Anomalomyrma helenae, Borowiec, Marek L., Schulz, Andreas, Alpert, Gary D. & Baňař, Petr, 2011

Borowiec, Marek L., Schulz, Andreas, Alpert, Gary D. & Baňař, Petr, 2011, Discovery of the worker caste and descriptions of two new species of Anomalomyrma (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Leptanillinae) with unique abdominal morphology, Zootaxa 2810, pp. 1-14 : 6-8

Anomalomyrma helenae n. sp.

Figs. 5–8 .

Holotype worker. PHILIPPINES: Palawan, El Nido Region, Bulalacao Waterfall, 11°13'41" N 119°28'00" E, 200– 450 m, seasonal dry primary forest on steep slope near the waterfall (A. Schulz) 25 XI 2009, CASENT0220220. The ants were sifted from leaf litter on wet forest floor and extracted with a Winkler apparatus.

Paratype worker. Same data as holotype, CASENT0220221.

Holotype will be deposited in Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Karlsruhe, Germany and the paratype will be deposited in California Academy of Sciences Collection, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Etymology. This species is dedicated to Helene Faulhaber for her understanding.

Description of worker. Measurements and ratios of holotype worker. HW 0.67, HL 0.75, MaL 0.51, SL 0.86, ML 1.36, PrW 0.61, PW 0.39, PL 0.26, AIIIW 0.48, AIIIL 0.30, AIVW 0.68, AIVL 0.71, FCoW 0.32, FCoL 0.66, CS 0.71, BS 0.93, HW/HL 0.89, SL/HW 1.27, PL/PW 0.66, PL/AIIIL 0.84, PW/AIIIW 0.80, AIIIL/AIIIW 0.63, PW/ML: 0.29, AIIIW/ML: 0.3. Measurements and ratios of paratype worker. HW 0.70, HL 0.79, MaL 0.52, SL 0.88, ML 1.39, PrW 0.65, PW 0.41, PL 0.32, AIIIW 0.55, AIIIL 0.33, AIVW 0.68, AIVL 0.65, FCoL 0.66, FCoW 0.32, CS 0.75, BS 0.95, HW/HL 0.89, SL/HW 1.26, PL/PW 0.79, PL/AIIIL 0.97, PW/AIIIW 0.74, AIIIL/AIIIW 0.60, PW/ML: 0.29, AIIIW/ML: 0.39. Head longer than broad, vertex margin medially slightly concave, posterior corners more abruptly rounded. Occipital carina visible in frontal view. Head sides evenly and slightly convex, with tooth-like prominence lateral of antennal sockets, with a notch below. Eyes absent. Mandible elongate, sabreto sickle-like and downcurved, only with marginal basal margin. Masticatory margin with one row of about 20 irregular, very small, cuticular saw-blade like teeth. Mandible with an obvious dorsolateral groove, framed by ridges, with a conspicuous basal pit arising laterally on the mandible and close to mandibular insertions. In lateral view the mandibles are thin and strongly bent backwards, apically each mandible with one thick, very long hair. Labrum with 10–12 very long (nearly equally long as mandible blade) hairs. Labrum armed with seven peg-like teeth, from which the two submedian are longer than the others. Palp formula 4,2 or 4,1 (uncertain in situ count). Clypeus broad, in lateral view raised convexly over the remaining surface of head. In dorsal full face view anterior margin of clypeus evenly concave, posteriorly separated from frons by transverse impression. Antennae with 12 segments, not clavate, all segments longer than broad. Scape very long, distinctly longer then head width. Neck of pronotum with an oval median depression. Pronotum high and bulky. Promesonotal connection flexible. In lateral view mesosoma with a deep and wide metanotal groove, in dorsal view between mesonotum and propodeum distinctly constricted. Katepisternum bordered by a keeled edge. Propodeum delimited from thorax by a scrobiculatefossulate groove, visible in lateral and dorsal views. In lateral view propodeum with dorsal surface flat, declivitous and dorsal faces meeting at obtuse angle. In dorsal view the propodeum is distinctly narrower than pronotum, and the base of it is broader than the upper part. Propodeal spiracle and metapleural gland bulla separated by about twice the spiracle diameter. Bulla of metapleural gland visible though semi-translucent cuticle. Metapleural trench present below bulla. Forelegs enlarged, coxa and femur broadened, mid- and hind legs much more slender. Middle tibiae without spurs and hind tibiae each with one pectinate spur. Abdominal segments II (petiole) with narrow anterior peduncle and evenly rounded dorsal surface, without differentiated posterior surface. Both abdominal segments II and III (postpetiole) distinctly broader than long. Subpetiolar process with a large lobe-like extension, and a small anterior-basal semi-translucent fenestra, in ventral view broad, tapering distally. Abdominal segment II with complete tergosternal fusion and without trace of suture. Abdominal segment III in dorsal view broad, nearly oval, broadly attached to segment II and IV (first gastral), separated from surrounding segments by scrobiculate constrictions between pre- and postsclerites. In lateral view abdominal segment III distinctly higher than long; dorsal surface flat, outline slightly convex; attached to segment II by an immobile joint. Ventral outline of segment III with a visible articulatory surface with segment IV and capable of relative movement. Tergite and sternite of abdominal segment III separated by a visible suture; the tergosternal fusion was not determined. Gaster oval in dorsal view, gastral shoulders not surrounding abdominal segment III, and no notch between tergite and sternite IV in lateral view. Mandibles smooth with very few, isolated foveolae. Head capsule devoid of sculpture except tiny punctures at the base of hairs, surface shiny. Pronotal neck roughly reticulate/rugulate, propleuron reticulate. Pronotum, mesonotum, and surface of propodeum, generally without any sculpture, surfaces glossy. Articulatory surface between pronotum and mesonotum strigulate, the distinct groove between mesonotum, katepisternum and propodeum is scrobulate. Propodeal declivity with very shallow reticulate sculpture. Abdominal segments II, III and IV–VII (gaster) without sculpture. Body pilosity of suberect to erect hairs on all surfaces. Color mainly brown to dark brown with antennae, legs (except foreleg coxae), parts of pronotum and mesonotum testaceous.

Differential diagnosis. The general appearance of A. helenae is similar to that of A. boltoni , but they are distinguishable by the characters in Table 1.

A. boltoni A.helenae

Labrum only with very small peg like teeth of about the Labrum with two distinctly larger teeth, and five well develsame length oped small teeth

Propodeal spiracle not far from metapleural gland bulla, sep- Propodeal spiracle distant to metapleural gland bulla, separated arated by less than the spiracle diameter by about twice the spiracle diameter Propodeum convex, declivitous face less steeply sloping Propodeum with dorsal face relatively flat and declivitous face

more steeply sloping

Subpetiolar process in lateral view developed as a relatively Subpetiolar process in lateral view large and lobate, with visismaller blunt tooth, lacking fenestra ble fenestra

Abdominal segment II (petiole) and III (postpetiole) nar- Abdominal segment II (petiole) and III (postpetiole) broader rower (PW/ML 0.25; AIIIW/ML 0.32) (PW/ML 0.29; AIIIW/ML 0.37)

Head surface with visible sculpture Head without any sculpture

Mesonotum and propodeum with more than 50% of surface Mesonotum and propodeum without distinct sculpture, shiny, irregularly reticulate to rugose, mesopleuron sculptured mesopleuron smooth

Color orange brown to reddish brown Color testaceous to dark brown

Unfortunately, A. taylori ( Figs. 11, 12 ) was described only from a gyne, and we are unable to compare our new species in the same caste. Nevertheless, we found some characters that should apply for both worker and reproductive female castes. The gyne of A. taylori and the undescribed gyne from the collection of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University (see Discussion: Wing venation of the Anomalomyrmini ) are very similar in sculpturing and color. They differ, however, in labrum and mandible armament, mesosoma height and robustness, and especially the complete fusion of petiole and abdominal sternite III (postpetiolar) in A. taylori . In the undescribed gyne both segments are clearly constricted. The characters separating A. taylori from the undescribed gyne are also useful to distinguish A. taylori from A. boltoni and A.helenae . Given the extreme abdominal morphology of A. taylori , we are confident that our two new species are not A. taylori . Anomalomyrma boltoni differs from both gynes also by the stronger sculpture, the different propodeum morphology, and the mandibular and labral armament. Characters distinguishing A. helenae from the undescribed gyne are a little less obvious. There are differences in the dimensions of the mesosoma, distinct color differences and, most obviously, differences in mandible shape. The mandibles are relatively narrow in A. helenae and broader in the undescribed gyne. Also, the two collections come from relatively distant localities (SW Borneo and Palawan). It is possible, however, that in the future the undescribed gyne will be shown to belong to one of our new species.

Figures

FIGURES 5 – 6. Anomalomyrma helenae n. sp., holotype worker. FIGURE 5. Body in dorsal view; FIGURE 6. Body in lateral view.

FIGURES 7 – 8. Anomalomyrma helenae n. sp., holotype worker. FIGURE 7. Waist in dorsal view; FIGURE 8. Head in dorsal view.

FIGURES 11 – 12. Anomalomyrma taylori Bolton, 1990, holotype gyne. FIGURE 11. Body in dorsal view; FIGURE 12. Boby in lateral view.