Parasyscia wilsoni, Chen & Liang & Du, 2022

Chen, Zhilin, Liang, Cuijun & Du, Congcong, 2022, Revision of Chinese species of the ant genus Parasyscia Emery, 1882 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Dorylinae), Zootaxa 5196 (3), pp. 301-330 : 325-327

Parasyscia wilsoni sp. nov.

( Fig. 31 )

Holotype worker: CHINA: Yunnan: Xishuangbanna, Mengla , 1321 m, 21.6466° N, 101.5247° E, 28.VIII.2019, Yunchuang Xiong leg., No. GXNU194010 [ GXNU] . Paratypes: same data as holotype, No. GXNU 194022 [1 worker, GXNU; 1 worker, SWFU] .

Diagnosis. Bicolored; mesosoma, petiole and abdominal segment III reddish; head and rest of gastral segments black, posterior margin straight, posterolateral corners rounded, eyes large. Posterior edge of propodeum with carinate, posterior corner in lateral view obtusely angular. Head, mesosoma, petiole and abdominal segment III with deep puncta, or punctate-reticulate.

Measurements of holotype worker. HL 1.05, HW 0.90, CI 86, SL 0.63, SI 70, ED 0.18, MSL 1.35, PW 0.70, PL 0.55, PH 0.45, DPW 0.58, LPI 82, DPI 105, TL 5.08.

Measurements of paratype workers. HL 0.90–0.97, HW 0.85–0.90, CI 92–94, SL 0.55–0.57, SI 63–64, ED 0.16–0.17, MSL 1.24–1.31, PW 0.62–0.66, PL 0.50–0.52, PH 0.62–0.64, DPW 0.51–0.53, LPI 123–124, DPI 102, TL 4.66–4.92, (n=2).

Head. in full-face view subrectangular, longer than broad (CI 86), broader posteriorly, with general convex margins and straight posterior margin, posterolateral corners rounded. lateral portion of clypeus straight, without any prominent lobe. Frontal carina short, separate and feebly convergent posteriorly.Antennae with 12 segments, scapes when laid back from their insertions surpass to the posterior margin of eyes. Eyes large (ED ≥0.16), ommatidia with a clear edge. Mesosoma. In lateral view, dorsal outline general convex, posterodorsal corner obtuse-angulate, posterior edge of propodeum carinate, declivity of propodeum almost straight. In dorsal view, propodeum broader than pronotum and mesonotum. Metasoma. Petiole in lateral view, petiolar node appears subrectangular, with nearly straight anterior and posterior margins, dorsum convex, anterodorsal corner angular, posterodorsal corner rounded; subpetiolar process subrectangular, ventral margin straight, or cuneiform, anteroventral corner rounded, posteroventral corner obtuse-angulate. In dorsal view, petiole lateral margins convergent anteriorly, anterior margin straight and carinate, anterolateral corners and posterodorsal corners rounded. In lateral view, first gastral segment subrectangular, higher than long. In dorsal view, first gastral segment subtrapezoidal, broader posteriorly, almost as long as wide; lateral margins weakly convex. Sculpture. Head with large puncta, mid-dorsal portion of mesosoma with sparse puncta, lower half of pronotum smooth and shiny, propodeum punctate, petiole and puncta deeply punctate-reticulate; rest of abdominal segment mostly smooth and shiny, with sparse piligerous punctures. Pilosity. Body entirely densely covered with suberect or erect hairs. Color. Mesosoma, petiole and abdominal segment III reddish brown, head and rest of gastral segments black.

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Notes. P. wilsoni sp. nov. is very closed to P. aitkenii , but can be easily distinguished from the latter by the posterodorsal corner of propodeum angular, and the angle between the dorsum and the declivity of propodeum about 110°; mesosoma and petiole with deep punctures. whereas P. aitkenii posterodorsal corner of propodeum is rounded, the angle between the dorsum and the declivity of propodeum about 130°; mesosoma and petiole with shallow punctures.

Etymology. The specific epithet is dedicated to the renowned scientist Edward O. Wilson from Harvard University, in honour of his outstanding contribution in the fields of myrmecology, sociobiology, biodiversity, and conservation.

Figures

FIGURE 31. Parasyscia wilsoni sp. nov. Holotype worker. Head in full-face view (A), distribution map (B), body in dorsal view (C), body in lateral view (D).