Hymenoptera: Formicidae
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Systematic Entomology (1991) 16, 1-13 New myrmicine ant genera from the Oriental Region (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) BARRY B 0 LTO N Department of Entomology, The Natural History Museum, London Abstract. Four new myrmicine ant genera are described from the Oriental Region. Vombisidris gen.n. (twelve species) is predominantly an arboreal genus that ranges from India to Queensland, with the majority of species in Malaysia and Indonesia. Rotastruma gen.n. (two species) is known from China, Singapore, and East Malaysia and is also arboreal. Tetheamyrma gen.n. is monotypic and known only from a single leaf litter sample from East Malaysia. The three species of Kartidris gen.n. are terrestrial and have been found in mountainous areas in southern China. Thailand and India. Introduction It belongs to the Stenamma- Rogeria-group of genera and is particularly interesting as it re- The four new genera described here belong to presents the third evolutionary lineage to de- the ant subfamily Myrmicinae and come from velop spongiform tissue on the waist segments the Oriental region, an area with an enormous and gaster. Other myrmicines with such tissue and little understood diversity of myrmicine include the unrelated tribe Dacetini (see e.g. ants. Two of the genera, Vombisidris and Brown, 1962; Bolton, 1983; and their included Rotastruma, are mostly or entirely subarboreal references), and the isolated and peculiar genus to arboreal. Tree-fogging, a specialized sam- Dacetinops (Taylor, 1985). pling technique whose value has only recently Finally Kartidris, a member of the Pheidole- become fully appreciated, is to a large extent Messor-Aphaenogaster-group of genera, is responsible for our knowledge of Vombisidris. known from three species collected in moun- Like most other arboreal ant genera the bio- tainous areas of southern China, India and logies of Vombisidris and Rotastruma remain Thailand; one species from each of these unknown, but their numbers always appear to countries. Members of this genus are terrestrial be low. Whether this is because they find it hard but their biologies remain uninvestigated. to compete with other arboreal genera, or have As a general rule I do not favour the publi- very specialized lifeways, is also unknown. cation of isolated descriptions of new taxa, that The twelve species of Vombisidris range from is, taxa described out of the context of some eastern India to Queensland, Australia, with broader study. The general rule must be broken most occurring in Malaysia and Indonesia. here, reluctantly, as these genus-level names Rotastruma is currently known from southern need to be made available for inclusion in other China, Singapore, and Sarawak in East studies and in the new general catalogue of ants Malaysia. These two genera are referred to the which is currently in preparation. tribe Leptothoracini, a large and diverse group Standard measurements and abbreviations of with a predominantly holarctic distribution. museum titles are as defined in Bolton (1983). Tetheamyrma was recovered from a single leaf-litter sample taken in Sabah, East Malaysia. Vombisidris gen.n. (Figs 1 - 11) Correspondence: Mr B. Bolton, Department of Entomology, The Natural History Museum, Diagnosis of worker. Monomorphic terrestrial Cromwell Road, London SW7 SBD. to arboreal myrmicine ants with the following 2 Barry Bolton combination of characters. variable. Pilosity present, moderately dense, 1. Palp formula 5, 3. the individual hairs usually short and often 2. Mandible short-triangular, the masticatory blunted. Scapes with long outstanding (erect to margin with 5 teeth, uniquely arranged. The suberect) hairs at least on the leading edge. large apical tooth is followed by two smaller Female. As worker but with ocelli and full teeth (third smaller than second), then a long complement of flight sclerites; winged when diastema and two small basal teeth. Length of virgin. Females known only in bilongrudi, diastema is at least equal to length of margin renateae, and australis, see Taylor (1989). occupied by the apical group of three teeth Male. Unknown. (Figs 2, 11). 3. Anterior clypeal margin lacking an isolated Type-species: Vombisidris philax sp.n. median seta; instead with a pair of setae that straddle the midpoint. Notes 4. Median portion of clypeus broad pos- teriorly, broadly inserted between the frontal Character 2, the form of dentition, is lobes. autapomorphic and unique in the Myrmicinae. 5. Frontal lobes narrow, each lobe distinctly This character alone will instantly diagnose narrower than the portion of the clypeus which Vombisidris and separate it from all other is inserted between them. genera in the subfamily. The genus belongs in 6. Torulus concealed by frontal lobes in full- tribe Leptothoracini, as that taxon is currently face view, not freely projecting. understood. Leptothoracini is, however, a very 7. Frontal carinae and antenna1 scrobes nebulous tribe whose constituents and real limits absent. are not clearly known, and is in need of analysis 8. Eyes of moderate size, at or slightly in on a world-wide basis. front of the midlength of the sides of the head. 9. Antennae 12-segmented, with a strongly defined 3-segmented apical club. Key to workers 10. Sides of head usually with a strong sinuate subocular groove (Figs 1, 3-6, 8-10); groove 1 Subocular groove incomplete or absent; at most incomplete in two species (Fig. 7) (see second the groove running from the mandibular insertion lug of key couplet 1). to the anteroventral margin of the eye, nevcr 11. Alitrunk elongate and low in profile; continued bcyond the eye to the lateroccipital promesonoturn not domed-convex; propodeum margin (Fig. 7) . 2 bispinose. - Subocular groove complete; the groove running 12. Propodeal spiracle high on side, at about from the mandibular insertion to the antero- midlength of sclerite, distinctly separated from ventral margin of the eye, then passing through a the small metapleural gland bulla. shallow angle and continuing along the side to the 13. Metapleural lobes present, small and lateroccipital margin (Figs 1,3-6,s-10) . 3 rounded. 2 Subocular groove present from mandibular inser- 14. Metasternal process absent. tion to eye. Mesonotum without teeth. Dorsum 15. Tibia1 spurs absent from middle and hind of head without a rugoreticulum. Propodeal legs. dorsum strongly sloping downward posteriorly so 16. Petiole pedunculate, the spiracle located that the spines appear attached very low (Fig. 7). Petiolar spiracle closer to base of peduncle than from very close to the alitrunk articulation to to node. SI<90. Legs short; length of hind tibia just behind the midlength of the peduncle. less than length of petiole and <SL; hind femur 17. Postpetiolar sternite reduced, small in length <HL. (Papua New Guinea) . acherdos profile. 18. First gastral tergite strongly overlapping - Subocular groove entirely absent. Mesonotum with a pair of short acute dorsolaterally directed the sternite; sternite with a laterobasal angular teeth. Dorsum of head with a rugoreticulum. junction with the tergite or strongly overlapped Propodeal dorsum almost straight, the spines throughout. attachcd high. Petiolar spiracle closer to node 19. Sting functional, strong and simple. than to base of peduncle. SI 100 or more. Legs 20. Cuticle thick and arrnoured, sculpture long; length of hind tibia greater than length of New my]vnicine ant genera from the Oriental Region 3 petiole and >SL; hind femur length >HL. (Papua - With alitrunk in profile the metanotal groove New Guinea) .................... bilongrudi entirely lacking or at most forming an inconspicuous shallow depression in the dorsal 3 Legs relatively long; maximum length of hind outline (Figs 5,6) ........................ 10 femur >HW. Antennal scapes relatively long, SI 81-93; if SIi85 then the metanotal groove in 8 Spaces between basigastral costulae finely and profile is completely absent. Petiolar spiracle densely sculptured so that an opaque transverse located at or behind the midlength of the pedunclc arc is present on the first gastral tergite (Figs1,3,4) ............................. 4 immediately behind the postpetiole. Eyes relatively small, 0.22 X HW (Fig. 11). Hairs on - Legs relatively short; maximum length of hind first gastral tergite short thick and abruptly femur <HW. Antennal scapes relatively short, SI truncated apically. Propodeal spines long 69-81; if SI approaches 81 then the metanotal (Fig. 10). (Brunei) ..................xylochos groove in profile is a conspicuous broad deep trench. Petiolar spiracle located in front of the - Spaces between basigastral costulae smooth and midlength of the peduncle (Figs 5,6,8- 10) ... 7 unsculptured or the costulae minute; without an opaque transverse arc on the first gastral tergite 4 Large black species: HW10.80, SL>0.75, immediately behind the postpetiole. Eyes PWHJ.60. Mesonotum unarmed, in dorsal view relatively large, 0.27-0.29 x HW. Hairs on first the sides not projecting latcrally as a pair of gastral tergite elongate and slender, blunted but triangular prominences, without a pair of short not abruptly truncated apically. Propodeal spines vertical teeth (Fig. 1). Eyes in full-face view short shorter (Figs 8,9) ......................... 9 and strongly prominent, domc-like (Fig. 2). (East Malaysia: Sabah) ..................... regina 9 With head in full-face view the sides immediately behind the eyes diverging posteriorly (as in - Smaller species, either entirely yellow or yellow Fig. 11). Scapes shorter, SI 71. First gastral with a brown gaster; HW<0.80, SL<O.75, tergite finely superficially reticulate. Peduncle of PW<0.60. Mesonotum armed, either the sides in petiole relatively short (Fig. 9). (Indonesia: dorsal view projecting laterally as a pair of Sulawesi) ........................... lochme triangular prominences, or with a pair of short vertical teeth. Eyes not prominent and dome-like - With head in full-face view the sides immediately in full-face view .... 5 behind the eyes approximately parallel. Scapes longer, SI 81. First gastral tergite almost 5 First gastral tergite heavily sculptured; basigastral completely smooth. Peduncle of petiole relatively costulae long and coarse, longer than the post- long (Fig.