Blepharidatta fernandezi, Brandão, Carlos Roberto F., Feitosa, Rodrigo M. & Diniz, Jorge L. M., 2015

Brandão, Carlos Roberto F., Feitosa, Rodrigo M. & Diniz, Jorge L. M., 2015, Taxonomic revision of the Neotropical Myrmicinae ant genus Blepharidatta Wheeler, Zootaxa 4012 (1) : 52-54

Blepharidatta fernandezi new species

( Figs 1 G – H, 9)

Holotype worker: COLOMBIA: Amazonas, Río Ayo , 1°35’S 69°31’W, Malaise trap, 12.vi.2002, F. Quevedo leg. [ ICNC] .

Holotype measurements: HL 1.15; HW 1.25; SL 0.8; ML 0.4; WL 1.4; PL 0.85; Ppl 0.3; Hfl 1.45; GL 1.3.

Paratypes: 16 workers (1 sputtered with gold), same data as holotype [2 CPDC, 2 DZUP, 2 HCJG, 2 ICNC, 2 INPA, 2 MCZC, 4 MZSP] .

Diagnosis (worker). Comparatively large species (Total length almost 5.5mm). Body predominantly black. Body mostly sparsely and irregularly covered by thin rugae. Eye weakly projecting, concealed by the frontal carina in full face view. Propodeal spine as long as the entire petiole in lateral view. Petiole strongly pedunculate, subcylindrical.

Worker measurements (n=6): HL 1.15–1.3; HW 1.15–1.25; SL 0.7–0.8; ML 0.35–0.4; WL 1.25–1.4; PL 0.7– 0.85; Ppl 0.25–0.3; Hfl 1.25–1.45; GL 1.2–1.3.

Worker description ( Figs 1 G – H). Dark-brown, with slightly lighter appendages. Body finely vermiculaterugose, especially on mesosoma; gaster mostly shining, sculpture almost inconspicuous. Mandible longitudinally striate. Clypeus without conspicuous striae or rugae. Antennal scrobe almost entirely smooth and shining, especially at the central portion; scape with a weak reticulation near the antennal insertion and at apex. Central dorsal surface of head and frontal carinae irregularly striate; striae cover a tumuliform and subtriangular central elevation with posterior margin near the vertex and lateral margins converging towards the posterior margin of clypeus. Frontal carina, area between ventral margin of scrobe and ventral margin of head in lateral view covered by polygonal cells formed by irregular striation. Ventral surface of head microreticulate and predominantly shining. Mesosoma coarsely sculptured, with completely irregular striation and fine areolae concentrated at mesopleuron and propodeal sides. Petiole and postpetiole entirely areolate and covered by faint longitudinal irregular rugulae. Gaster almost entirely smooth and shining, with feeble areolae on anterior third of first segment. Appendages entirely areolate.

Body covered by cream to brown colored long hairs; hairs suberect, slightly curved apically, and almost filiform. Anterior margin of clypeus with a row of four equally spaced short hairs. Dorsum of mandible with subdecumbent flexuous hairs. Frontal carina with about 15–17 regularly spaced and upwards bent hairs. Pilosity on mesosoma abundant, including the dorsum of propodeal spines. Dorsum of petiole, postpetiole, and gaster covered by abundant and regularly spaced hairs, except the petiolar peduncle. Appendages covered by short and subdecumbent to appressed hairs.

Head subtriangular in frontal view, with lateral margins gently converging towards mandible. Posterior margin of head slightly convex, with the occipital corners strongly expanded, broad and laterally rounded. Anterior margin of clypeus irregular and slightly convex; central disc feebly concave to flat. Antennal scrobe considerably deep and wide, able to receive the whole scape at rest; frontal carina totally covering the scrobe in frontal view. Compound eye weakly projecting, inconspicuous with head in frontal view, and with about twelve very small facets along maximum diameter. Ventral surface separated from the sides of head by a discrete carina better seen in lateral view.

Dorsal outline of mesosoma continuous and visibly convex in lateral view. Dorsum of promesonotum not interrupted by carinae or angles and elevated well above the level of propodeum. Pronotal humeral corner subquadrate, discretely projecting in dorsal view; anteroventral corner with robust anteriorly directed spine. Posterior portion of mesonotum with two conical projections directed laterally. Metanotal groove obsolete in lateral view; mesometapleural suture well–marked, clearly separating meso– and metapleuron. Dorsal profile of propodeum short and concave; propodeal spiracle directed backwards and connected to the bulla of metapleural gland by a conspicuous carina; propodeal spine as long as the entire petiole in lateral view and strongly divergent in dorsal view, forming a “V”; infraspinal lamella present and fused to the propodeal lobe; propodeal lobe wide basally, with acute apex in side view.

Petiole strongly pedunculate, subcylindrical; petiolar node elongate, with anterior face weakly sloped and posterior face virtually vertical in lateral view; ventral portion of peduncle with discrete anterior process. Postpetiole distinctly convex dorsally and more than three times shorter than petiole, without ventral processes. Gaster somewhat elongate, tergum I anterolaterally rounded in dorsal view.

Gyne, Male, and Larva. Unknown.

Etymology. This species is named in honor of the Colombian colleague Dr. Fernando C. Fernández for his important contributions to Neotropical Myrmecology and for loaning us the material here described for this species.

Comments. This species can be separated from the others in the genus by its larger size, the tumuliform subtriangular projection on the head dorsum, chaotic sculpturation pattern, and the extremely long propodeal spines. Also, this is the only species in the genus in which the eyes are inconspicuous in frontal view. All other species in the genus present bulging eyes.

Blepharidatta fernandezi is known only from two localities in Colombian Amazon and a single record in the Brazilian Amazon. Nothing is known on its biology.

Material examined: BRAZIL: Amazonas: Rio Javari, 2005, 1,979499 N 68,21812 W, J. Vilhena, 1 worker .

COLOMBIA: Amazonas: Rio Ayo 01º36’11”S 69º31’39”W (Malaise trap), vi.2002, F. Quevedo 18 workers (holotype and paratypes) ; Vaupés, Tararaira, Est. Biol. Caparu , 01º04’S, 67º31’W, 85 m alt. 14– 20.v.2001, A. Sabogal ( MZSP) .