=5): TL: 2.10–2.60; HW: 0.54–0.57; HL: 0.58–0.65; EL: 0.08–0.10; SL: 0.69– 0.76; WL: 0.73–0.85; GL: 0.70–1.10. SMC: 17–30; PMC: 3–5; MMC: 2–4. Indices: CI: 83–88; REL: 13–17; SI: 135–149; SI2: 11–14.

Head: sides of head in full face view nearly parallel; posterolateral corners rounded; posterior margin rounded, slightly emarginate medially; anterior clypeal margin slightly emarginated to nearly straight; ocelli absent; eye small. Mesosoma: in lateral view, pronotum convex; anterior margin of mesonotum raised slightly above posterior pronotal margin; metanotal area without a short flat area before spiracle; dorsal face of propodeum slightly convex; dorsal face of propodeum and mesonotum approximately the same height in lateral view. Color and pilosity: body brownish-yellow; legs sometimes slightly lighter in color; macrosetae distinctly darker than body; scapes and legs with abundant pubescence, dorsum of first and second gastral tergites with scattered pubescence; pubescence sparse to absent across remainder of body.

Etymology: Species epithet is a combination of za- (L. = very), mini- (L. = minute), and –ops (L. = eye), referring to the markedly small eyes of this species.

Notes: This is the third small-eyed Nylanderia known from the West Indies (after N. microps and N. myops ). Superficially on first examination this species resembles N. guatemalensis , but the eyes are much too small and overall the cuticle is distinctly smooth and shiny. Additionally, the SI2 is much lower in N. zaminops (measured range: 11–14; N. guatemalensis measured range: 18–26). Given this species is known from Trinidad it would not be surprising if it also occurred in northeastern South America, but to date we have not seen specimens of N. zaminyops from that region of the Neotropics.

Figures

FIGURES 103–104. Nylanderia zaminyops worker USNMENT00921170. Lateral and full-face view.