Adelomyrmex dentivagans Longino, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Longino, John T.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2012
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Formicidae
Adelomyrmex
Adelomyrmex dentivagans

description: Adelomyrmex dentivagans Longino, sp. nov.
(Figs 1, 2, 15, 22)
Type material. Holotype worker. Mexico, Chiapas: Lago Metzabok, 17.12630 −91.63052 ± 50 m, 570 m, 5 Jun 2008 (LLAMA Wa-A- 06-1-18) [CAS, unique specimen identifier JTLC 000014362]. Paratypes (workers): Mexico, Chiapas: 13.7km NW Metzabok, 17.19052 −91.73748 ± 50 m, 540 m, 14 Jul 2007 (J. L. Cozar) [INBIO, CASENT 0600030]; same locality and date but (J. Longino JTL6046-s) [MCZC, JTLC 000010023], [MZSP, JTLC 000009719], [USNM, JTLC 000010022]; same locality and date as holotype but (LLAMA Wa-A- 06-1-11) [BMNH, JTLC 000014356], (LLAMA Wa-A- 06-1-17) [EAPZ, JTLC 000014360], [ECOSCE, JTLC 000014361], (LLAMA Wa-A- 06-1-18) [UCD, JTLC 000014363], (LLAMA Wa-A- 06-1-37) [ICN, JTLC 000014380].
Geographic range. Mexico (Chiapas), Guatemala, Honduras.
Diagnosis. Mandible lacking differentiated basal and masticatory margins; counting from apex, fifth tooth equidistant between fourth tooth and sixth (basal) tooth; scape with one or two long erect setae projecting above underlying pubescence. Differing from the similar A. nortenyo in longer, sparser, more erect setae on dorsal surfaces; in profile, petiolar node more quadrate, with pronounced transverse carina sharply separating dorsal and posterior faces; rugae on dorsal and lateral faces of pronotum less reticulate, more wavy with some longitudinal orientation.
Description. Worker. HW 0.61–0.69 (n=6); mandible without differentiated masticatory and basal margins, with six distinct teeth distributed from apex to base, fifth tooth equidistant between fourth and sixth (basal) tooth, and with a deep notch between sixth tooth and basal condyle; dorsal surface of mandible with several coarse longitudinal striae and several large piligerous puncta; in full face view, lateral clypeal teeth project from beneath clypeal shelf; lateral clypeal teeth confluent with both anterior (ventral) margin of clypeus and transverse carina that forms clypeal shelf, forming vertices of concave triangular space on ventral face of clypeus; hypostomal tooth absent; compound eye composed of 7–8 ommatidia; face fully sculptured with reticulate rugae, with weak longitudinal orientation medially.
Short anterior face of pronotum well separated from dorsal face by a weakly elevated transverse ruga; dorsal profile of promesonotum and propodeum forming a single arched convexity, metanotal groove weakly impressed; propodeal spines pronounced, acute; space between propodeal spines a broad concavity without distinct dorsal and posterior faces, smooth and shiny with a few transverse rugae; rest of mesosoma strongly rugose, rugae wavy and generally longitudinally oriented; petiolar node subquadrate with strongly differentiated anterior, dorsal, and posterior faces; posterior face of petiolar node slightly concave and separated from dorsal face by distinct transverse ruga; petiole and postpetiole coarsely irregularly rugose; postpetiole in dorsal view about as long as wide, with straight anterior margin and evenly rounded posterior margin; gastral dorsum smooth and shining.
Scape with abundant long subdecumbent pubescence, and with one or two long suberect setae that are differentiated from the pubescence and project above it; clypeus and frontal carinae with long erect setae; posterior and posterolateral margins of head with long erect setae; mid and hind tibia with abundant long subdecumbent setae and about three differentiated erect setae that are longer than width of tibia; in profile, dorsal surfaces of head, mesosoma, and gaster with relatively sparse, long, erect setae; FSH about 0.11, FSI 0.16.
Color dark red brown.
Biology. This species occurs in second growth to mature evergreen wet forest, from 400–1200 m elevation. It does not occur in hot lowland rainforest, below 300 m elevation. In a ridge-top cloud forest in Parque Nacional Cerro Azul Meambar in Honduras, it occurred in 20% of miniWinkler samples. Most collections are from Winkler and Berlese samples of sifted litter. A few workers were taken at baits at Cerro Azul Meambar.
Etymology. Wandering tooth, referring to the characteristic mandibular dentition.
description: Published as part of Longino, John T., 2012, A review of the ant genus Adelomyrmex Emery 1897 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in Central America, pp. 1-35 in Zootaxa 3456 on pages 17-18, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.282199