Cardiocondyla tenuifrons Seifert 2003

Seifert, Bernhard, 2023, A revision of the Palaearctic species of the ant genus Cardiocondyla Emery 1869 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Zootaxa 5274 (1), pp. 1-64 : 45

Cardiocondyla tenuifrons Seifert 2003 [type investigation]

This taxon has been described from Jordan. Investigated was the holotype worker and two worker paratypes labelled “ JORDANIA: Abdallah zw. Shobek und Wadi Musa, 1996.03.30, No 1, leg. Chr. Dietrich ”, SMN Görlitz .

All material examined. Only the type series with three workers was available for examination. For details see supplementary information SI1, SI2. This material originated from Jordan (1 sample) .

Geographic range. So far only known from the type locality situated at (34.477°N, 70.365°E, 592 m).

Diagnosis: --Worker ( Tab. 3 , Figs. 74–77 , images under CASENT0917207 in www.antweb.org, key). Rather small, CS 509 µm. Head rather long, CL/CW 1.205. Postocular index larger than in any member of the batesii group, PoOc/CL 0.413. Median third of hind margin of head straight. Scape moderately long, SL/CS 0.804. Eye large, EYE/CS 0.267. Frons narrow (FRS/CS 0.238), frontal carinae strongly converging immediately caudal of FRS level (FL/FR 1.149). Dorsal profile of promesonotum moderately convex, metanotal depression shallow (MGr/CS 2.00 %), dorsal profile of propodeum moderately convex. Propodeal spines short (SP/CS 0.093), acute, and very steep, their angle differing by 50° from longitudinal axis of mesosoma; their bases more approached (SPBA/CS 0.237). Petiole distinctly higher than wide (PeW/CS 0.272, PeH/CS 0.325), in profile with a short but rather thin peduncle, a straight to weakly convex anterior face and the anterior and posterior slopes of the node equally inclined—as result the node profile is symmetric. Petiole node wedge-shaped in dorsocaudal view. Postpetiole moderately wide and rather high (PpW/CS 0.516, PpW /PeW 1.90, PpH/CS 0.288), in dorsal view with a straight anterior margin and roughly trapezoidal—when tilted caudad as in Fig. 76 , anterior margin concave; postpetiolar sternite completely flat. Clypeus on whole surface rather smooth and shiny but very finely longitudinally carinulate. Frontal lobes and area posterior of the frontal lobes longitudinally rugulose-carinulate. Foveolae on vertex shallow, of 13–15 µm diameter, with an inner corona, foveolar margins not ideally circular, often kinked or breached by short microrugulae running partially or entirely through the foveolae; foveolar interspaces wider than foveolar diameter, shiny and with fine cross-branched to semireticulate microstructures ( Fig. 77 ). Dorsal mesosoma shiny, with shallow foveolae and fine cross-branched microstructures. Ventrolateral mesosoma with well-developed microreticulum, metapleuron with few longitudinal carinulae. Petiole and postpetiole smooth and shiny but delicately microreticulate. Pubescence on gaster tergites short and dilute, PLG/CS 5.37 %, sqPDG 5.57. Head and gaster dark brown. Mesosoma and waist medium brown, with yellowish-red component.

Taxonomic comments and clustering results. As a combination of very high FL/FR and very high PoOc/CL, Cardiocondyla tenuifrons can be separated from any closely related species.

Biology. Unknown

Figures

FIGURES 74–77. Cardiocondyla tenuifrons, holotype; Fig. 74: head in dorsal view; Fig. 75: lateral view (flipped horizontally); Fig. 76: dorsal view; Fig. 77: head surface between inner eye margin and paramedian vertex (flipped horizontally). Jordan: Abdallah, 1996.03.30