Pogonomyrmex catanlilensis Gallardo 1931
Pogonomyrmex catanlilensis Gallardo, 1931; 187, fig. 2 (worker). Syntypes examined:
2 workers [MACN], ARGENTINA, Neuquén: on the road from Zapala
to Junín de los Andes near the Catán Lil River (A.
Gallardo leg., 10 April, 1919). See also Gallardo, 1932: 163, fig. 43 (MACN
worker here designated LECTOTYPE).
Worker
Diagnosis. The combination of: (1) first gastral tergum striate, (2) head
and mesosoma blackish to black, gaster
dark ferruginous orange to orangish-black, (3)
superior propodeal spines short to long, acuminate,
and (4) in lateral view, node of petiole angulate
uniquely characterize this species.
Measurements
– lectotype (n
= 12). HL 1.74 (1.78-2.03); HW 1.87 (1.67-2.02); MOD 0.40
(0.36-0.44); OMD 0.50 (0.47-0.62); SL 1.37 (1.19-1.47); PNW 1.25 (1.15-1.34);
HFL 1.64 (1.75-2.00); ML 2.44 (2.17-2.76); PW 0.52 (0.45-0.55); PPW 0.69
(0.60-0.75). Indices: SI 73.26
(63.73-83.83); CI 107.47 (93.82-104.23); OI 21.39 (18.27-25.15); HFI 87.70
(92.57-110.18).
Description. Head subquadrate to quadrate (CI = 93.82-107.47); posterior
margin flat to weakly concave in full-face view. Longitudinal cephalic rugae prominent, in full-face view, median rugae diverging toward posterior corners of head; interrugal spaces on cephalic dorsum strongly granulate-punctate, dull to weakly shining. Vertex rugose; interrugal spaces smoothy and
shining to weakly granulate, weakly shining.
Anterior margin of clypeus moderately concave, dorsum with several suparallel longitudinal rugae. Mandible with six to seven, sometimes eight
teeth (46% had six teeth, 43% had seven teeth, 11% had eight teeth, n = 37), one tooth occasionally as a denticle on one or both mandibles between tooth four and
five; mandibular dorsum coarsely striated. MOD ranging from 0.18-0.24x
HL. Eyes in profile situated near
middle of head, OMD = 1.1-1.7x MOD. In
full-face view, eyes protruding slightly beyond lateral margins of head. Antennal scapes (SI
= 63.73-83.83) failing to reaching posterior corners of head by less than
length of basal funicular segment.
Antennal scapes with or without weak
longitudinal striae, weakly to moderately granulate, weakly
shining; basal flange well developed with carinate
margin. Psammophore
well developed.
Mesosomal profile
slightly convex; all mesosomal surfaces with
prominent parallel/subparallel wavy to irregular rugae.
In dorsal view, humeral portion of pronotum
enlarged, weakly to distinctly angulate, especially
in lateral view. Dorsum of promesonotum with very irregular longitudinal rugae, often becoming rugoreticulate
to vermiculate on pronotum, irregular to rugoreticulate on pronotal sides;
rugae on mesopleura angle posterodorsally. Superior
propodeal spines short to long,
acuminate, connected by well-defined keel; irregular transverse rugae on dorsum of propodeum
traverse anteroventrally on sides. Inferior propodeal
spines well developed, wider than high, narrowing to blunt to subacute tip. Propodeal
spiracles narrowly ovate. Interrugal spaces on mesosoma
densely granulate, dull to weakly shining.
Legs weakly shining to shining.
Petiolar peduncle about
0.8x as long as petiole, anteroventral
margin flat or with slight convex process.
In side view, posterior surface of petiole weakly convex;
petiolar node asymmetrical with anterior surface
notably longer than posterior surface, apex angulate. In dorsal view, petiole longer than wide,
widest near spatulate anterior margin, narrowing to
posterior margin. Sides
and posterior surface of petiolar node with wavy to
irregular transverse rugae. Dorsum of postpetiole convex in side view; in dorsal view, widest
near posterior margin, narrowing to anterior margin, width and length similar. Wavy to irregular transverse rugae on dorsum of postpetiole
that are finer, denser than those on petiole; interrugal
spaces on posterior surface of petiole and dorsum of postpetiole
moderately coriarious, dull to weakly shining. Dorsum of first gastral tegum with longitudinal striae, weakly shining.
Erect,
mostly short to medium length, whitish pilosity moderately
abundant on head, often one to few long hairs that exceed MOD. Moderately abundant suberect to semidecumbent pilosity on scape; abundant
decumbent hairs on funicular segments.
Legs with moderately abundant suberect
to decumbent whitish setae. Rest of body with moderately dense, erect, medium-length, whitish
setae. Head, mesosoma, petiole, postpetiole
black; gaster dark ferruginous orange to orangish-black with darker bands along posterior margins of
terga.
Queen
Diagnosis. As in worker diagnosis, but with
caste-specific morphology of the mesosoma related to
wing-bearing, presence of small ocelli on head, and
as illustrated in Figure x. This caste
is diagnosed by: (1) first gastral tergum striate, and (2) head and mesosoma black; gaster dark ferruginous
orange.
Measurements
– (n = 1). HL 1.90; HW 2.03; MOD 0.42;
OMD 0.67; SL 1.49; PNW 1.60; HFL 2.03; ML 2.91; PW 0.54; PPW 0.82. Indices: SI 73.40; CI 106.84; OI 20.69; HFI
100.00.
Description. As in
worker diagnosis, but with caste-specific morphology of the mesosoma
related to wing-bearing, presence of small ocelli on
head, and as illustrated in Figure xx.
In full face view, head subquadrate (CI = 106.84),
widest just posterior to eyes, posterior margin flat. Longitudinal cephalic rugae prominent, wavy; in full-face view, median rugae diverging slightly toward posterior corners of head;
vertex rugose, interrugal
spaces on cephalic dorsum and vertex moderately granulate-punctate,
weakly shining. Mandible with seven to eight teeth (seven on one mandible, eight on
the other), dorsal surface coarsely rugose. Psammophore well-developed.
All mesosomal surfaces except pronotal
sides with subparallel, regular to wavy rugae, rugae irregular to rugoreticulate on pronotal sides;
interrugal spaces weakly to moderately granulate-punctate, weakly shining; superior propodeal
spines minute, acuminate, inferior propodeal spines
moderately well developed, wider than tall, acuminate. Petiolar peduncle about
0.8x as long as petiole, ventral margin flat. In side view, petiolar node asymmetrical with anterior surface notably
shorter than posterior surface, apex of node angulate,
anterior margin with a small crest.
Posterior surface of petiole with wavy to irregular transverse
rugae, crest along anterior margin weakly concave
medially. In dorsal view, dorsum
of postpetiole slightly wider than long; dorsum with
wavy, transverse rugae that are slightly weaker, more
dense than on posterior surface of petiole; interrugal
spaces on posterior face of petiole and dorsum of postpetiole
weakly granulate-punctate, weakly shining. First gastral
tergum striate, weakly shining. Most body surfaces with moderately abundant suberect to erect, short to long, yellowish setae, longest hairs
on head and mesosoma exceed MOD. Head, mesosoma,
peduncle black; petiole blackish-orange; postpetiole
dark ferruginous orange; gaster ferruginous orange.
Male.
Unknown.
Additional material examined.
ARGENTINA: Chubut: Rt 20 at 25.2
km NW turnoff to Facundo, 1780’, Jan. 28, 2011 (RAJC). Mendoza: Rt 145 at
25.1 km W Bardas Blancas,
4830’, Jan. 26, 2008 (RAJC); Rt 145 at 33.8 km W Bardas Blancas, 5010’; Jan. 25,
2008 (RAJC). Neuquén: 6 km S Laguna Blanca, 4600’, Dec.
7, 2003 (CASC; RAJC); Rt 46 at 8.5 km SW Zapala, 3530’, Feb. 10, 2011 (RAJC).
Etymology. The name of this species was derived from
Gallardo collecting the syntype series either near
the
Discussion. Pogonomyrmex catanlilensis is likely
to co-occur with several P. rastratus-group
species, but its color pattern distinguishes it from all congeners except for P. pronotalis,
P. granulatus,
and P. mendozanus. These four species are the only bicolored species in which color of the gaster
is lighter than that on the head and mesosoma. Pogonomyrmex catanlilensis is separated from P. pronotalis and P. mendozanus by the striae
on the first gastral tergum
(smooth or coriarious, but lacking striae in P. pronotalis and P.
mendozanus).
Pogonomyrmex catanlilensis
is separated from P. granulatus
by: (1) short, acuminate superior propodeal spines,
and (2) in lateral view, petiolar node angulate. In P. granulatus:
(1) the superior propodeal spines are reduced to tubercles
or denticles, and (2) the petiolar
node is rounded to subangulate.
REFERENCES