Colobopsis badia (Smith, 1857)

Laciny, Alice, Zettel, Herbert, Kopchinskiy, Alexey, Pretzer, Carina, Pal, Anna, Salim, Kamariah Abu, Rahimi, Mohammad Javad, Hoenigsberger, Michaela, Lim, Linda, Jaitrong, Weeyawat & Druzhinina, Irina S., 2018, Colobopsisexplodens sp. n., model species for studies on " exploding ants " (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), with biological notes and first illustrations of males of the Colobopsiscylindrica group, ZooKeys 751, pp. 1-40 : 21-25

Colobopsis badia (Smith, 1857) Figs 8, 10

Formica badia : Smith 1857: 54.

Camponotus badius : Roger 1863: 3.

Colobopsis badia : Ward et al. 2016: 350. Bolton 2017.

Type material

examined. 1 lectotype minor worker (Oxford University Museum of Natural History, present designation), Singapore, " Formica badia ", “Syntype”, CASENT 0901897, "Lectotypus Formica badia Smith, 1857 des. Laciny & Zettel, 2017", 2 paralectotype minor workers (Oxford University Museum of Natural History) mounted on the same card, Sarawak ("Sar 32"), " Formica badia ", “Syntype”, "Paralectotypes Formica badia Smith, 1857".

Additional material examined.

1 male (Natural History Museum Vienna), Thailand, Trang Province, Nayong District, Khao Chong Botanical Garden, at light of head quarter, 7°33'N, 99°46'E, 60 m a.s.l., 1-7.VI.2016, leg. H. Zettel (68); 10 minor workers (Natural History Museum Vienna), Thailand, Trang Province, Nayong District, Khao Chong Botanical Garden, trail to Ton Pliw Waterfall, N07°32'34", E99°47'33", 150 m a.s.l., 1-7.VI.2016, leg. H. Zettel (66-4).

Description notes on the type specimens.

Lectotype: Minor worker glued to a square cardboard, in relatively good condition; right hind leg missing; tarsi of middle legs and left hind leg broken; erect setae on dorsum probably lost. Structures agree well with other species of the C. saundersi complex, a few characteristic features are given: Setae on scape more decumbent than in C. explodens sp. n. Dorsal outline of mesosoma almost straight, only with weak indentation at meso-metanotal suture. Propodeum forming a distinct obtuse angle in lateral view. Petiolar node relatively short, apex acute in lateral view, its crest slightly indented in middle. Tergites I–III with very fine, strongly transverse microsculpture (lateral parts not visible). Colour relative ly dark brown; appendages strongly infuscate; antennal segments III–XII, meso- and metafemora almost black.

Paralectotypes: Two minor workers glued to the same square cardboard, in relatively poor condition. Left specimen with damaged head and gaster, lacking right middle leg; major parts of body covered by dirt or glue; most erect setae probably lost. Right specimen with slightly damaged head, lacking gaster and right hind leg; some parts of body covered by dirt or glue; most erect setae probably lost. The two specimens are probably conspecific, but conspecificity with the lectotype is uncertain. The combination of morphological features is intermediate between C. badia and C. explodens sp. n.: setae on scape similar to C. explodens sp. n., more erect than in the lectotype; dorsal outline of mesosoma intermediate, more structured than in the lectotype, but propodeum with angle; shape of node intermediate, apex more acute than in C. explodens sp. n. Colour almost as dark as in the lectotype.

Measurements of lectotype minor worker: TL 6.13; HW 1.51; HL 1.63; HS 1.57; PS5 n.a.; PS6 n.a.; EL 0.40; SL 1.43; SW 0.15; ML 1.96; HaL 0.17; PH 0.54; PL 0.36; NH 0.32; FeL 2.22. Indices: CI 93; SI 95; SWI 10; EI 26; PI 150; FeI 147; PSI n.a.

Measurements of paralectotype minor workers* (n = 2): TL 6.13, n.a.; HW n.a., 1.36; HL n.a., 1.52; HS n.a., 1.44; PS5 n.a., 0.21; PS6 n.a., 0.25; EL 0.36, 0.37; SL 1.39, 1.40; SW 0.12, 0.13; ML 1.89; HaL 0.13, n.a.; PH n.a., 0.51; PL 0.37, 0.42; NH 0.27; FeL 2.15. Indices: CI n.a., 89; SI n.a., 103; SWI 8, 9; EI n.a., 27; PI n.a., 121; FeI n.a., 158; PSI n.a., 32. *One specimen with strongly damaged head, one with missing gaster.

Measurements of non-type minor workers (n = 10): TL 5.64-6.23; HW 1.46-1.59; HL 1.63-1.72; HS 1.54-1.65; PS5 0.24-0.25 (3); PS6 0.24 (3); EL 0.38-0.40; SL 1.37-1.43; SW 0.13-0.14; ML 1.96-2.22; HaL 0.13-0.19; PH 0.51-0.56 (7); PL 0.41-0.45; NH 0.31-0.37 (9); FeL 2.09-2.28. Indices: CI 88-92; SI 90-96; SWI 9-10; EI 25-27; PI 118-130 (7); FeI 141-148; PSI 30-31 (3).

Male.

Notes on collecting and identification: A single male collected at light was identified as a specimen of the C. cylindrica group. DNA barcoding revealed specific identity with a nest series of C. badia from the same botanical garden. The morphological identification of this nest series (Col. 66-4) was carried out by direct comparison to the lectotype of C. badia .

Description (Fig. 10): Overall very similar to C. explodens sp. n. and differing by the following characters:

Measurements of male (n = 1): TL 8.28; HW 1.35; HL 1.26; HS 1.30; PS5 0.20; PS6 0.15; EL 0.48; SL 0.83; SW 0.10; ML 3.07; HaL n.a.; PH 0.47; PL 0.41; NH 0.31; FeL 1.96; OcW 0.19; OED 0.29; OcD 0.46; FWL 7.43; MSW 1.37; 2r 0.41; 4Rs+M 0.37. Indices: CI 107; SI 61; SWI 13; EI 36; PI 116; FeI 145; PSI 26; OI 61; WVI 91.

Structures: Size larger (TL ca. 8.3 mm). Integument rather shiny (Fig. 10a, b), especially on mesosoma. Clypeus with distinctly developed median carina, almost reaching anterior margin. Maxillary palpi (PSI 26) and antennal scapes (SI 61) relatively short. First funicular segment slightly more enlarged (30% wider than the following segment, Fig. 10a). Vein 4Rs+M of forewing long. Petiolar node slightly more widely rounded in lateral aspect.

Genital structures (Fig. 10 c–g) very similar to C. explodens sp. n., with the following exceptions: Gonostylus very narrow, with weaker reticulation of lateral surface (Fig. 10e). Basivolsella with extremely short ventral setae (Fig. 10f). Digitus with rounded apex, without ventroapical corner (Fig. 10f). Valviceps with slightly coarser ventral serration (Fig. 10g).

Colour: Head chiefly dark brown, with lighter area comprising frons between antennal insertions and clypeus. Eyes grey. Ocelli clear, almost colourless. Posterior and anterior clypeal margins, as well as proximal fourth of clypeal carina black. Gaster dark brown. Mesosoma, petiole, mandibles, antennae, and legs lighter brown, appendages becoming yellowish towards apices. Antennal insertions, mandibular bases, margins of thoracic sclerites (especially below tegulae) creamy yellow. Gastral tergites medially with very narrow hyaline margins; sternites with relatively broad posterior margins. Wings hyaline, forewing with a slight brownish tinge and cells along veins, as well as pterostigma darker brownish, all veins pale brown. On hind wing all veins pale yellow.

Pilosity: Appressed and subdecumbent setae comparatively shorter and sparser, but difference less obvious on gaster. Standing setae on mesonotum and gaster shorter, on mesonotum less numerous.

Comparative notes: The male of C. badia can be distinguished from males of C. explodens sp. n. by larger body size, differing colour pattern, more shiny integument, well-developed clypeal carina, differing proportions of wing venation, and relatively shorter scapes (Fig. 8b). In the genitalia, the most striking differences are in the narrower gonostylus and the more rounded digitus apex (compare Figs 7e, 10f).