Proformica longipilosa, Christophe Galkowski, Claude Lebas & Philippe Wegnez, 2017

Christophe Galkowski, Claude Lebas & Philippe Wegnez, 2017, Redescription of Proformica nasuta (Nylander, 1856) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) using an integrative approach, European Journal of Taxonomy 290, pp. 1-40 : 17-20

Proformica longipilosa sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6EF784CD-C8B2-4474-840E-04AFE460C0CE

Figs 9‒10

Diagnosis

Workers varying greatly in size, the smallest having a strongly elongated head. Body black. Pubescence sparse and sculpture of tegument weak, giving a shiny aspect. Hairs on mesosoma and gaster very long.

Etymology

The epithet of this species refers to the long erect hairs on the mesosoma and gaster of workers.

Material examined

Holotype

FRANCE: minor worker from colony Mont Ventoux 10 of this study, 44.15261° N, 5.32081° E, alt. 1442 m, 14 Jul. 2011, coll. R. Blatrix ( MNHN 1598 ).

Paratypes

FRANCE: Same collection data (including nest) as holotype: 10 workers, ( MNHN 1598 ); other workers in AT (15556), LB, SMNH, XE and collections of the authors; queen ( MNHN 1598 ).

Museum material

FRANCE: MHNG-FC: 47 specimens, Orange, 14 Sep. 1883. – MCSN-EC: Orange, label with bad handwriting which could be by Forel. – MNHN-BAC: Mont Ventoux, S face, Drôme , 16 Sep. 1978, coll.

Casevitz-Weulersse; 8 workers (2 pins), Gréolières, Alpes-Maritimes ; ~ 30 workers (9 pins), Plateau de Caussols . – MCZL-KC: 5 pins, Caussol , S France, 9 Jun. 1954, leg. Stumper.

New material

FRANCE:All in personal collections of CG and RB: Plateau de Calern , 22 workers, 43.7553° N, 6.9113°E, leg. C. Galkowski, Aug. 2012, leg. A. Touchard; Plateau de Caussols, 23 workers, 43.7319° N, 6.9426° E, leg. C. Galkowski, Jun. 2012, leg. A. Touchard; Gréolières, 14 workers, 43.82° N, 6.92° E, Aug. 2012, leg. A. Touchard; Orange, 13 workers, 2 queens, 44.1344° N, 4.8084° E, 14 Jul. 2011, leg. R. Blatrix; Sisteron , 12 workers, 44.1989° N, 5.9419° E, 17 Jun. 2012, leg. R. Blatrix; Mont Ventoux , 41 workers, 4 queens, 44.1519° N, 5.3226° E, 2009, leg. C. Galkowski, 14 Jul. 2011, leg. R. Blatrix, Aug. 2011, leg. C. Lebas.

Description

Minor worker (n = 72)

CW 540–900 µm; nCH 0–10 (4.5); nCU 0–8 (3.4); nTx 3–23 (12.9); nSc 0–7 (3.4); nG 1–27 (10.1); PDG 34–48 (40.3); GHL 70–170 µm (123.7); GHL/CW 0.124–0.263 (0.171).

Media and major worker (n = 53)

CW 900–1530 µm; nCH 2–15 (8.4); nCU 2–17 (7.1); nTx 20–75 (38.9); nSc 3–22 (7.6); nG 12–43 (24.8); PDG 24–68 (43.7); GHL 140–240 µm (178.9); GHL/CW 0.117–0.186 (0.145).

Body black; only tibiae, scape and mandible brown. All parts of body with long erect hairs (GHL/CW> 0.12). Pubescence on dorsal surface of first gaster tergite sparse in all worker categories (PDG> 24), revealing smooth and shining cuticle. Profile of mesosoma sinuous. Petiolar scale erect, thick, slightly notched at summit in large workers. Head of minor workers clearly elongate, but less than in P. nasuta (CL/CW 1.16‒1.28). Head of media and major workers even less elongate (CL/CW 1.046‒1.19). Clypeus finely striate longitudinally, with faint trace of median carina. Frontal triangle and space between frontal carina also finely striate. Sculpture disappears toward occiput, cuticle becoming smooth and shining, or faintly punctuated in large workers. Scape long, surpassing occipital border.

Queen (n = 6)

CW 1530–1770 µm (1690); CL 1550–1750 µm (1660); SL 1220–1390 µm (1300); nCH 4–13 (8.20); nCU 5–7 (6.20); nTX 62–92 (79); nSc 8–13 (11.2); nG 26–36 (31.5); PDG 12–17 (14.5); GHL 210–240 µm (227); MW 1280–1410 µm (1330); ML 2240–2510 µm (2390); ScW 760–850 µm (820); GHL/CW 0.124–0.141 (0.135).

Color as in worker. Many long and erect hairs on all body parts (nG> 26, GHL> 200 µm). Some erect hairs also on femora and tibiae. Dense pubescence on entire body, masking surface of cuticle. Mesosoma less wide than head. Wing remains indicate winged queens, although wings possibly small given reduced development of scutum and scutellum. Petiolar scale high and wide, deeply notched at summit. Gaster rather small. Head almost as large as long, entirely and finely sculptured, faint riddles of anterior part replaced by puncture on posterior part, giving head an almost dull aspect. Clypeus finely striate longitudinally. Scape surpassing occipital border.

Male

Unknown.

Distribution

Southern France ( Fig. 1 ).

Remarks

We made direct comparisons between specimens of P. longipilosa sp. nov. and P. longiseta (A. Tinaut leg.) from Sierra Nevada, Spain, and P. ferreri (IRSNB-BC, 2 workers, 1 ♂ (type specimen) from Spain). The latter two species, in addition to P. nasuta , were formally described from western Europe. Specimens of P. longipilosa sp. nov. are unambiguously distinguished from those of these two species by the combination of the following characters: erect hairs on the body are longer (GHL/CW> 0.12) and the pubescence on the dorsal surface of the first gaster tergite is sparser. This last character is especially discriminant in media and major workers (PDG 24‒68, mean = 43.7). In addition, the cuticle is smoother, giving a shinier appearance, in particular on the head.

Figures

Fig. 1. Distribution of the 22 localities where Proformica nest samples were collected. The star indicates the type locality of Proformica nasuta (Nylander, 1865) (i. e., Beaucaire).

Fig. 9. Proformica longipilosa sp. nov., holotype, minor worker from colony Mont Ventoux 10, France. A. Lateral view. B. Dorsal view. C. Head in full face view. D. Gaster in dorsal view. Scale bars = 1 mm. Automontage: Claude Lebas.

Fig. 10. Proformica longipilosa sp. nov., queen from colony Mont Ventoux 10, France. A. Lateral view. B. Dorsal view. C. Head in full face view. Scale bars = 1 mm. Automontage: Claude Lebas.