Hylomyrma wachiperi Ulysséa, 2021

Ulysséa, Mônica Antunes, 2021, Taxonomic revision of the Neotropical ant genus Hylomyrma Forel, 1912 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae), with the description of fourteen new species, Zootaxa 5055 (1), pp. 1-137 : 126-135

Hylomyrma wachiperi Ulysséa new species

Figures 79 , 86 (map)

Holotype: PERU: Cusco: Kcosñipata District, Estac. Climatologica Ordinaria Rocotal , 1828m, 71°34.059′W, 13°6.735′S, 25.ix.2004, T.R. Schultz, J. Sosa-Calvo, C.J. Marshall, litter sample, nr. river, =JSC040925-04, JSC040925-01-LS04 (1W) (USNMENT00534691) [ USNM] . Paratypes: same data as holotype (1W) (USNMENT00534693) [ CASC] ; same except =JSC040925-05, JSC040925-01-LS05 (1W) (USNMENT00534702) [ USNM] ; (1W) (USNMENT00534699) [ MCZC] ; = JSC040925-03 , JSC040925-01-LS03 (2W) (USNMENT00534671, USNMENT00534669) [ USNM] ; = JSC040925- 16 , JSC040925-01-LS16 (1W) (USNMENT00534760) [ USNM] ; = JSC040925-14 , JSC040925-01-LS14 (1W) (USNMENT00534750) [ USNM] ; (1W) (USNMENT00534751) [ IHVL] ; = JSC040925-13 , JSC040925-01-LS13 (1W) (USNMENT00534748) [ USNM] ; (1W) (USNMENT00534742) [ DZUP] ; = JSC040925-11 , JSC040925-01-LS11 (1W 1I) (USNMENT00534729 MZSP67465 , USNMENT00534730 MZSP67466 ) [ MZSP] ; = JSC040925-12 , JSC040925-01-LS12 (1W) (USNMENT00534736 MZHY206) [ MZSP] ; = JSC040925-02 , JSC040925-01-LS02 (2I, one covered with gold) (USNMENT00534648 MZSP67467 , USNMENT00534653 MZSP67468 ) [ MZSP] .

Diagnosis. Midsized. Propodeal lobe unidentate, dorsal region rounded, ventral region with a small and blunt tooth; apex of propodeal spine curved upwards.

Description. WORKER (n=3) ( Fig. 79A–C ): HL (0.96–0.98); HW (0.92–0.94); ML (0.60–0.62); SL (0.70–0.72); MOD (0.20–0.28); PNW (0.62–0.64); WL (1.22–1.26); PSL (0.22–0.24); PL (0.58–0.60); PW (0.24–0.26); PPL (0.28–0.34); PPW (0.34–0.37); GL (1.22–1.28); TL (4.95–5); CI (93.87–97.91); SI (74.46–78.26); OI (21.27–23.40). Midsized. Shiny integument. Dark brown body, lighter trochanter, tarsi and antenna. Many thin and unbranched setae, long to midsized, erect to subdecumbent.

Head subquadrate; posterior margin slightly concave at middle. Mandible masticatory margin with 5 teeth. Anterior margin of clypeus straight medially, with a pair of small teeth laterally; median area of clypeus with 8–9 regular, longitudinal and thicker striae (macrosculpture) covered by thinner striae with indistinguishable interspaces (microsculpture). Frontal triangle with 1–3 striae. Short scape, not reaching head posterior margin; apical antennomere 1 / 4 shorter than previous 3 antennomeres together. Frontal carina slightly concave posterior to antennal socket. Eye oval, small-sized, larger diameter with 9 ommatidia. Regular and longitudinal striae on head dorsum, slightly divergent towards posterior margin, interspaces between thicker striae filled with thinner striae. Head lateral and laterodorsal regions with the same striation of head dorsum; striae converging to eye margin, anterior part of laterodorsal region with few striae connecting the region posterior to frontal carina with eye margin; gena striate, 6 thicker, regular and semicircular striae circumscribe the torulus, approaching eye margin. Interspaces between striae on head ventral surface distinguishable.

Mesosoma covered with irregular and longitudinal striae, interspaces smooth; transverse striae on pronotum anterior region (DV) directed to lateral of pronotum, longitudinal in other regions of pronotum (DV); lateral of pronotum and mesepisternum with longitudinal striae in part continuing transversely on propodeum dorsum and in part continuing towards propodeal spine. Dorsal margin of mesonotum convex. Promesonotal junction discernible by a depression. Metanotal groove indistinct. Transverse carina well-marked. Dorsal margin of mesosoma discontinuous, convex. Propodeal lobe unidentate, dorsal region rounded, ventral region with a small and blunt tooth. Propodeal spine midsized, apex curved upwards (LV), divergent (DV), sculptured on base. Procoxa striae of uniform thickness; regular and transverse striae on C2 and C3. Profemur predominantly covered with regular and transverse striae, ventral surface smooth. Protibia extensor surface entirely covered with regular and longitudinal striae.

Dorsal margin of petiole discontinuous; ventral surface with few transverse, regular and thin striae, slightly marked. Petiole mesoventral surface armed with subtriangular projection. Convex node; regular and transverse striae on anterior surface continuing inclined and irregular on lateral surface, striae weakly marked; irregular and transverse striae on dorsal surface. Postpetiole covered with regular and longitudinal striae; subpostpetiolar process with the same sculpture of postpetiole on laterobasal region, striae weakly marked, midbasal region smooth; subpostpetiolar process weak, straight.

First gastral segment striation similar to postpetiole striae; longitudinal striae on tergum longer than postpetiole length; sternite striation covering the laterobasal region.

QUEEN Unknown.

MALE Unknown.

Etymology. The epithet wachiperi is a non-Latin noun used in apposition and refers to the local ethnic group. The distribution of this species is restricted to Kcosñipata, Peru and the native ethnic group of this region identify itself as “ wachiperi ”. The species name is also a tribute to the indigenous populations for protecting biodiversity, maintaining the forest, and guarding creole seeds. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition, indeclinable in accordance to articles 31.2.1 and 31.2.3 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature.

Comments. This species is unlikely to be confused with any other congener. The combination of the apex of propodeal spine curved upwards, the propodeal lobe unidentate (only the ventral tooth is present), and the dorsal region of propodeal lobe rounded is unique in the genus. Hylomyrma wachiperi is similar to H. reitteri and H. dandarae . All three are allopatric; H. wachiperi occurs in Peru ( Fig. 86 ), H. dandarae occur in Bolivia and Colombia ( Fig. 83 ), and H. reitteri in Brazil and Paraguay ( Fig. 85 ). Hylomyrma wachiperi differs from H. reitteri (characteristic in parentheses) in the oval eye (vs. reniform), the striate ventral surface of petiole (vs. smooth surface), and the tergum of the first gastral segment with long striae (vs. short striae). Hylomyrma wachiperi can be distinguished from H. dandarae in the regular striae on the head dorsum (vs. irregular striae), the irregular striae on the mesosomal dorsum (vs. rugose striae), the indistinct metanotal groove (vs. distinct), the long propodeal spine (vs. short), and the tergum of the first gastral segment with short striae (vs. long striae).

Two specimens were identified as intercastes by the presence of three ocelli, a more pronounced depression on the promesonotal junction than that found in workers, modifications on the mesonotum and metanotum, and the larger body measures [HL (1.02–1.05); HW (0.98–1); ML (0.64); SL (0.72–0.74); MOD (0.24); PNW (0.70); WL (1.36); PSL (0.27–0.28); PL (0.64–0.66); PW (0.25–0.27); PPL (0.40); PPW (0.38); GL (1.32–1.40); TL (5.38– 5.51)].

Distribution. Hylomyrma wachiperi is only known from Kcosñipata District, Cusco, Peru ( Fig. 86 ).

Natural history. This species inhabits sites in tropical rainforest at elevations of 1,825 m. All specimens were collected in leaf-litter, which suggests that nests are located in fallen logs, rotten wood, between leaves, or inside natural cavities of the superficial soil layers. Except for the presence of intercastes, there is no further information available regarding the biology of H. wachiperi .

Figures

FIGURE 79. Holotype worker of Hylomyrma wachiperi (USNMENT00534691). A) frontal view; B) dorsal view; C) lateral view. Photos by Ricardo Kawada.

FIGURE 83. Distribution records of Hylomyrma adelae, H. dandarae, H. longiscapa, H. montana, and H. sagax.

FIGURE 85. Distribution records of Hylomyrma columbica, H. marielleae, H. plumosa, and H. reitteri.

FIGURE 86. Distribution records of Hylomyrma dentiloba, H. macielae, H. reginae, H. villemantae, and H. wachiperi.