DOI: 10.5061/dryad.4s3v1
title: Data from: Next-generation morphological character discovery and evaluation: an X-ray micro-CT enhanced revision of the ant genus Zasphinctus Wheeler (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Dorylinae) in the Afrotropics

description: New technologies for imaging and analysis of morphological characters
 offer opportunities to enhance revisionary taxonomy and better integrate
 it with the rest of biology. In this study, we revise the Afrotropical
 fauna of the ant genus Zasphinctus Wheeler, and use high-resolution X-ray
 microtomography (micro-CT) to analyse a number of morphological characters
 of taxonomic and biological interest. We recognise and describe three new
 species: Z. obamai sp. n., Z. sarowiwai sp. n., and Z. wilsoni sp. n. The
 species delimitations are based on the morphological examination of all
 physical specimens in combination with 3D scans and volume
 reconstructions. Based on this approach, we present a new taxonomic
 discrimination system for the regional fauna that consists of a
 combination of easily observable morphological characters visible at
 magnifications of around 80–100 ×, less observable characters that require
 higher magnifications, as well as characters made visible through virtual
 dissections that would otherwise require destructive treatment.
 Zasphinctus are rarely collected ants and the material available to us is
 comparatively scarce. Consequently, we explore the use of micro-CT as a
 non-invasive tool for the virtual examination, manipulation, and
 dissection of such rare material. Furthermore, we delineate the treated
 species by providing a diagnostic character matrix illustrated by numerous
 images and supplement that with additional evidence in the form of stacked
 montage images, 3D PDFs and 3D rotation videos of scans of major body
 parts and full body (in total we provide 16 stacked montage photographs,
 116 images of 3D reconstructions, 15 3D rotation videos, and 13 3D PDFs).
 In addition to the comparative morphology analyses used for species
 delimitations, we also apply micro-CT data to examine certain traits, such
 as mouthparts, cuticle thickness, and thoracic and abdominal muscles in
 order to assess their taxonomic usefulness or gain insights into the
 natural history of the genus. The complete datasets comprising the raw
 micro-CT data, 3D PDFs, 3D rotation videos, still images of 3D models, and
 coloured montage photos have been made available online as cybertypes
 (Dryad, http://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.4s3v1).
description: Cybertype_Zasphinctus
 obamai_CASENT0764125_holotype worker_1Cybertype dataset for
 Zasphinctus obamai (CASENT0764125) holotype worker 1: complete micro-CT
 scanning raw dataset of full body (DICOM format, 993
 slices)Cybertype_Zasphinctus
 obamai_CASENT0764125_holotype worker_2Cybertype dataset for
 Zasphinctus obamai (CASENT0764125) holotype worker 2: 3D PDF and
 high-resolution 3D rotation video (mpg format) of scan of full body plus
 montage photos (full-face view, body in profile, and dorsal view of body
 in tiff format)Cybertype_Zasphinctus
 obamai_CASENT0764127_paratype worker_1Cybertype dataset for
 Zasphinctus obamai (CASENT0764127) paratype worker 1: complete micro-CT
 scanning raw dataset of head (DICOM format, 990 slices)Cybertype_Zasphinctus
 obamai_CASENT0764127_paratype worker_2Cybertype dataset for
 Zasphinctus obamai (CASENT0764127) paratype worker 2: complete micro-CT
 scanning raw dataset of mesosoma (DICOM format, 993
 slices)Cybertype_Zasphinctus
 obamai_CASENT0764127_paratype worker_3Cybertype dataset for
 Zasphinctus obamai (CASENT0764127) paratype worker 3: complete micro-CT
 scanning raw dataset of metasoma (DICOM format, 993
 slices)Cybertype_Zasphinctus
 obamai_CASENT0764127_paratype worker_4Cybertype dataset for
 Zasphinctus obamai (CASENT0764127) paratype worker 4: 3D PDFs and
 high-resolution 3D rotation videos (mpg format) for scans of head,
 mesosoma, and metasoma plus microtomographic still images of diagnostic
 characters (tiff format)Cybertype_Zasphinctus
 sarowiwai_CASENT0764650_paratype worker_1Cybertype dataset for
 Zasphinctus sarowiwai (CASENT0764650) paratype worker 1: complete micro-CT
 scanning raw dataset of full body (DICOM format, 993
 slices)Cybertype_Zasphinctus
 sarowiwai_CASENT0764654_holotype worker_1Cybertype dataset for
 Zasphinctus sarowiwai (CASENT0764654) holotype worker 1: complete micro-CT
 scanning raw dataset of full body (DICOM format, 993
 slices)Cybertype_Zasphinctus
 sarowiwai_CASENT0764654_holotype worker_2Cybertype dataset for
 Zasphinctus sarowiwai (CASENT0764654) holotype worker 2: complete micro-CT
 scanning raw dataset of head (DICOM format, 992 slices)Cybertype_Zasphinctus
 sarowiwai_CASENT0764654_holotype worker_3Cybertype dataset for
 Zasphinctus sarowiwai (CASENT0764654) holotype worker 3: complete micro-CT
 scanning raw dataset of mesosoma (DICOM format, 993
 slices)Cybertype_Zasphinctus
 sarowiwai_CASENT0764654_holotype worker_4Cybertype dataset for
 Zasphinctus sarowiwai (CASENT0764654) holotype worker 4: complete micro-CT
 scanning raw dataset of metasoma (DICOM format, 993
 slices)Cybertype_Zasphinctus
 sarowiwai_CASENT0764654_holotype worker_5Cybertype dataset for
 Zasphinctus sarowiwai (CASENT0764654) holotype worker 5: 3D PDF and
 high-resolution 3D rotation video (mpg format) for scan of full body plus
 montage photos (full-face view, body in profile, and dorsal view of body)
 and microtomographic still images of diagnostic characters (tiff
 format)Cybertype_Zasphinctus
 sarowiwai_CASENT0764654_holotype worker_6Cybertype dataset for
 Zasphinctus sarowiwai (CASENT0764654) holotype worker 6: 3D PDFs and
 high-resolution 3D rotation videos (mpg format) for scans of head,
 mesosoma, and metasomaMorphological
 dataset_Zasphinctus
 sarowiwai_CASENT0764654_muscles+stingMorphological dataset
 for Zasphinctus sarowiwai (CASENT0764654) muscles+sting: high-resolution
 3D video (mpg format) and still images (tiff format) of false-colour
 volume rendering of segmented mesosoma and metasoma musculature (red) and
 sting apparatus (green) superimposed on semitransparent surface
 modelMorphological
 dataset_Zasphinctus sarowiwai_CASENT0764652_mouthparts_1Morphological dataset
 for Zasphinctus sarowiwai (CASENT0764652) mouthparts 1: complete micro-CT
 scanning raw dataset of anterior head (DICOM format, 992
 slices)Morphological
 dataset_Zasphinctus sarowiwai_CASENT0764652_mouthparts_2Morphological dataset
 for Zasphinctus sarowiwai (CASENT0764652) mouthparts 2: 3D PDFs,
 high-resolution 3D rotation videos (mpg format), and microtomographic
 still images for segmented surface reconstructions of the mouthparts in
 open configuration (green= maxillae; yellow=labrum;
 orange=labium)Cybertype_Zasphinctus
 wilsoni_MCZ-ENT-00512764_holotype worker_1Cybertype dataset for
 Zasphinctus wilsoni (MCZ-ENT-00512764) holotype worker 1: complete
 micro-CT scanning raw dataset of full body (DICOM format, 993
 slices)Cybertype_Zasphinctus
 wilsoni_MCZ-ENT-00512764_holotype worker_2Cybertype dataset for
 Zasphinctus wilsoni (MCZ-ENT-00512764) holotype worker 2: complete
 micro-CT scanning raw dataset of head (DICOM format, 991
 slices)Cybertype_Zasphinctus
 wilsoni_MCZ-ENT-00512764_holotype worker_3Cybertype dataset for
 Zasphinctus wilsoni (MCZ-ENT-00512764) holotype worker 3: complete
 micro-CT scanning raw dataset of mesosoma (DICOM format, 992
 slices)Cybertype_Zasphinctus
 wilsoni_MCZ-ENT-00512764_holotype worker_4Cybertype dataset for
 Zasphinctus wilsoni (MCZ-ENT-00512764) holotype worker 4: complete
 micro-CT scanning raw dataset of metasoma (DICOM format, 993
 slices)Cybertype_Zasphinctus
 wilsoni_MCZ-ENT-00512764_holotype worker_5Cybertype dataset for
 Zasphinctus wilsoni (MCZ-ENT-00512764) holotype worker 5: 3D PDFs and
 high-resolution 3D rotation videos (mpg format) for scans of full body,
 head, mesosoma, and metasoma plus montage photos (full-face view, body in
 profile, and dorsal view of body) and microtomographic still images of
 diagnostic characters (tiff format)