Paraparatrechina umbranatis LaPolla and Cheng, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Lapolla, John S.
name: Cheng, Chiu H.
name: Fisher, Brian L.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2010
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Formicidae
Paraparatrechina
Paraparatrechina umbranatis

description: Paraparatrechina umbranatis LaPolla and Cheng, sp. nov.
(Fig. 9, 16, 17)
Holotype worker, GABON: Prov. Ogooue-Martime; Res. Monts Doudou; 24.5 km 303° WNW Doussala; 2°14.0’S, 10°23.9’E; 18.iii.2000; elev. 630 m (B.L. Fisher #2276) (CASC); 8 paratype workers, same locality as holotype (CASC, USNM)
Worker diagnosis: body distinctly bicolored, with gaster much darker than head and mesosoma.
Compare with: P. oreias and P. subtilis
WORKER. Measurements (n=12): TL: 1.19–1.57; HW: 0.34–0.36; HL: 0.38–0.41; EL: 0.098–0.112; SL: 0.38–0.43; PW: 0.21–0.27; WL: 0.42–0.49; PDH: 0.18–0.23; PrFL: 0.31–0.34; PrFW: 0.098–0.112; GL: 0.39–0.7. Indices: CI: 87–92; REL: 25–29; SI: 108–120; FI: 30–36
Head yellowish-brown to light brown, with antennae mandibles, and medial area between antennae slightly lighter; head slightly longer than broad. A dense layer of fine, short, slightly decumbent pubescence covers head. Scapes surpass posterior margin by about the length of the first funicular segment; scape with a dense, slightly decumbent pubescence. Mesosoma yellowish-brown to light brown; fine pubescence covers entire mesosomal dorsum; lateral portions of the mesosoma are distinctly shinier than the dorsum. Pronotum rises steeply from anterior margin to dorsum. Propodeum possesses a short, angular dorsal face, with a long declivitous face. Legs generally lighter colored than mesosoma, becoming whitish towards last tarsal segments. Procoxae usually darker brown than meso/metacoxae; gaster conspicuously darker than head and mesosoma and is covered in a dense layer of pubescence.
Etymology. The species epithet is a Latin noun in apposition, a compound of umbra (=shade) and natis (=rump), in reference to the fact that the gaster is much darker in color than the head and mesosoma.
Non-type material examined: ANGOLA: Salazar, 9–15.iii.1972 (P.M. Hammond); GABON: Prov. Ogooue-Maritime, Res. Monts Doudou, 25.2 km 304° NW Doussala, 10° 23.7’ E, 2° 13.6’ S, 14.iii.2000, elev. 640 m (B.L. Fisher); Prov. Ogooue-Maritime, Res. Monts Doudou, 24.5 km 303° WNW Doussala, 10° 23.9’ E, 2° 14.0’ S, 18.iii.2000, elev. 630 m (B.L. Fisher); Prov. Ogooue-Maritime, Reserve de la Moukalaba- Dougoua, 7km NW Doussala, 10° 32.65’ E, 2 19.84’ S, 21.iii.2000, elev. 110 m (S. van Noort); KENYA: Buyangu Nature Reserve, 0.37° N, 34.87° E (R. Snelling & A. Espira).
Notes. This species is easily recognizable by the distinctly darker gaster (brown) contrasting with the yellow-brown head and mesosoma. While many Paraparatrechina species display various coloration patterns between the different tagmata this is the only species that could be considered truly bicolored.
description: Published as part of Lapolla, John S., Cheng, Chiu H. & Fisher, Brian L., 2010, Taxonomic revision of the ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) genus Paraparatrechina in the Afrotropical and Malagasy Regions, pp. 1-27 in Zootaxa 2387 on pages 15-16, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.193808