Echinopla brevisetosa, Zettel, Herbert & Laciny, Alice, 2015

Zettel, Herbert & Laciny, Alice, 2015, Contributions to the taxonomy of the ant genus Echinopla Smith, 1857 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 62 (1), pp. 101-121 : 104-105

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Formicidae

Echinopla brevisetosa sp. n. Figs 9-12

Type material.

Holotype (worker, NMM) and paratype (worker, ZCW) from the Philippines, Mindanao Island, Bukidnon Province, Malaybalay City, Kaamulan site, 650 m a.s.l., 15-20.III.2000, leg. H. Zettel.

Diagnosis

(worker). Predominantly black, small, stout species, TL = 4.0. Surface polyporous, dorsal margins of mesosoma with sharp tubercles. Head wider than long (CI = 106-109). Mesosoma roughly 1.3 times as long as pronotal width, with sharp and deep incision in front of propodeum. Pronotal width subequal to head width, if eyes excluded. Propodeum slightly shorter than promesonotum. Petiole dentate, with one long tooth and two small denticles laterally below lateral tooth. Gaster tergite 1 anteriorly with relatively fine pores and very narrow interspaces. Setae on dorsal surface, legs and scape relatively short. Short setae on tibia not reaching base of distally following setae.

Description.

Measurements of holotype worker: TL 4.0; HW1 1.09; HW2 0.99; HL 1.02; EL 0.23; SL 0.87; SW 0.11; HaL 0.08; PML 0.67; PMW 0.97; PpL 0.61; PpW 0.88; PH 0.50; PL 0.37; PW 0.98; GL 1.20; GW 1.17. Indices: CI 106; SI 80; MI 133.

Measurements of paratype worker: TL 3.9; HW1 1.11; HW2 0.98; HL 1.02; EL 0.22; SL 0.91; SW 0.12; HaL 0.09; PML 0.65; PMW 1.02; PpL 0.63; PpW 0.91; PH 0.46; PL 0.36; PW 0.98; GL 1.22; GW 1.20. Indices: CI 109; SI 82; MI 126.

Structures: Head wider than long, subtrapezoidal, with slightly convex sides; dorsally and laterally polyporous, with closely set pores, posterolaterally with a few minute tubercles, matt; ventral surface smooth and shiny. Compound eye relatively small, moderately protruding, positioned almost at mid-length of head (very slightly behind). Frons with prominent median carina; frontal lobes chiefly horizontally oriented, in dorsal aspect covering antennal fossae only in part, maximum distance of margins clearly behind mid-length, slightly greater than half of HW2. Clypeus with distinct median carina, anterior margin almost straight. Mandibles striate, masticatory margin with five teeth. Antennal scape moderately long, almost straight, steadily widened from base to apex; antennomeres 8-10 approximately as wide as long.

Mesosoma stout, length roughly 1.3 times pronotum width; propodeum slightly shorter than promesonotum. Surface polyporous, with closely set pores, dorsal margins with sharp tubercles. Pronotum with distinct lateral angles, approximately as wide as head excluding eyes. Promesonotal suture very weak, indicated by a few deeper pits. Mesometanotal suture sharp, narrow and deep. In dorsal aspect mesosoma with waist-like incision in front of propodeum. Legs moderately long; femora not much widened.

Petiole wide and stout, subtriangular in lateral, strongly transverse in dorsal aspect; surface structure as on mesosoma; sharp dorsal crest bearing six sharp teeth of slightly varying length; lateral tooth strongly developed; below lateral tooth with one long tooth and two small denticles. Gaster tergite 1 slightly longer than wide, completely covering the following tergites; hind margin convex, finely serrate; surface polyporous, interspaces smooth and shiny; distances of pores everywhere clearly smaller than their diameters.

Pilosity: Entire trunk dorsally and laterally with dense, appressed white pilosity and moderately long white standing setae; standing setae on anterior part of gaster tergite 1 slightly longer. White standing setae on scape about as long as the setae on head. Legs with fine appressed pilosity. Femora with only 0-3 standing setae on flexor side. Tibiae and first tarsomeres of middle and hind leg with relatively few oblique white setae; on tibiae their length smaller than their distance.

Colour: Trunk black, without metallic shimmer, appearing grey by whitish pilosity. Antenna with black scape; funiculus reddish dark brown, paler towards apex. Mandible basally black, distally pale brown; other mouthparts yellowish. Legs: forecoxa black; middle and hind coxa and all trochanters pale testaceous; femora and hind tibia blackish brown; other tibiae and tarsi brown, paler towards apical tarsomeres.

Comparative notes.

Echinopla brevisetosa sp. n. is similar to Echinopla wardi sp. n. from West Malaysia, but has a more slender mesosoma, a relatively longer propodeum and a differently structured petiole that bears one slender tooth and two small denticles below the lateral spine whereas the petiole of Echinopla wardi sp. n. has three relatively strong teeth. Echinopla brevisetosa sp. n. differs distinctly from Echinopla wardi sp. n. and Echinopla madli sp. n. by the very short tibial setae.

Etymology.

From Latin adjectives brevis meaning short and setosus meaning bristly, and referring to the short pilosity of trunk, scape and legs.