Zasphinctus ndouri Hita Garcia & Gómez, 2025

Hita Garcia, Francisco, Gómez, Kiko, Keller, Roberto A., Schurian, Bernhard & Economo, Evan P., 2025, A never-ending story: updated 3 D cyber-taxonomic revision of the ant genus Zasphinctus Wheeler (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Dorylinae) for the Afrotropical region, ZooKeys 1223, pp. 1-55 : 1-55

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.3897/zookeys.1223.131238
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:974E3C3D-A08E-42CB-B75E-D7A329B1B715
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14606291
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/41DA750F-A9AA-520B-9DB8-4C0E4CB7A500
treatment provided by	ZooKeys by Pensoft
scientific name	Zasphinctus ndouri Hita Garcia & Gómez
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Zasphinctus ndouri Hita Garcia & Gómez sp. nov.

Figs 3 E View Figure 3 , 4 E View Figure 4 , 5 E View Figure 5 , 6 E View Figure 6 , 7 E View Figure 7 , 8 E View Figure 8 , 10 E View Figure 10 , 11 E View Figure 11 , 12 E View Figure 12 , 13 E View Figure 13 , 14 E View Figure 14 , 15 E View Figure 15 , 16 E View Figure 16 , 17 E View Figure 17 , 18 E View Figure 18 , 19 E View Figure 19 , 20 E View Figure 20 , 21 E View Figure 21 , 28 View Figure 28

Type material examined.

Holotype • Pinned worker, Senegal, Kedougou, Neménick, Niokolo Koba 10 Km W (Niokolo Koba NP), savannah, Winkler, 13.0764, - 12.78196, collection code KG 05413, 1. - 30. IV. 2018 (A. Diallo) ( RBINS: KGCOL 01883 About RBINS ) GoogleMaps . Paratypes • Eight pinned workers with same data as holotype ( CASC: KGCOL 02264 ; KGAC: KGCOL 02258 ; MNHNC: KGCOL 02259 ; NHMUK: KGCOL 02262 About NHMUK ; RBINS: KGCOL 02260 About RBINS ; SAMC: KGCOL 02263 View Materials ; ZMHB: KGCOL 02261 ) GoogleMaps .

Cybertype • Dataset of the holotype ( KGCOL 01883 ) consists of the volumetric raw data (in DICOM format), 3 D surface model (in PLY format), still images of multiple body parts from surface volume renderings of 3 D models, stacked digital colour images illustrating head in full-face view, profile and dorsal views of the body. The data is deposited at Zenodo (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12593275) and can be freely accessed as virtual representation of the physical holotype. In addition to the data on Zenodo, we also provide a freely accessible 3 D surface model at Sketchfab (https://skfb.ly/p7MpY).

Differential worker diagnosis.

With characters of the Z. sarowiwai group plus the following: body size significantly larger (HL 0.73–0.77; WL 0.98–1.05); torular – posttorular complex in profile comparatively lower and funnel – shaped (Fig. 5 E View Figure 5 ); vertexal margin very weak and dorsum smoothly rounding onto posterior face of head (Figs 6 E View Figure 6 , 7 E View Figure 7 ); lateral arms of hypostomal carina strongly diverging anteriorly, relatively thick, and strongly angulate at widest points (Fig. 8 E View Figure 8 ); postgenal sulcus weakly impressed and running halfway to occipital margin (Fig. 8 E View Figure 8 ); posterodorsal margin of mesosoma continuous across its entire length (Figs 11 E View Figure 11 , 12 E View Figure 12 ); subpetiolar process of petiole ( AS II) in profile only weakly thickened anterior and ventral margins, weak concavity and no conspicuous fenestra (Fig. 13 E View Figure 13 ); petiolar tergum in dorsal view relatively thicker: ~ 1.2 × broader than long (DPI 116–123) (Fig. 14 E View Figure 14 ); abdominal sternum III in ventral view campaniform, comparatively broad and short, sides strongly rounded (Fig. 16 E View Figure 16 ); posterior end of abdominal segment III in ventral view with transverse groove weak to absent, instead with irregular groves and rugosity (Fig. 16 E View Figure 16 ); prora in anteroventral view well-developed with sharply and very regularly shaped lateroventral margins (Fig. 16 E View Figure 16 ); abdominal segment VI in dorsal view moderately sized: around 1.7–1.8 × broader than long (DA 6 I 168–179) (Fig. 17 E View Figure 17 ); girdling constrictions between abdominal segments IV, V, VI cross-ribbed (Fig. 18 E View Figure 18 ); surface sculpture on cephalic dorsum and genae completely smooth and very shiny with moderately dense, deep, and moderately sized to large piliferous foveae (Figs 4 E View Figure 4 , 5 E View Figure 5 , 19 E View Figure 19 , 20 E View Figure 20 ); general surface sculpture on mesosoma and metasoma almost completely smooth and very shiny with scattered, piliferous foveae (Figs 20 E View Figure 20 , 21 E View Figure 21 ).

Measurements and indices.

Morphometric data is based on eight workers from Senegal and can be seen in Table 2 View Table 2 , Suppl. material 3.

Etymology.

The species epithet is a Latinised noun in the genitive case, dedicated to the Senegalese activist, composer, and musician Youssou N’Dour.

Distribution and biology.

Currently, Z. ndouri is only known from its type locality, the Niokolo Koba National Park in Senegal. Unlike the other species treated herein, Z. ndouri was found in a tropical savanna habitat.