Zasphinctus kouakoui Hita Garcia & Gomez 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Hita Garcia, Francisco
name: Gómez, Kiko
name: Keller, Roberto A.
name: Schurian, Bernhard
name: Economo, Evan P.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Formicidae
Zasphinctus
Zasphinctus kouakoui

description: Zasphinctus kouakoui Hita Garcia & Gómez sp. nov.
Figs 3 B, 4 B, 5 B, 6 B, 7 B, 8 B, 10 B, 11 B, 12 B, 13 B, 14 B, 15 B, 16 B, 17 B, 18 B, 19 B, 20 B, 21 B, 26
Type material examined.
Holotype • Pinned worker, Ivory Coast, Montagnes District, Taï National Park, Site 04, primary forest, hand collected, ex soil, 5.8309, - 7.3440, 200 m, collection code KG 04079, 10. XI. 2019 (K. Gómez and L. Kouakou) (RBINS: KGCOL 00589). Paratypes • Four pinned workers with same data as holotype (KGAC: KGCOL 00586; MNHNC: KGCOL 01321; RBINS: KGCOL 02132; NHMUK: KGCOL 01884) • 1 pinned worker fromIvory Coast, Tai Forest, 5.83, - 7.34, 18. V. 77 (T. Diomande) (ZMHB: CASENT 0764653).
Cybertype • Dataset includes data from the holotype (KGCOL 00589) and one paratype (CASENT 0764653), and 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, and 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 and paratype. In addition to the data at Zenodo, we also provide a freely accessible 3 D surface model at Sketchfab (https://skfb.ly/p7MpP and https://skfb.ly/p7MpQ).
Differential worker diagnosis.
With characters of the Z. sarowiwai group plus the following: body size significantly larger (HL 0.75–0.80; WL 1.03–1.10); torular – posttorular complex in profile comparatively lower and funnel – shaped (Fig. 5 B); vertexal margin very weak and dorsum smoothly rounding onto posterior face of head (Figs 6 B, 7 B); lateral arms of hypostomal carina strongly diverging anteriorly, relatively thick, and outline mostly rounded (Fig. 8 B); postgenal sulcus deeply and conspicuously impressed but only running halfway to occipital margin (Fig. 8 B); posterodorsal margin of mesosoma continuous across its entire length (Figs 11 B, 12 B); subpetiolar process of petiole (AS II) in profile with thickened anterior and ventral margins and well developed concavity with differentiated fenestra (Fig. 13 B); petiolar tergum in dorsal view relatively thicker: ~ 1.1 × broader than long (DPI 109–114) (Fig. 14 B); abdominal sternum III in ventral view campaniform, comparatively broad and short, sides strongly rounded (Fig. 16 B); posterior end of abdominal segment III in ventral view with transverse groove weak to absent, instead with irregular groves and rugosity (Fig. 16 B); prora in anteroventral view well – developed with sharply and very regularly shaped lateroventral margins (Fig. 16 B); abdominal segment VI in dorsal view distinctly shorter: ~ 1.8–2 × broader than long (DA 6 I 180–204) (Fig. 17 B); girdling constrictions between abdominal segments IV, V, VI cross-ribbed (Fig. 18 B); 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 B, 5 B, 19 B, 20 B); general surface sculpture on mesosoma and metasoma almost completely smooth and very shiny with scattered, piliferous foveae (Figs 20 B, 21 B).
Measurements and indices.
Morphometric data is based on five workers from Ivory Coast and can be seen in Table 2, Suppl. material 3.
Etymology.
The species name kouakoui is a Latinised noun in the genitive case, dedicated to our good friend and Ivorian myrmecologist Dr. Lombart Kouakou. May this serve as a recognition of his present and future endeavours in Afrotropical myrmecology.
Distribution and biology.
Presently, Z. kouakoui is only known from two collection events from the type locality, the Tai National Park in Ivory Coast, which is the last remaining major intact block of primary forest in West Africa. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 due to exceptional richness in fauna and ﬂora. Indeed, based on several criteria including species diversity, endemism, presence of rare species, and / or endangered and critical habitats, the Tai National Park is considered a priority for the conservation of mammals, birds, amphibians, and invertebrates in West Africa (Reizebos et al. 1994).
description: Published as part of 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, pp. 1-55 in ZooKeys 1223 on pages 1-55, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1223.131238